Communications Manager Job Description
Position Title: Communications Manager
Department: Development
Reports To: Director of Development
Job Summary
The Communications Manager (CM) is Sharefest’s Chief Storytelling Advocate, responsible for managing the production, distribution, and execution of the organization’s communications and storytelling efforts across donor, sponsor, and internal audiences.
Working under the direction of the Director of Development, the Communications Manager serves as the lead administrator and project manager for Sharefest’s communications infrastructure, ensuring that messaging, visual assets, and storytelling content are produced and delivered consistently across all channels.
This role oversees the execution of Sharefest’s annual giving communications, corporate sponsor communications, digital content, storytelling asset collection, and event communications, while coordinating closely with contractors, partners, and internal teams. The Communications Manager ensures donors, sponsors, and stakeholders receive meaningful written, visual, digital, and live content that deepens their engagement with Sharefest’s mission.
The Communications Manager also manages the Student Ambassador Program, helping cultivate student voices and authentic stories that demonstrate program impact.
Job Relations
Responsible to: Director of Development
Works closely with:
Executive Director, Program Team, Development Team, contractors (design, video, photography), and Student Ambassadors.
Annual Giving & Communications (45%)
Communications Execution & Production
- Oversee and execute Sharefest’s annual giving communications calendar, including digital and direct mail appeals.
- Convert communications strategy into detailed production schedules and manage project timelines using Monday.com.
- Produce and distribute donor communications including:
- Email appeals and newsletters
- Annual giving appeals
- Segmented donor communications
- Blogs and digital stories
- Impact reports and quarterly reports
- Write and edit copy for a variety of communications including:
- Social media posts
- Student stories
- Board reports
- Powerpoint presentations
- Internal and external announcements
- Special projects
- Support the Director of Development and Executive Director with donor-facing messaging and storytelling assets.
Digital Communications
- Manage and execute the organization’s social media calendar across platforms including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others.
- Coordinate scheduling and distribution through tools such as Hootsuite.
- Manage digital newsletter distribution via Constant Contact.
- Maintain and update the organization’s website, including content updates, sponsor logos, and landing pages in partnership with contractors.
- Support digital marketing strategies that expand Sharefest’s audience, donor base, and online engagement.
Storytelling & Content Development
- Lead Sharefest’s storytelling routines, cultivating student and program stories across departments.
- Collect and maintain a year-round library of storytelling assets, including photos, video, and student interviews.
- Train staff to identify strong storytelling opportunities and document program moments.
- Maintain the organization’s photo and video asset library.
Corporate Sponsorship Communications (20%)
- Support the fulfillment of corporate sponsorship communications deliverables, ensuring partners receive recognition and storytelling aligned with sponsorship agreements.
- Track and manage sponsor communications deliverables using Monday.com.
- Produce custom impact reports and storytelling updates for corporate sponsors.
- Coordinate sponsor recognition across digital media, events, and printed materials.
- Support development of sponsor engagement strategies and employee engagement opportunities such as service days.
- Manage the collection and delivery of sponsor assets including:
- Photo and video deliverables
- Social media recognition
- Email and newsletter features
- Event acknowledgements
Event Communications & Project Management (20%)
Serve as the communications project manager for major organizational events and storytelling initiatives.
Service Days
- Manage communications planning and logistics for corporate service day events.
- Coordinate photo, video, and storytelling coverage.
- Serve as the communications point person onsite representing Sharefest.
- Manage contractors including photographers and videographers.
- Coordinate student ambassador participation and storytelling opportunities.
- Oversee post-production processes and distribution of assets.
Annual Gala
- Support communications strategy and execution for Sharefest’s Annual Gala.
- Coordinate production of communications assets including:
- Printed materials
- Tribute videos
- Sponsorship recognition
- Social media and digital promotion
- Assist in cultivating and preparing student speakers and storytellers.
- Coordinate contractors and vendors for content capture.
- Manage post-event storytelling distribution and content releases.
Student Ambassador Program (10%)
- Lead and grow the Student Ambassador Program as a platform for student storytelling and leadership.
- Recruit and onboard students into the program.
- Develop curriculum and training focused on public speaking, storytelling, and advocacy.
- Cultivate authentic student stories for communications and donor engagement.
- Coordinate student participation in events, interviews, and storytelling opportunities.
- Manage logistics including scheduling, participation tracking, and post-event follow-up.
Internal Communications (5%)
- Support internal communications across the organization including:
- Quarterly and monthly staff communications
- Internal announcements
- All-staff meeting support
- Collaborate with program teams to gather stories, updates, and program insights.
- Provide communications support for internal initiatives and cross-department collaboration.
Knowledge and Skills
- Exceptional writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to produce clear, compelling, and persuasive content for diverse audiences including donors, sponsors, partners, and internal stakeholders.
- Demonstrated experience writing and producing social media content, blogs, newsletters, donor communications, and digital storytelling pieces.
- Strong copywriting skills strongly preferred, including the ability to translate program impact into engaging messaging that inspires donor and community engagement.
- Proven ability to manage and execute high-quality communications across multiple channels while maintaining a consistent organizational voice.
- Experience managing external contractors such as designers, photographers, videographers, and web developers, including scheduling, briefing projects, overseeing deliverables, and coordinating production timelines.
- Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple communications projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
- Ability to translate complex program work into clear, accessible narratives and storytelling content.
- Keen attention to detail while maintaining a strong understanding of the big-picture communications strategy.
- Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with staff, board members, donors, volunteers, students, and community partners.
- Familiarity with digital communications tools and analytics to track engagement and inform communications strategies.
- Preferred proficiency with communications platforms including Wordpress, Constant Contact, Canva, social media platforms, Hootsuite, and Monday.com.
- Photography and videography experience required; basic graphic design experience preferred.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated track record as an effective communicator with strong writing skills.
- Experience producing storytelling content and digital campaigns.
- Ability to adapt to Sharefest’s marketing and storytelling framework, including StoryBrand principles.
- Proven organizational and analytical experience.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Google Suite.
- Creative problem solver and self-starter with strong collaboration skills.
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- Experience working in nonprofit or deadline-driven environments preferred.
Work Expectations
- Ability to work 30 hours in person and 10 focused hours offsite per week.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends for events.
- Ability to support event production which may include standing, walking, bending, and lifting items over 20 pounds, as well as working outdoors.
