Title: Communications Officer
Department: Communications
Reports to: Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer
Location: In-person, Philadelphia (with some remote flexibility)
Travel: Minimal, approximately 5-10%
FSLA Status: Regular, Full-Time, Exempt
Salary: $120,000 to $130,000
About William Penn Foundation
The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is committed to expanding access to resources and opportunities that promote a more vital and just city and region for all. We do this through funding programs in the Philadelphia region in arts and culture, children and families, democracy and civic initiatives, environment and public space, and workforce training and services. Learn more at www.williampennfoundation.org.
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Position Summary
The Communications Officer will focus on our Children and Families, Democracy and Civic Initiatives, and Workforce Training and Services grantmaking portfolios. This individual will be responsible for helping with strategy and execution for all communications activities for the those three grantmaking programs. As a Communications Officer, this work will include managing strategy as well as implementation of a communications plan, media relations, planning and execution of convenings, release of new research or evidence, and working with our Senior Digital and Social Media Associate on developing content for the web site and social media, as well as the production of any other digital content, and other activities. This position will also help offer strategic guidance to grantees of the three grantmaking programs on their individual efforts to promote WPF-funded work and will also support the programs’ learning communities. This position will also identify new venues for sharing information about the Foundation’s work and its grantees and will help manage relationships with outside consultants. The Officer will participate in select team activities with the expectation that s/he will become deeply immersed in the grantmaking work. Lastly, the Communications Officer will work with the Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer on developing a strategic plan to support the department’s expanding function around external affairs.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement strategic communications plan for the Children and Families, Democracy and Civic Initiatives, and Workforce Training and Services program teams.
- Responsible for shared team updating/production of the Foundation’s web site.
- Responsible for offering strategic communications guidance to grantees, as needed, as they seek to elevate their WPF-funded work.
- Generate story ideas related to Children and Families, Democracy and Civic Initiatives, and Workforce Training and Services projects by meeting with respective Program Director to identify new opportunities for press and securing coverage.
- Conduct interview preparation work – reporter background, search of relevant articles, prep of key messages, and spokesperson prep.
- Identify opportunities for commentaries and op-eds.
- Identify strategic opportunities for WPF to offer comments on topically relevant stories by monitoring relevant national industry news and trends.
- Generate related content for materials including external newsletter.
- Manage and produce social media content for Children and Families, Democracy and Civic Initiatives and Workforce Training and Services programs in cooperation with Senior Digital and Social Media Associate.
- Ensure that new, engaging, and consistent information is posted regularly on the Foundation website and other media outlets.
- Create and maintain Children and Families, Democracy and Civic Initiatives, and Workforce Training and Services contact management system in Salesforce.
- Plan and implement related events and convenings.
- Prepare Children and Families, Democracy and Civic Initiatives, and Workforce Training and Services teams for speaking engagements at conferences, meetings, and convenings.
- Other responsibilities as assigned.
Expected Competencies
- Excellent writing and editing skills with experience writing for different audiences in various formats.
- Ability to construct a compelling narrative based on a defined set of information.
- Rapid generation of materials for public consumption, including PowerPoint presentations, press releases and brief comments.
- Ability to quickly understand information, synthesize findings, and make recommendations; demonstrated ability to learn and master new issues quickly.
- Demonstrated project and time management skills ensuring all deadlines are met. Able to define project scope, roles, responsibilities and deliverables.
- Excellent organization, prioritization, and judgment. Strong detail orientation and follow-through.
- Track record of strong ownership of work, active self-management, and initiative.
- Adaptable and flexible to changing environments. Able to identify new approaches to support a dynamic organization.
- Capable and willing to do work at all levels, including thinking and working strategically and performing administrative tasks.
- Demonstrated team-orientation with the ability to collaborate and achieve actionable results with others; build robust and sustainable relationships through strong interpersonal skills. High degree of integrity, poise, humility, diplomacy, and tact.
- Good judgment and ability to make wise decisions based upon available and sometimes limited data.
Education, Training and Experience
- A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience is required in communications, 10+ years is preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Communications or Journalism.
- Experience with Children and Families and/or Democracy and Civic Initiatives related organizations and activities preferred, but not required.
- Digital experience including website management, social media strategy and implementation, management of e-blast campaigns, and familiarity with contact management systems such as Salesforce.
- Creative/design experience such as shooting and editing video, audio and photography preferred.
- Strong media relations experience developing story ideas and success generating coverage.
- Experience developing communications strategies and implementing them.
- Experience in setting priorities, long-term project management, coordination and management while working under tight deadlines.
- History of successful work with communications and event-planning agencies and vendors.
Physical Demands/Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described 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 the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, bend, sit, talk, lift, or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk and use hands and arms to operate general office equipment (PC, telephone, file cabinets, copier, fax machine and printer). The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to ten (10) pounds. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
The William Penn Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from individuals underrepresented in the philanthropic sector, including people of color, and persons with non-traditional work and educational experience. All who believe they meet the stated qualifications are invited to apply.
