Job Description: Communications Manager


Company: Alliance for Girls
Location: Oakland, California (Alameda County)
Job Category: Management
Job Type: Full-Time
Salary: $65,000-75,000 (commensurate with experience) + competitive benefits package - Salary

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Communications Manager

Communications Manager Opportunity
Location: Temporarily remote due to COVID 19.
When safe to return, this position will require working from AFG’s Oakland office.

About Alliance for Girls

Join an organization that is relentless in its mission to improve the lives of girls* on the margins through collective action. As the nation’s largest association of girls’ organizations and school partners, our 120 organizations and 250 schools serve 300,000 girls and gender expansive youth annually, 83% of whom are girls of color. Alliance for Girls (AFG) knits together a powerful girls’ service and leadership sector where girls’ needs are met and their power is amplified.

“Listen first, act together.” At AFG we listen to our members, service providers and educators, leveraging hundreds of woman-years of direct experience. We amplify the voices of girls and gender expansive youth to guide our strategic direction. We believe that those closest to the struggle are closest to the solution. We strive to model a culture of self and communal care, grounded in values of equity and justice, through internal operations and external impact. We are constantly imagining, thinking and planning processes and approaches that enable excellence in our work and enhance collaboration among our team and partners. 

Alliance for Girls’ unique combination of girl and community-driven research, coordinated initiatives driven by the intellectual and cultural power of our membership and school partners, and focused and inspired public advocacy enable us to affect deep and lasting change that directly improves the lives of girls and the systems that impact them. Join us as a senior leader of this growing organization.

*At Alliance for Girls, "Girls" refers to gender expansive youth (cis girls, trans girls, non-binary youth, gender non-conforming youth, gender queer youth and any girl-identified youth).  

Communications Manager Position Overview

Reporting to the Executive Director, Alliance for Girls seeks to hire an experienced, entrepreneurial and creative Communications Manager to lead our communications efforts. As an integral member of our team, the Communications Manager will develop and implement AFG’s communications strategies, campaigns and products to amplify AFG’s mission and programs. The Communications Manager will work closely with senior management and the entire AFG staff to inspire and engage diverse stakeholders, increase brand recognition and articulate AFG’s unique value proposition.

The Communications Manager will guide the strategy and implementation for AFG’s communications, including social media, website, collateral, newsletters, email alerts, funder communications, and media relations to effectively articulate AFG’s Mission and lift up Program initiatives and the work of its members.  The Communications Manager will ensure that AFG’s thought leadership and unique combination of membership, research and advocacy informs, inspires and engages our diverse network of stakeholders, funders and partners. Our successful candidate is entrepreneurial, organized, collaborative, and a skilled writer with the ability to create powerful communications and campaigns that engage diverse audiences and drive action.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Communications Planning & Execution (30%)

  • Develop and manage traditional and digital communications initiatives that amplify AFG's thought leadership and diverse programs to primary audiences and influencers.
  • Create communications plans and identify tactics using a variety of mediums (traditional and digital) which motivate members and other stakeholders to participate in AFG’s professional development opportunities, engage in AFG’s research and collaborate on advocacy initiatives.
  • Manage the workflow for communications, including tracking the production of content and owning AFG’s editorial calendar.
  • Create internal communications protocols and processes to support the communications needs of AFG’s programs, research, and membership services, as well as the executive director.

Content Creation (30%)

  • Manage, write and curate engaging content for AFG's monthly e-newsletters and website.
  • Create social media content and assets including tweets, posts, videos and graphics to build a strong online following and engage with primary and emerging audiences.
  • Draft op-eds, blog posts,  press releases, media alerts, talking points, and other externally-facing written work.
  • Support AFG staff in crafting messaging around AFG, its model, and programming to different audiences (i.e. media, donors/funders, potential partners, government officials, etc.).
  • Produce fundraising materials including but not limited to AFG's annual report, digital fundraising campaigns, and other related communication assets.

Public Relations (25%)

  • Manage and strengthen all existing AFG social media platforms and develop a presence in emerging platforms.
  • Build and manage relationships with local and national media for coverage of AFG, its membership alliance and program initiatives.
  • Act as a spokesperson for media interviews when needed, as well as train, coach, and support individuals to speak on behalf of AFG initiatives and campaigns.

General Management & Operations (15%)

  • Developing metrics for various communications channels and ladders of engagement, and adjustmenting efforts as needed.
  • Regularly evaluate and strengthen organizational voice across all of AFG's platforms and collateral.
  • Manage projects supported by AFG’s external communication consultants

Skills and Qualifications

  • Proven success designing and implementing communications and digital marketing strategies and campaigns using asset-based messaging
  • Excellent writing/editing and verbal communication skills
  • An engaging story-teller and experience creating compelling content for social causes
  • A strong track record as a “doer” who thrives on managing a variety of key initiatives and projects concurrently
  • High energy, maturity, and leadership with the ability to position communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels
  • Sincere commitment to work collaboratively across all constituent groups, including staff, board members, volunteers, donors, program participants, and other supporters
  • Self-starter, able to work independently, and entrepreneurial; enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives
  • Outstanding organizational and time management skills

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing public relations or relevant field, or comparable experience
  • A commitment to equity and inclusion
  • A passion for and dedication to Alliance for Girls’ Mission
  • At least three years of writing, editing, or marketing experience in a nonprofit or advocacy setting
  • Passion for storytelling and communicating complex concepts simply and effectively to a variety of audiences
  • Thorough understanding of online and in-person engagement
  • An understanding of best practices for online outreach via social media, e-newsletter and email
  • Solid experience with graphic design and layout applications such as Canva
  • Proficiency with the following applications: Google analytics, WordPress, Member365, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok
  • Strong collaboration skills, flexible demeanor, and ability to work with different types of teams
  • Strong project management skills
  • Proficiency with Google Drive applications and with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Preferred Skills/Experience

  • Experience working within or with Membership organizations and/or networks is a plus
  • Personal lived experience with issue areas AFG addresses is preferred
  • Experienced with data visualization

The Communications Manager reports to the Executive Director. This is a full-time, exempt position. AFG is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a competitive benefits package and salary commensurate with experience, ranging from $65,000 - $75,000.

Position is temporarily remote due to COVID 19. When safe to return, this position will require working from  AFG’s Oakland office. 

Alliance for Girls is committed to an equitable recruiting and hiring process. We aim to attract a diverse group of candidates by posting job openings on a wide variety of platforms, and by sharing them through our member and partner networks. We encourage all interested individuals to apply — especially Black, Indigenous and People of Color; women; people from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender or anyone belonging to any other federal or state-protected category. We will also ensure each position remains open until we have a mix of qualified finalists who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. In addition, we value the lived experience on par with professional employment. 

Please submit a resume and tailored cover letter explaining your interest in AFG and this role to jobs@alliance4girls.org.