Marketing and Communications Director

PURPOSE: The Marketing and Communications Director provides leadership for the planning and direction of all aspects of media and public relations, communications, event management, marketing strategy, systems, ad processes in support of the organization’s overall strategic direction and community impact priorities. This position serves as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and counsel to the President and key volunteers.

Key Functions:

• Develop and implement an integrated strategic communications plan to advance United Way’s brand identity; broaden awareness of its programs and priorities; and increase the visibility across key stakeholder audiences.
• Identify challenges and emerging issues. Work with leadership team and staff to recognize internal and external communications opportunities and solutions and define and execute appropriate strategies to support them.
• Create and manage Affinity Groups to fulfill United Way’s mission.
• Function as an effective brand steward, providing peer-to-peer leadership, training, and support to help all staff to deliver the ideal messaging at all times.
• Coordination with development of marketing support for annual donor campaign including printed materials, donor communication plans, digital presentations, direct mail and events.
• Work with all departments to integrate marketing and communications strategies.
• Follow progress of United Way Worldwide in branding, marketing and communications tools, and research.
• Proactively develop targeted stories for placement in all communications channels, including print, internet, radio, and television outlets.
• Provide talking points for staff and volunteers that reflect feedback from donor research and current-year business plans, and clearly support the mission of United Way. 
• Develop, manage and monitor/track implementation of new opportunities to raise awareness of the United Way brand locally.
• Develop, manage and monitor/track implementation of year-round communications, advertising, printing, and publications.
• Develop, manage and monitor/track in implementation of annual report, newsletters, campaign video and other marketing material as needed.
• Participate in on-line training, webinars, and when possible, attend seminars to keep abreast of industry and system best practices and enhancements.
• Develops, manages, and monitors organizational-wide social media strategy that aligns with United Way of York County, SC’s Strategic Plan.

 Responsibilities and Duties:

• Oversee Marketing Committee to ensure objectives are met as outlined in United Way’s Strategic Plan.
• Other duties as assigned to achieve the mission of the UWYC.
• Work outside normal office hours when required to include early mornings, evenings and weekends.

Key Skills:                                                       

• Commitment to excellence and to the mission of United Way of York County.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse groups with a focus on customer service excellence.
• Ability to appropriately present information and data in written, electronic, and oral forms to diverse target markets.
• Manages quickly changing priorities and resulting work flow; demonstrate ability to manage and prioritize tasks and meet deadlines. 
• Ability to work well as a “team player”, yet able to work independently when necessary.
• Internally motivated to recognize and act on opportunities to further the mission of UWYC.
• Extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Power Point) essential.
• Excellent promotional skills, excellent communications skills, and extensive writing and edited experience and skills with a variety of print and online communications media.
• Ability to produce high quality, persuasive written materials suitable for general public understanding, requiring minimal revision.
• Proven ability to effectively manage projects including meeting tight deadlines. 

United Way Professional Core Competencies for all United Way Staff

Competencies for working toward a world of economic and social opportunity for all. 

• Mission Focused: The United Way’s top priority is to create real social change that leads to better lives and healthier communities. This drives their performance and professional motivations.
• Relationship-Oriented:  The United Way understands that people come before process and is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal.
• Collaborator:  The United Way understands the roles and contributions of all sectors of the community and can mobilize resources (financial and human) through meaningful engagement.
• Results-Driven:  The United Way is dedicated to shared and measurable goals for the common good: creating, resourcing, scaling, and leveraging strategies and innovations for broad investment and impact.
• Brand-Steward:  The United Way is a steward of the brand and understands his/her role in growing and protecting the reputation and results of the greater network.

Job Requirements:

• Education:  Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or journalism preferred
• Three to five years of relevant work experience.
• Well-defined track record both as a talented storyteller AND as a relationship-building project manager.
• Demonstrated excellence in writing, storytelling, and content creation.
• Proven experience creating ad executing strategic communications plans.
• Ability to develop content on traditional and digital platforms.
• Solution-oriented, project manager.
• Relationship builder and collaborator.
• Experience creating an organization’s core messaging collateral (annual report, one-page overview, etc.) required.
• Experience with content management platforms essential.
• Experience communicating to corporate and donor audiences.

Physical Demand:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms.  The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, and may occasionally be required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.  Must have a valid Driver’s license.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual in this position.  They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of the position.

United Way of York County, SC is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity (EEO) in recruitment, hiring, training, and promotion of persons based on merit, qualifications and competence.