West Suburban Community Pantry (WSCP) provides food and supportive resources to people facing hunger, unlocking access to nutritious meals, and strengthening hope for tomorrow. Rooted in and serving the community for more than 30 years, the Pantry offers an on-site Pantry Store in Woodridge, Virtual Food Pantry, and home delivery to households in DuPage and Will Counties. WSCP offers a unique opportunity to work with passionate professionals committed to the vision of creating a community without hunger. These are our values: a can-do attitude; compassion and Integrity; people focused; and, visionary. If you are looking to bring your talents to a place with these values where we work tirelessly to end hunger in our communities, we invite you to apply for this position.

JOB OVERVIEW

Communications & Engagement Director oversees comprehensive communication strategies and executes tactics to promote WSCP’s mission, priorities, and activities, and engages respective target audiences and stakeholders. Working across the organization, supports development of annual communications and marketing goals and oversees all aspects of materials creation/design/content development, print and digital communications, media relations and internal communications requests.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Collaborate with senior leadership to develop short- and long-term communications strategies that will broaden and deepen organizational visibility
Oversee and ensure the WSCP brand integrity and consistency
Serving as managing media spokesperson, forge and sustain media relations and strategies including pitches, interviews with relevant staff, lived experience storytellers, press releases, and op eds and letters to the editor.
Lead WSCP’s capital campaign media strategy in collaboration with the CEO, director of development, consultants and appropriate Board subcommittees
Develop and launch Speaker’s Bureau of representatives with accessed WSCP programs and services
Support WSCP’s public education of and position as a thought leader on hunger issues
Oversee all aspects of website, including content updates and expansion, functionality, donation forms, and relationships with external vendors as necessary
Oversee WSCP’s external facing communications with consistent and compelling “voice”
All written communications and marketing content, including press releases, fact sheets, Word of Mouth newsletter, key messages, corporate donor and cause-related marketing website content, social media accounts and customizable toolkit materials
All photography, design layout, multimedia, printing and mailing
Timeline, coordination and distribution of monthly e-newsletters, e-blasts for all events, special campaigns, and advocacy alerts
Digital communications plan to support core appeal print mailings; including web site forms, e-blasts and social media marketing
Responsible for supervision of the Communications Specialist and Volunteer Coordinator positions in accordance with policy and applicable laws as well as addressing employee relations issues, mentoring and guiding
Prepare and manage Marketing & Communications and Volunteer program budgets
Work with the CEO to support organizational research and public policy advocacy through the development and implementation of communication strategies
Develop, create and implement marketing and communications strategies for corporate partnerships, fundraising events; including print and digital advertising, web site content, social media and e-blasts.
Works actively to engage new stakeholders including volunteers while keeping these individuals actively engaged in WSCP.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

Maintain knowledge of hunger issues and causes
Develop an understanding of communities served
Maintain and update annually WSCP’s organizational Communications Guidelines
Manage relationships with external design and video production teams (as needed)
Perform other duties as required (by responsibility) or as requested by supervisor
Supervises: Communications Specialist and Volunteer Coordinator. May provide direct or indirect supervision to other staff and interns.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS/ REQUIREMENTS

Education & Training: Bachelor's degree in Communications, English, Journalism, or related field, preferred. Experience: 6 plus years experience in communications, public relations, and/or media field

Other skills:

Team-player with superior interpersonal, collaboration and oral/written communication skills
Strong project management skills and a customer service focus
Engaged and supportive director to those staff managed
Excellent editing and proofing skills
Proficient with the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator,) Adobe Premiere Pro as well as Canva
Proficient in MS Office
Proficiency with Wordpress CMS, Google analytics, social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc.), and other traditional and emerging online tools.
Working knowledge of HTML and CSS
Ability to multitask and prioritize a number of projects
Travel to media partners, member groups, and WSCP activities offsite and onsite

For consideration of this position, please send a cover letter outlining your experience and why this organization along with your resume. Submit materials to sarmato@wscpantry.org. This is an immediate hire and is a hybrid position with one remote day per week.

For information on the Pantry services and shopping hours visit www.wscpantry.org.

West Suburban Community Pantry prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

West Suburban Community Pantry

New Jobs

COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR