COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR

About us

West Suburban Community Pantry (WSCP) is a non-profit in Woodridge that 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, 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..

Our work environment includes:

• Modern office setting
• Work-from-home days

WSCP's Communications & Engagement Director will oversee 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 mailingTimeline, coordination and distribution of monthly e-newsletters, e-blasts for all events, special campaigns, and advocacy alertsDigital 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:

• Exemplary interpersonal, collaborative & 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

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Woodridge, IL 60517: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

• Communication skills: 6 years (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Woodridge, IL 60517

Salary : $60,000 - $65,000