Copy Director

As lead writer and manager of writing staff, you will assure the consistent use of an approachable and authoritative voice for internal and external audiences that promotes the role Ascendium plays in helping underserved students successfully complete postsecondary education programs and successfully repay their student loans.

Your concise and enthusiastic messaging will 1) position Ascendium as an innovator in removing obstacles to postsecondary education, 2) motivate target audiences to seek participation in our grants, research and outreach programs and 3) promote a culture of giving, community involvement and engagement with our corporate mission among our employees.

In so doing, you’ll play a critical role in demonstrating how Ascendium fulfills its mission to elevate opportunity.

Essential Functions:

1. Under guidance of the Vice President of Strategic Communications, set strategy for message/tone/style of all written communication created by Strategic Communications.
2. Actively direct, coach and edit the writing team in the proposal and crafting of internal and external messaging to promote, support, and amplify the work of Ascendium and its management and staff.
3. Through effective writing, increase the influence of Ascendium among target audiences in raising awareness and spurring positive action. Describe ideas and information in simple, non-academic ways that best communicate them to our internal teams, clients, and external target audiences.
4. Ensure that all communications consistently reinforce the common mission shared by all divisions of Ascendium ­– why we do what we do, how we do it and what we expect to achieve.
5. Direct the strategic development and execution of copy content for all Ascendium Cares materials, including event promotions, results updates and annual report, ensuring that it reinforces the Ascendium mission
6. Direct the strategic development and execution of corporate intranet and related communications, ensuring that it meets the goal of reinforcing Ascendium as a great place to work.
7. Actively engage senior communications specialist to continually receive updates and testimonials relating to the outcomes of grants, sponsorships, research, Ascendium Cares events, and other investments made by Ascendium education philanthropy to be used in internal and external messaging.
8. Working closely with the Vice President of Strategic Communications and the Strategic Communications leadership team, manage the generation of ideas to express Ascendium’s brand and value to its target audiences, through grant applications, collateral materials, direct mail and email, presentations, articles, research reports and summaries, executive communications, brand messaging, web content, new media, event-related materials, and other communications.
9. Stay informed about education and market trends, competitive activities, legislative issues and priorities of the education philanthropy community. Share information gleaned with team members and lead efforts to use it to inform planning and messaging efforts with target audiences.
10. Manage development of creative briefs, and other concept documents to help Strategic Communications team better understand internal and external target audiences and their motives and information needs, so that more effective communications can be produced for each of them.
11. Manage projects from initiation to completion, working in close collaboration with assigned project team and project coordinator within the creative department workflow. Ensure project deadlines are met. Assist in presentations of briefs, plans, concepts, and creative output to internal clients and department and division management.
12. Hire, manage, lead, develop, mentor and provide general and technical guidance to writing staff: Assign work and establish standards and work priorities. Manage staff training and development of employee skills. Set performance objectives, provide ongoing performance feedback, document performance conversations and recommend annual salary adjustments.
13. Provide input and actively collaborate with the Vice President of Strategic Communications and the Strategic Communications leadership team in the development and launch of new communication initiatives and enhancements to existing communication channels.
14. Maintain applicable style guides and the proofreading and review processes to ensure uniform language is used throughout all Ascendium communications and keep text errors in finished publications to a minimum.
15. Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills Required for Position:

• Exceptional business communication skills with in-depth understanding of copywriting and design fundamentals.
• Strong conceptual thinker with demonstrated ability to formulate creative strategies that meet client and audience objectives.
• High level of initiative with demonstrated talents for planning and execution.
• Ability to lead, motivate, and mentor a creative team to strive for excellence.
• Excellent organizational, problem solving, and coordination skills, including the ability to successfully define and execute creative projects from initiation through completion.
• Strong customer-service orientation, with ability to form close and productive working relationships with management, staff, clients, customers, and vendors across multiple disciplines.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure to meet critical deadlines yet remain flexible in responding to changing requirements.
• Ability to accept criticism of creative work and resolve creative direction disputes, responding constructively to management and customer feedback.
• Effective interpersonal skills exemplified by initiative, courtesy, diplomacy, positive attitude, professionalism, and appropriate business ethics.
• Intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat.

Education/License/Certification/Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in advertising, marketing, or communications. Advanced training and education is highly desirable.
• Minimum of 7 years of agency or corporate communications experience, with at least 2 years of senior writing or creative direction experience, including supervision of writers.
• Superb communication and presentation skills, including the demonstrated ability to effectively present creative concepts to staff, management, and customers.
• Valid driver license.

Ascendium Education Group employees enjoy an outstanding benefit package benefit package designed to provide employees and their families with a high degree of security.

Ascendium has contractual obligations that require criminal, employment and education background investigations as a condition of employment.