The Director of Communications at PennFuture oversees and manages all public communications, media relations, and communication campaigns.
DUTIES:
The Director of Communications (or Director) at PennFuture leads organizational communications and media relations. This includes crafting strategies across media platforms (e.g. earned, paid, and social) as well as guiding programmatic communications across multiple audiences, such as the legislature, PennFuture donors, and partner organizations.
The Director is a trusted spokesperson and liaison for the organization with the media, coalitions, and advocacy campaigns, often acting as the lead on communication strategy. The Director works closely with Executive staff on messaging and supports PennFuture’s senior leadership team.
In particular, the Director of Communications:
• Develops and implements an internal communications strategy. The Director develops an annual communications strategy that aligns the organization’s activities, elevates priority issues, achieves the objectives set in the strategic plan, and serves PennFuture’s mission. The Director manages PennFuture’s brand for consistency across the organization and abides by its style guide. The Director also manages all internal communication services and vendor contracts for managing the website, social media accounts, and media databases.
• Manages and builds PennFuture’s media relations. The Director works with local, state, and national press outlets to generate coverage about PennFuture’s work. A priority for the Director is not only maintaining existing press relationships but growing those relationships around the state. The Director will field all press inquiries and work with program staff to produce interviews and content.
• Manages all communication campaigns. The Director develops advertising, social media, earned media, press conferences, media advisories, and other tactics as part of campaign development and implementation. These campaigns are often PennFuture-led but can also support coalition activities.
• Manages communications staff and contractors. The Director acts as the last stop on all public communications activities, including working with contracted firms for designing and executing advertising campaigns, websites, and crisis communications. The Director also manages any internal communication staff, as programming and funding allow.
• Participates as a member of PennFuture senior leadership team. The Director ensures PennFuture’s communications strategy is coordinated across the organization. The Director also advises executive staff on strategy, including keeping senior staff up-to-date on media trends, emerging stories, influencers, and other opportunities to advance PennFuture’s priorities.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
• Experience leading communication efforts, campaigns, and activities;
• Excellent written, verbal, and editing skills and the ability to craft communications across a variety of media platforms;
• High energy and enthusiasm for environmental protection and conservation issues;
• A professional and resourceful style; the ability to handle significant responsibility; work independently and as a team player, including managing multiple tasks and projects at a time;
• Ability to tell PennFuture’s story with passion and urgency in written and verbal communications;
• Strong leadership skills and an ability to work with and coordinate with staff on site and remotely;
• An understanding of Pennsylvania’s media landscape; existing media relationships preferred.
