About The Role

A new role at the Constellation Fund, the Communications Director will focus on effectively articulating and amplifying to a growing community of stakeholders the impact of the poverty-fighting work of Constellation and its portfolio of nonprofit grantees. With a powerful model, a dedicated and engaged board of directors, unprecedented growth in support from donors and strategic partners, and the clear opportunity to fill a pressing community need, Constellation is bringing a modern and impactful approach to alleviating poverty to the Twin Cities. It is time for this game-changing work to be bolstered by a thoughtful and distinctive communications presence. The Communications Director will be at the center of that effort, leading the strategy behind and execution of Constellation’s narrative communications across a variety of formats, including email campaigns, in-person and virtual events, and other key written and digital assets.

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES: The Communications Director will report to the Chief Advancement Officer and partner closely with Constellation’s CEO, as well as with other members of Constellation’s advancement and programmatic teams. The Communications Director will also work closely with and direct the communications-related contributions of Constellation’s network of creative consultants and contractors.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Impactful Communications:
• Developing, implementing, and evaluating a strategic communications plan that broadens awareness and understanding of Constellation’s innovative work and programs, as well as that of Constellation’s impactful nonprofit grantees. • Working closely and collaboratively with – and, as necessary, delegating to and directing the work of – other members of Constellation’s team and strategic partners to capture and share meaningful information across multiple channels. • Thoughtfully engaging with Constellation’s portfolio of nonprofit grantees to identify, capture, produce, and share narrative accounts of on-the-ground impact in a manner that respects the sensitivities and challenges of nonprofit work. • Ensuring consistency, uniformity, and a high-quality in the delivery of Constellation’s core messaging. • Leveraging communication channels to deepen understandings of both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of Constellation’s work – “the stories and the science” – to illuminate the organizational perspective that “smart philanthropy is kind philanthropy.” • Establishing and maintaining a written communications presence – including email campaigns, website updates, social media, event talking points, and donor reports – to concisely articulate the details of and findings from Constellation’s evidence-driven approach to poverty alleviation. • Maintaining an intentional and strategic editorial calendar to plan and track Constellation’s communications pipeline. • Measuring and reporting on communications and engagement successes, and proactively suggesting new strategies for continual improvement. • Working closely with creative partners and consultants to oversee the narrative elements of Constellation’s annual calendar of signature events, including speaker talking points, video scripts, and overarching event communication goals. • Managing Constellation’s email platform and helping to improve the expansion and segmentation of the email list. • Compiling, editing, and project managing Constellation’s signature written assets – including the annual report and Investor Prospectus – in partnership with relevant staff and creative contractors. • Creating and executing an earned media strategy focused on leveraging key organizational accomplishments to secure strategic opportunities with media contacts in the community.

Organizational Voice:
• Holding and proactively evolving the overarching organizational voice to reflect Constellation’s unique value proposition and role in the philanthropic marketplace, as well as to better position and serve Constellation’s nonprofit grantees. • Working with Constellation’s staff and Board of Directors to cultivate authentic and unified messaging for external communications.

COMPETENCIES:
• Must be a self-starter. Independent work and self-motivation will be key to success. • Must have superb written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills. • Must have extensive successful externally-focused writing and editing experience with a variety of print and online communications media. • Must have exceptional organization skills, with previous project management experience. • Demonstrated experience and leadership in managing comprehensive strategic communications to advance an organization’s mission and goals. • Must be a resourceful problem-solver and critical thinker, be proactive in leveraging opportunities, and anticipating and averting problems. • Must bring creative and thoughtful approaches on how new communications and media technologies can be utilized. • Must be able to speak and write clearly, effectively, and succinctly, including under time constraints. • Must have a high degree of appreciation for the immense challenges facing poverty-fighting organizations and social services work, and respect for the individuals dedicated to those important efforts.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• 5+ years of communications and/or journalism experience, preferably some in both the non-profit and the for-profit sectors. • Bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree in journalism, communications, or related field. • Experience with managing and utilizing email marketing platforms (Emma, Mail Chimp, etc.) • Proficiency with graphic design software (Adobe Suite, Canva, etc.) • A background in or familiarity with quantitative analysis. • Demonstrated strong organizational and management skills. • Evidence of the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with multiple groups and diverse constituencies. • Demonstrated ability for handling multiple, complex projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. • The ability to occasionally participate in evening and weekend events.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: Constellation offers a benefits package that is competitive with industry standards. Salary is commensurate with experience. Salary Range: $85,000 – $105,000.

THE CONSTELLATION FUND IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION / EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The Constellation Fund is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds in philanthropy and applicants who identify as low-income are encouraged to apply.

Contact details

• Submit your application
• Company website
• Contact email: jobs@constellationfund.org