Job Title: Communications Director

Qualifications: Bachelors degree in related field and 5 years related experience.

Reports to: Deputy Director on Operations and Executive Director for Strategy and Content Decisions

Special Skills Required:

  • Writing and editing skills
  • Strategic communications
  • Media relations
  • Social media
  • Basic graphic design/desktop Publishing (experience with InDesign preferred)
  • Short video production (shooting and editing)
  • Website management
  • Database management

Job Summary: Manage the public relations strategies for the agency including media relations, publicity and policy campaigns, publication design, social media, and website maintenance to reach our target audiences.

Job Responsibilities:

Media Relations/Social Media

  • Know media outletspublications featuring family issues
  • Cultivate and maintain key news media relationships, including broadcast, online and print media contacts. Pitch story ideas and coordinate media interviews with prepared spokespeople.
  • Seek opportunities for AACF to contribute to articles, editorials, TV, radio talk shows, and blogs
  • Draft press releases
  • Maintain AACF’s blog, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media accounts, and oversee the Editorial Calendar to schedule postings
  • Use software such as Sprout Social to track AACF’s usage on social media
  • Maintain file of the latest news clippings featuring AACF and/or its work

Publications/Graphic Design/Video

  • Design publications produced by AACF, staying ahead of the creative curve
  • Integrate appropriate photos, artwork, graphs, and charts to better show data
  • Assist with the design of infographics to convey information
  • Work closely with staff in editing and designing their work
  • Manage production (printing vendors, etc) of publications and organize distribution methods
  • Shoot and edit short videos using iMovie

Website Maintenance/Contact Management Database/E-Advocacy Database

  • Maintain web site to keep it current and user friendly
  • Have good working knowledge of our contacts management databases (Neon CRM and Engage) and serve as back-up for sending information and alerts to our networks

Messaging for Policy Issues

  • Have basic knowledge of AACF’s primary policy areas and follow their coverage in the media
  • Work with policy and outreach staff and national resources to design messaging and create and implementstrategic communication campaigns for policy issues
  • Develop legislative communications and information strategies as requested by Executive Director

Public Relations

  • Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual communications plan that includes policy issues, fundraising, and branding the organization in order to garner support for our organization and our ideas
  • Work with the development director and Northwest Arkansas Director to create and implement publicity for donor campaigns and special events, particularly Soup Sunday (central and northwest)
Other
  • Maintain the communication procedures and policies and update as needed to ensure that all staff understand the procedures and policies
  • Maintain the computer file of current and past publications to make sure they are easy to access
  • Maintain the organization’s archives of hard copies of past publications
  • Write the annual Kids Count grant proposal and required reports to the Annie E. Casey Foundation
  • Oversee the Communications Intern and manage their workflow

November 2015