Communications & Storytelling Specialist
JOB DESCRIPTION
Grade: TBD
Location: Office: Charleston
Status: Full-time
Exempt
Department: Marketing & Communications
Reports To: Director of Communications
About the Center for Heirs’ Property®
The Center for Heirs’ Property® (CHP) helps families and small-acreage landowners protect what matters most — the roof over their heads and the land under their feet. Since 2005, CHP has empowered families through legal education, direct legal services, and sustainable land-use programs that strengthen ownership, clarity, and generational prosperity.
Rooted in South Carolina and recognized nationally for its leadership, CHP envisions a nation where every family can enjoy the legacy of home—securing ownership, protection, and prosperity for generations to come.
Position Description
The Communications & Storytelling Specialist is an early-career communications professional who supports the Center for Heirs' Property's communications efforts through public inquiry management, hands-on storytelling and content production, and communications operations.
Working closely with the Director of Communications and Marketing & Communications Manager, the Specialist serves as an important front door to the organization by monitoring and triaging designated shared communications channels, ensuring inquiries are acknowledged and routed appropriately. Guided by departmental editorial priorities, the Specialist finds, researches, develops, writes, and produces stories and content about the landowners, families, staff, partners, and communities that demonstrate the impact of CHP's mission.
The position is primarily responsible for executing assigned storytelling and content priorities across newsletters, websites, social media, publications, campaigns, and other communications channels, while
also supporting the operational activities that keep the Communications Department organized and responsive.
The ideal candidate is a developing communications professional with strong writing potential, curiosity, empathy, organizational skills, and sound judgment. This role offers opportunities to build skills in interviewing, narrative storytelling, digital content, visual content capture, and communications operations while working with and learning from experienced communications colleagues.
Key Responsibilities
Public Inquiry Management & Communications Intake
Serve as a frontline point of contact for inquiries received through designated organizational communications channels.
Responsibilities include: · Monitor and triage shared communications inboxes, including info@heirsproperty.org, communications@heirsproperty.org, and other designated channels.
· Review incoming inquiries, identify the nature of each request, and route messages to the appropriate department according to established protocols.
· Provide timely acknowledgment and approved responses to common inquiries.
· Maintain an organized record of inquiries and referrals as needed.
· Identify recurring questions, emerging issues, and communications needs and share relevant trends with the Director of Communications.
· Escalate sensitive, complex, media-related, or reputational inquiries to the Director of Communications.
· Help maintain and improve standard responses, routing protocols, and intake procedures.
The Specialist is responsible for the effective communications intake and routing process, but is not responsible for resolving legal, programmatic, policy, or other inquiries that fall within the responsibility of another department.
Storytelling & Content Development
Find, develop, write, and produce authentic stories and content aligned with editorial priorities established by the Director of Communications and Marketing & Communications Manager.
Responsibilities include:
· Identify compelling stories involving landowners, families, staff, volunteers, community partners, and other stakeholders.
· Build trusted relationships with individuals whose experiences can deepen understanding of heirs' property and CHP's work.
· Conduct interviews in person, virtually, and by phone.
· Research, write, and edit feature stories, client and landowner stories, website articles, newsletter content, social media content, and other communications materials.
· Help identify storytelling opportunities through public inquiries, programs, events, partnerships, and relationships across the organization.
· Maintain a pipeline or story bank of potential stories and content opportunities.
· Collaborate with the Director of Communications and Marketing & Communications Manager to align storytelling with editorial priorities and communications campaigns.
· Ensure storytelling reflects the dignity, agency, resilience, and lived experiences of the individuals and communities CHP serves.
Digital Content & Campaign Support
Support the development and distribution of content across CHP's communications channels.
Responsibilities include:
· Develop written and visual content for websites, newsletters, social media, publications, presentations, events, and communications campaigns.
· Assist with website updates and routine digital content maintenance.
· Create routine graphics and visual assets using Canva and established organizational templates.
· Adapt stories and other content for different platforms and audiences.
· Support social media content development and scheduling.
· Assist with communications for organizational events, educational programs, policy initiatives, fundraising efforts, and other priorities.
· Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications Manager to support editorial calendars, campaigns, and production schedules.
Photography, Video & Field Content
Capture practical, authentic visual content that supports organizational storytelling.
Responsibilities include:
· Capture photographs and short-form video during interviews, programs, events, and other organizational activities.
· Gather basic supporting footage and visual assets for digital storytelling.
· Perform basic editing of photographs and short-form video for web and social media use.
· Organize and maintain photographs, video, audio, releases, and other storytelling assets.
· Support external photographers, videographers, designers, and other creative vendors when specialized production expertise is required.
· Participate in occasional travel within South Carolina to gather stories and support priority events.
Professional-level photography, videography, filmmaking, audio engineering, and advanced video production are not required for this position.
Communications Operations
Support the day-to-day operations that enable the Communications Department to function effectively.
Responsibilities include:
· Coordinate communications vendor agreements and maintain related documentation.
· Process communications invoices and support departmental expense tracking.
· Order printed materials, promotional items, signage, and other communications materials.
· Coordinate routine printing, shipping, fulfillment, and production logistics.
· Maintain communications files, templates, brand assets, releases, and other departmental resources.
· Assist with project tracking and production schedules.
· Support the organization and maintenance of departmental records and resources.
· Help identify opportunities to streamline routine communications processes.
Collaboration & Organizational Support
Work collaboratively across CHP to strengthen communications and identify opportunities for storytelling.
Responsibilities include:
· Develop productive relationships with Legal, Forestry, Policy, Programs, Community Engagement, Development, and other organizational teams.
· Proactively seek story ideas, program updates, milestones, and other content opportunities from colleagues.
· Participate in Communications Department editorial and planning meetings.
· Support communications for the East Texas Heirs' Property Initiative (ETHPI), National Heirs' Property Alliance (NHPA), and other affiliated initiatives as organizational priorities require.
· Represent the Communications Department professionally at organizational and community events.
Qualifications
Required
· Bachelor's degree in communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, English, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
· Demonstrated professional experience in communications, journalism, content development, marketing, public relations, or a related field.
· Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills.
· Strong interviewing and interpersonal skills.
· Ability to communicate respectfully and effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
· Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
· Ability to manage routine operational responsibilities while simultaneously advancing longer-term creative projects.
· Sound judgment and discretion when handling public inquiries and potentially sensitive information.
· Ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines.
· Proficiency with Microsoft 365, Canva, and common digital communications platforms.
· Willingness and ability to travel occasionally within South Carolina.
Preferred
· Experience developing feature stories, profiles, human-interest content, or similar narrative communications.
· Experience working in nonprofit, journalism, advocacy, community development, conservation, legal services, or another mission-driven environment.
· Familiarity with WordPress or another content management system.
· Experience managing organizational social media content.
· Basic photography and short-form video experience.
· Basic experience with Adobe Creative Cloud or similar editing tools.
· Experience working directly with community members, clients, or other public-facing audiences.
