Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications

The Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications is responsible for being the lead project manager for Project Success communications and marketing, website and social media, and program promotions efforts – with a goal of developing and executing effective and streamlined processes for communications activities that result in greater engagement from students, families, and community, and awareness of Project Success impact and outcomes. The Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications will be an internal champion of the Project Success brand and communications strategy by coordinating with our brand partner and senior leadership to understand the vision and communications strategy for the organization. They will then execute on the communications plan and move the strategies and tactics into action with the communications team. They will prioritize workflow, timelines, and deadlines for the communications team.

This role reports to the Director of Administration and is part of the Communications team at Project Success. They have one direct report - a Communications Manager.

Our ideal candidate is a strong project manager with a successful track record of managing communications including promotions, print and digital campaigns, brand management, web and social, and marketing. They should have excellent oral and written communications skills, including copywriting and ensuring brand tone in communications. I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) is at the foundation of the communications and messaging strategy at Project Success, as we work with 15,000 students and families in the Minneapolis Public Schools district. They must approach communications and messaging with a deep understanding of the importance of and experience with integrating I.D.E.A. into each area of this work. They should be experienced in working with direct reports and other key staff, vendors, and contractors to accomplish communications priorities. They must be trustworthy with a high sense of integrity, with the ability to build and nurture relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.

Core Job Responsibilities:

Organizational Communications

• Execute strategic communications and marketing plan, developed by brand partner and senior leadership team, including: brand management, direct and indirect marketing, print materials, digital channels and social media, internal and external communication, outreach initiatives, and fundraising efforts
• Oversee the development and timeline for content for the Project Success website and social media channels, e-newsletters, print and online communications, annual reports, online organizational profiles, etc. 
• Oversee and cultivate relationships with contractors and vendors needed for communications work, including translations, print, website, etc. 
• Oversee and manage the content for the e-newsletter, providing consistent, compelling, and up to date news and information about PS to stakeholders 
• Develop and execute communications plans to support Project Success fundraising events, speaking engagements, etc. 
• Support the Director of Administration on internal communications, as assigned

Program Promotions

• Execute annual program promotions strategy, utilizing communications channels (both print and digital) to promote program opportunities to encourage program registrations and increase engagement with our students, families, and schools
• Work with Programs Team to balance both annual and long-term promotion plans and delivery of last-minute promotion needs
• Lead efforts to track, analyze, and report on data from program communications tactics to utilize for ongoing development of program communications strategies and plans
• Lead efforts to provide communications tools, content and training to staff for program promotions
• Work closely with Programs Team to understand content needed to cultivate school/district relationships and coordinate projects with Communications Team

Brand Management

• Ensure consistent use of branding, messaging, formatting, and style policies in externally distributed materials with the highest standards of quality control 
• Coordinate and provide onboarding communications training for all new hires, along with regular communications training for staff and volunteers to ensure consistent messaging 
• Ensure all work with students and families to tell the Project Success story is conducted with the best interests of students and families as top priority, allowing for them to authentically share their story and the impact of Project Success programming from their lens 
• Play a role in ensuring that all students and families feel a part of Project Success through communications that are thoughtful, culturally responsive, and available in languages needed by students and families

Communications Team Leadership

• Lead, manage, inspire, and evaluate the efforts of the Communications team, including direct management of the Communications Manager 
• Lead ongoing management of communications physical and digital files, implementing data retention policies

Other Duties as Assigned

Education, Experience, and Skills:

Please note that while the qualifications below are preferred for this position, we do not expect any one person to necessarily have all the items listed. We highly encourage people with a wide range of education, experience, and skill levels to apply for this position.

• Bachelor’s degree or 4+ years of similar experience (or a combination of training, education, and experiences that provides the required knowledge and abilities) 
• 6+ years of communications/marketing experience, non-profit experience preferred 
• Experience with developing and supervising high-performing direct reports 
• Experience in brand management and writing/editing to fit brand 
• Experience in the design and production process of print and digital materials 
• Experience in website content management systems, especially WordPress, with experience in website editing tools 
• Proficiency in creative, design, and publishing tools, including preferred experience with Adobe Creative Cloud InDesign, Lightroom, and Canva 
• Excellent project management skills, rooted in understanding of how to effectively work collaboratively across teams 
• Excellent oral and writen communications skills, including writing and editing skills 
• Tech-savvy and proficient with Microsoft 365 – PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook
• Demonstrated ability to lead accessible and effective communication to diverse audiences with deep commitment to Inclusion, Equity, Diversity, Accessibility 
• Demonstrated strategic mindset and resourcefulness in setting priorities, proposing new ways of creating efficiencies, and guiding investment in people and system 
• Ability to work effectively under time constraints, meet short deadlines, and adapt to emerging priorities with unexpected timelines

This position is a full-time, salaried exempt position, primarily M-F daytime. This role will be hybrid, with aspects of the role required to be completed at the PS office in Minneapolis and at event sites. Details on hybrid schedule to be discussed in the interview process.

The compensation package includes the following:

• $63,275-$72,770 annual salary 
• Generous paid time off 
• Excellent Health Insurance with a low deductible (PS pays 100% of the monthly premium rate)
• Excellent Dental and Vision Insurance (PS pays 100% of the monthly premium rate) 
• Short-Term Disability and Life Insurance (PS pays 100% of the monthly premium rate) 
• SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with up to a 3% match 
• Free parking at the PS office