Managing Director of Communications

MISSION OF NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION  

National Skills Coalition is a broad-based coalition working toward a vision of an America that grows its economy by investing in its people, so that every worker and every industry has the skills to compete and prosper. We engage in organizing, advocacy and communications to advance state and federal policies that support these goals – polices that are based on the on-the-ground expertise of our members and allies.

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Managing Director of Communications leads NSC’s efforts to craft and communicate its messages to workforce development stakeholders, the press, policymakers and the general public. The Managing Director works with other Managing Directors and executive staff to ensure the overall success of NSC’s cross-functional programmatic work and achievement of program goals consistent with NSC’s strategic plan. Responsibilities include strategy, planning, raising and managing grant resources, managing and developing staff, and fostering an organizational culture of learning, co-creation and inclusion. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

 Strategy and Performance Management

• Help lead the development of major cross-program organizational strategies.
• Oversee communications and digital strategy.
• Effectively communicate strategies internally and externally.
• Set long-term goals, annual goals, and KPIs in program area of leadership; oversee reporting on progress toward goals and KPIs, and guide staff in assessment and improvement. 

Financial

• Lead cultivation and stewardship of funders by providing necessary information and donor communications to support NSC’s work in collaboration with executive staff.
• Support effective management of grant resources, budgeting, and forecasting in collaboration with executive staff.   

Management

• Manage NSC communications staff, including Senior Editor, Digital Director and Communications Associate. Recruit, orient, supervise, and develop staff with a focus on racial diversity, equity and inclusion. Ensure consistent application of organizational personnel policies.
• Create an enriching, inclusive, and productive work environment that supports co-creation, maximizes staff talents and efforts, and celebrates team impacts.
• Ensure staff are effectively and consistently using organizational systems and protocols that support transparency, inclusion, and efficiency.
• Manage work of communications consultants and vendors.

Programmatic

• Work with staff across the organization to develop and implement communications strategies that advance state and federal advocacy and network building efforts.
• Oversee the development and execution of publications and all written communication content and assets in partnership with the Senior Editor.
• Oversee the development and execution of campaigns, email, digital advocacy and social media strategy in partnership with the Digital Director.
• Oversee consultants or internal staff managing NSC’s press strategy and outreach at both national and state/local level in support of policy, organizational positioning, and national initiative positioning goals.
• Oversee communications technical assistance to NSC’s state coalitions and local partners.

• Marketing and Positioning
• Ensure NSC is effectively and consistently communicating its strategy and impacts to NSC’s stakeholders, policy makers, partners, and members in coordination with NSC staff and leaders.
• Ensure consistent use of NSC/ project brands, voice and visual identity throughout the organization in coordination with the Senior Editor.
• Ensure staff are effectively promoting NSC and its work to potential allies and the larger public through effective presentations, webinars, etc. 

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Entrepreneurship: Ability to look for and seize profitable organizational opportunities; willingness to take calculated risks to achieve the organization’s goals.
• Finance Management: The ability to oversee departmental financial resources and plans within an allocated budget.
• Organizational Systems Management: Ability to use organizational systems to support team building, manage change and drive performance among reports and peers.
• External Awareness: The ability to analyze the organization’s position within the context of external policy trends, industry trends, funding trends, and competing organizations.

ORGANIZATIONAL CORE COMPETENCIES

• Interpersonal skills: Exhibits respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationship.
• Problem Solving: Solves problems while ensuring rules and directives are followed.
• Communication Skills: Ability to effectively engage and communicate with target audiences.
• Initiative: Takes independent action, seeks out new responsibilities, acts on opportunities, generates new ideas, practices self-development.
• Attention to Detail: Committed to accuracy and excellence, looks for improvements continuously, monitors quality levels, finds/owns/acts on quality problems.

QUALIFICATIONS: The ideal candidate will have managed strategic communications for an organization, union, trade association or educational institution and/or have experience with skills-training specific work. This person will have experience managing a department/staff of at least 5, strategic planning, budgets and has sat on an executive or leadership team before.

Education & Experience:

• Ability to think strategically and communicate strategy
• Ability to translate strategy into plans of action
• Knowledge of communications best practices
• Written communication
• Public speaking
• Proactive, problem solving orientation
• Strong interpersonal, collaborative skills
• Effectively uses technology to communicate/collaborate with colleagues and manage work  

COMPENSATION: Salary range for this position is $130,000-$150,000; salary depends on relevant experience and new staff rarely start at the top of the range. Excellent benefits package, including employer-paid health and dental, retirement plan, life and disability insurance and generous vacation policy.

National Skills Coalition is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply