Take a leap and join our team!

At Gesa, we believe in the power of our people. Coming from all walks of life, our team members’ individual stories and unique experiences are our most valuable asset. But it’s how we come together, igniting our collective compassion and commitment to empowering our communities, that makes us succeed. Because we know we go further when we go together.

Here you join a team who is passionate about serving others, has a desire to do good, and shares a deep love of people. You can engage in meaningful work that impacts your community. You can challenge yourself and grow in your career. And, you can rest assured that your wellbeing and prosperity are our priority.

Get to know us: About - Gesa Credit Union

Role Summary:

Reporting to the AVP of Strategic Communications, the Communications Manager leads the day-to-day work of the internal, external, and public relations functions of the Communications team and supervises the team members in them. This position turns the communications strategy and messaging frameworks set by the AVP into the team’s plans and work, plans and edits the team’s content, reviews sensitive communications before release, and advises department leaders on their communications. The Communications Manager is also a recognized voice of Gesa to its team members, supports executive communications and media preparation, and develops the team so its work supports Gesa’s Strategic Plan and strategic goals.

What You Will Be Doing:

Lead the day-to-day work of the internal, external, and public relations functions. Set priorities and workload, assign and review work, manage the intake and review workflow for communications requests, and hold the team to Gesa’s quality standards and deadlines
Supervise, coach, and develop team members through regular feedback, editorial development, and individual development plans
Advise department leaders on communications for announcements, initiatives, and issues that affect member or team member trust, and help shape the department’s counsel to executive leadership
Put Gesa’s communications strategy and messaging frameworks into practice across the team’s work. Develop key messages, talking points, and narrative for organizational priorities and announcements, and keep the team’s work aligned to them
Plan storytelling and content for internal and external audiences, including editorial calendars and the content multiplication model, so each story is planned once and used across audiences, channels, and formats
Review and edit the team’s communications across internal, external, media, and executive audiences, adjusting approach, tone, and structure for each audience and holding all work to the Gesa Corporate Communications Playbook and Gesa’s brand standards. Check sensitive and high-visibility pieces for risk in message, timing, and audience, and escalate under Gesa’s governance for sensitive communication
Serve as a recognized voice of Gesa to its team members. Host and appear in podcasts, videos, town halls, and leadership visibility programs, and prepare the leaders who take part
Support executive communications. Draft messaging, remarks, and presentations for senior leaders, and help prepare executives and spokespeople for media engagement through briefing documents, interview preparation, and coaching
Plan and produce culture and change communications that connect team members to Gesa’s mission, values, and Strategic Plan and support Gesa’s Employer of Choice priorities
Manage the Frontline Newsroom (Gesa’s daily resource for frontline team members) contributor network and measurement, and plan its growth, with daily operations run by the internal communications team
Partner with the Content & Video function and Gesa Productions on video and content for communications, and shape the story, message, and audience for each production
Draft internal and external messages during crisis and incident activations under enterprise protocols, and support communications for major initiatives
Coordinate day-to-day work with Gesa’s public relations team so work follows Gesa’s messaging, standards, and approval workflows, and recommend the resources and tools the team needs
Build the team’s annual and quarterly communications plans for internal communications, external communications, public relations, content, and the Frontline Newsroom. Track and report communications KPIs, and use the results to adjust plans and priorities
Use AI tools and automated workflows to increase team capacity and quality, while keeping human judgment over all published work
Comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and Credit Union policies and procedures

About You:

Expert writer and editor with demonstrated ability to rework a single message for internal, external, media, and executive audiences while keeping it accurate and on strategy
Ability to advise leaders on communications and reputation, and to say plainly when a message poses risk
Sound judgment that weighs stakeholder sensitivities, regulatory considerations, and reputation risk, and the ability to turn the communications strategy into the team’s plans
Command of storytelling, message architecture, and narrative development across written, spoken, and video formats
Presence on camera and on microphone, with the ability to host, interview, and speak to team members in podcasts, videos, and live events
Working knowledge of media relations, earned media strategy, spokesperson preparation, and public relations agency management
Ability to plan the team’s work across a year, and to re-plan when priorities change
Proven ability to coach and develop communications professionals, including team members growing into leadership roles
Composure and sound judgment under pressure, including crisis and issues response on compressed timelines
Strong project and portfolio management skills, with the ability to prioritize high volumes of concurrent requests
Working knowledge of change management communications and team member engagement practices
Ability to use data and analytics to measure communications effectiveness and guide decisions
Proficiency with enterprise communications platforms, content management systems, and AI-assisted communications tools
Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion

Leadership Core Competencies:

Leaders at Gesa Credit Union are lifelong learners who, by developing themselves, are better able to grow our team members and our organization as well as serve as influential role models for each other. We believe that every team leader, no matter their position or years of experience, must model and continue to strengthen these competencies which are foundational to our view of leadership and support the achievement of our strategic goals.

Leading Others
Developing Others
Emotional Intelligence
Social Responsibility
Performance & Results Orientation

Qualifications

What You Will Need:

Two-year college degree required; Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field preferred; Master’s degree a plus
Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience in corporate communications, public relations, journalism, or agency roles, including a minimum of two (2) years leading a team or a communications function, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and demonstrated capability
Demonstrated experience writing and editing for internal, external, media, and executive audiences, with work samples that show range across all four
Experience in issues management and change management communications required; crisis communications and financial services or other regulated industry experience preferred
Experience advising leaders on communications
Experience hosting or appearing in podcasts, video, or live events required; experience preparing leaders for media engagement preferred
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, SharePoint or comparable intranet platforms, and communications analytics tools; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and AI tools preferred
Willingness to travel for credit union training, strategic initiatives, and career development as approved

Our Team Member Value Proposition:

In exchange for bringing your talent to Gesa, here are a just a few of the benefits and perks we offer:

Competitive Pay
Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
20 days/year of Paid Time Off – Plus 10 Paid Holidays!
401(k) Match
Incentive Program
Tuition Assistance and Student Loan Repayment
Commuter Benefits
Paid Time Off to Volunteer in the Community
Product discounts
Engaging Work Environment
Rewards and Recognition Programs

Full Salary Range:

Richland, WA: $29.90-$49.83

Lynnwood, WA: $33.97-$56.62

Renton, WA: $36.15-$60.25

While our full pay range is listed, most new team members typically start between the minimum and midpoint based on their experience and qualifications. This approach gives room to grow within the role as your career progresses with us!"

Get wise to what’s possible with a career at Gesa. Join us!

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact the HR Department at (509) 378-3100 or hrmail@gesa.com to request an accommodation.

Gesa Credit Union reserves the right to revise or change the job description as the need arises. This job description is not all inclusive of total job responsibilities nor does it constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Selected candidate(s) must be able to pass a pre-employment credit/background check.

Gesa Credit Union is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strong advocate of workforce diversity. Race/Color/Gender/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Veteran.

Equal Employment Opportunity (gesa.com)

Gesa Credit Union

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