Manager, Communications

$107,600 - $120,200/Yr

The Pew Charitable Trusts - Washington, DC

Full-time - Mid Level

Remote - Washington, DC

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

We seek a collegial communications professional to join a dynamic multi-partner team as a communications manager, working on Pew's programs to advance economic policies that help Americans save for retirement, achieve home ownership, and pay for higher education. This experienced people manager will oversee strategic communications planning and implementation, media relations, and multimedia content, and understand how to find and communicate the human stories that elevate policy goals. The successful candidate will have excellent writing and editing skills, be creative, think strategically, have strong national and state media contacts, and possess the diplomacy and skills needed to coordinate and collaborate with partner organizations. In this position, you will collaborate with program staff and design comprehensive communications strategies and campaigns that advance Pew's research, analysis, and other work. You will develop key messaging and advise project leaders on strategy for reaching target audiences. Additionally, you will oversee direct reports to implement strategy, conduct media relations, and manage multimedia content creation and dissemination. Working with Pew communications colleagues, you will create innovative multimedia products to support and lead and direct that strategy with the communications and project team. You will help manage working relationships with internal and external partners to coordinate strategy, manage the creation, development, and implementation of effective media strategies and campaigns that contribute to a well-defined media presence for Pew projects. Generating media coverage in new and creative ways and managing communications among relevant policy, research, business, and advocacy communities will be key responsibilities. You will actively monitor, track, and circulate media coverage, write and edit communications materials personally or in collaboration with Pew's editorial desk, and work with digital team members to develop, write, and edit materials for the web, assisting in developing and executing digital strategy to optimize the use of online tools. Mentoring staff, managing performance, and providing opportunities for staff development will be essential. You will coordinate work across project lines with other managers to effectively deploy staff time and resources, prepare materials for internal audiences, and contribute to the work of other Pew staff through writing and editing of memos, board updates, and strategy papers. Ensuring that internal and external audiences are kept apprised of project updates through newsletters, mailings, and other vehicles for direct communications will also be part of your role. Finally, you will participate in communications department tasks as assigned and broader Pew-wide projects as needed.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with program staff and design comprehensive communications strategies and campaigns that advance Pew's research, analysis and other work.
• Develop key messaging and advise project leaders on strategy for reaching target audiences.
• Oversee direct reports to implement strategy, conduct media relations and manage multimedia content creation and dissemination.
• Work with Pew communications colleagues to create innovative multimedia products to support and lead and direct that strategy with the communications and project team.
• Help manage working relationships with internal and external partners to coordinate strategy.
• Manage the creation, development, and implementation of effective media strategies and campaigns that contribute to a well-defined media presence for Pew projects.
• Generate media coverage in new and creative ways and manage communications among relevant policy, research, business, and advocacy communities.
• Actively monitor, track, and circulate media coverage.
• Write and edit communications materials personally, or in collaboration with Pew's editorial desk.
• Work with digital team members to develop, write, and edit materials for the web, and assist in developing and executing digital strategy to optimize use of online tools.
• Mentor staff, manage performance, and provide opportunities for staff development.
• Coordinate work across project lines with other managers to effectively deploy staff time and resources.
• Prepare materials for internal audiences and contribute to the work of other Pew staff through writing and editing of memos, board updates, and strategy papers.
• Ensure that internal and external audiences are kept apprised of project updates through newsletters, mailings, and other vehicles for direct communications.
• Participate in communications department tasks as assigned and broader Pew-wide projects as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• Generally, eight years of communications experience, including strategy development and media relations in a staff, project and/or consultant role required, along with staff, consultant, and/or project management experience.
• Experience in public policy or advocacy campaigns at the state or federal level required. Knowledge of nonprofit communications experience a plus.
• Experience in policy communications and communications planning.
• Demonstrated subject matter knowledge of communications of state and federal public policy issues, with knowledge of housing, retirement savings and student loan debt policies a plus.
• Demonstrated experience using social media to advance causes and information.
• Demonstrated ability to think creatively and strategically, juggle multiple priorities, be extremely well-organized, manage time effectively and identify resources.
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to develop and manage productive relationships with program and project staff, consultants, and others involved in developing or implementing communications for Pew. Excellent listening skills.
• Good judgment, ability to make decisions, justify recommendations and be responsive, clear and firm with colleagues.
• Proven experience in taking projects from conception to successful launch.

Benefits

• Comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Financial security with life and disability insurance.
• Opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts.
• Retirement benefits to help prepare for the future.
• Work/life benefits to maintain a good balance.