Description

Join MHP as a Communications Specialist, where you'll collaborate across teams to craft compelling narratives, develop impactful marketing materials, and champion affordable housing policies. This role offers a unique chance to dive into the heart of affordable housing, gaining experience and knowledge in policy creation, data-informed strategies, and community development.

About Us:  

The Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), a non-profit public agency, works with communities to create innovative policy and financing solutions that provide affordable homes and better lives for the people of Massachusetts. Our mission is to pioneer new development and financing models that make more effective use of public resources, be responsive to local needs, promote racial equity, and achieve more impact than conventional approaches to affordable housing. MHP focuses on four main areas: Community Assistance, Rental Development, Homeownership and Data & Policy. 

MHP is committed to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) in our workplace. We are seeking a Communications Specialist who shares our dedication to DEIB and can contribute to and further enhance these organizational values.

Current Opportunity: 

MHP’s Policy and Communications team plays a key role in influencing affordable housing policy in the Commonwealth. By joining our team as Communications Specialist, you will help raise the visibility of affordable housing solutions. The Communications Specialist will have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of affordable housing including policy creation, how data informs policy, technical assistance to communities, housing authorities and nonprofits, multifamily financing, and affordable homeownership. This role also provides opportunities to collaborate with senior leaders, all teams within MHP, and external stakeholders. 

What you’ll do:

Website management to ensure optimal user experience and share/broadcast/publicize critical information. Activities include:

• Outreach to and collaborate with internal teams to gather relevant and time-sensitive information. 
• Create and/or translate information received into written content to share and/or promote on social media for external audiences 
• Upload and/or revise content such as press releases. 
• Keeping website content up to date and fresh including monthly updates for each team’s home page content.

Generate external content to enhance visibility, drive engagement and awareness and reach a broad audience.

• Draft news releases, email announcements, and social media content. Content will be based on coordination and strategizing with internal teams. 
• Produce targeted email newsletters focused on reaching primary audiences and expanding to reach new followers. Work with teams to identify applicable information to be included.
• Produce and edit videos for web and social media.
• Support the Director of Policy and Communications, Communications Manager, and each team in the writing and editing including but not limited to annual report, guidebooks, and board reports. 

Policy research to help inform and shape affordable housing policy recommendations. 

• Conduct background research on policy issue of interest to MHP, success story features, and policy papers.

Event planning support to raise awareness, facilitate stakeholder engagement, create platform for networking, and /or provide exposure for policy changes and recommendations.

• Assist the Director of Policy & Communications and Communications Manager and each team in planning, publicizing, and the administration of virtual and in-person events such as workshops, trainings, board off-sites, and community meetings with new and existing stakeholders.
• Identify and manage details such as identifying event site, catering needs, travel logistics, etc. 

Compensation: 

The compensation range for this role is $62,000 to $66,000. Any final offer will be based on various factors including job-related knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The listed range is just one component of MHP's total compensation package for employees. 

Benefits our employees value:

MHP understands that benefits are an important consideration when looking for a new role. We are proud to offer our employees a comprehensive benefits package including: 

• Hybrid and flexible work schedule
• Health insurance through the state’s Group Insurance Commission
• 403b retirement plans with match up to 10% and immediate vesting 
• Annual 5-week paid time off (PTO) benefit 
• Fully paid group term life, short-term and long-term disability insurance 
• Dental insurance through MetLife with 90% of premium covered by MHP 
• Vision insurance through VSP with 50% of premium covered by MHP
• Medical and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts 
• Public transportation reimbursement 
• Tuition reimbursement and professional development assistance 
• First time homebuyer assistance 
• Generous home office benefit
• Membership discount for onsite gym

Hybrid Schedule Policy:  

The Communications Specialist role is designated as Hybrid which includes both in-office and remote workdays. Positions designated as Hybrid are required to work out of the Boston office two days per week during the first 90 days of employment and will have the opportunity to reduce regular in-office days thereafter to one or two days per week. At least one office day must be on Thursday, the designated team day. MHP’s office is conveniently located minutes from South Station.

Travel:

Travel within Massachusetts to attend MHP and local events throughout the state as well as community meetings. A current driver’s license and/or access to reliable transportation is required.

MHP is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, past or present military service, status as an individual with a disability, or any other legally protected characteristics. MHP is committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. 

Requirements

 
1. Strong writing skills and experience with the following:

• Creating both short and long form content. 
• Using verbal or written content from others and translating into promotional materials for external audiences.
• Creating written content for social media that follows structure and/or restrictions.
• Converting base information into engaging content.
• Writing must use correct grammar, spelling, as well as have focus, coherence and clarity.

2. Experience and comfort managing and using digital communication platforms including:

• Learning and using website content management systems.
• Scheduling content for future release.
• Adapting and learning new platforms. 
• Using platforms such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Craft (CMS), Google Analytics, HootSuite, Salesforce, Pardot, and social media platforms (specifically Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn).

3. Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships by:

• Reaching out to internal individuals and teams to understand the focus of their work and best way to create content.

4. Patience and flexibility in obtaining foundational information that will drive written content.

5. Comfort and ability to engage with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

6. Critical thinking skills to ensure that content provided and created hits the right tone, timing, place and time.

7. Demonstrated experience in affordable housing and community development and/or communications. 

8. Excellent research, writing, verbal, and interpersonal skills.

9. Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team including external stakeholders and consultants.

10. Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines while consistently maintaining high quality work.