Communications and Fundraising Manager

Communications and Fundraising Manager

The Planning Office for Urban Affairs (POUA, the Planning Office) seeks a Communications and Fundraising Manager to join our energetic and dedicated staff. POUA was created by the Archdiocese of Boston in 1969 as a separate 501(c)(3) organization, to serve as a catalyst for social justice through its work in housing development, neighborhood revitalization, and affordable housing advocacy. Today, nearly 50 years and 3,000 units of housing later, the Planning Office remains firmly rooted in its mission to create vibrant communities, and work for social justice on behalf of all those who are housing deprived.

The Organization and Its Activities

The Planning Office has developed nearly 3,000 units of elderly, family, mixed income and special needs housing, channeling approximately $617 million of investment into developments throughout metropolitan Boston, and currently has several additional properties under active development. Over the past several years, we have completed or made significant progress on key developments in Haverhill, Hanover, Brockton, downtown Boston, and the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester and Mattapan. 

Our developments focus on the creation of strong communities where people of economic, racial and ethnic diversity can live with dignity and respect. They are designed to respond to the needs of both our residents, and the particular communities in which we build. In some cases, we have redeveloped former church-related properties; in other cases, we have responded to requests from communities, service agencies, or local governments. We have developed rental and ownership housing, and work with several property management companies to ensure effective operation of the properties that we develop.

Our newest work includes: developing a $68 million urban mixed-use, mixed-income project in Haverhill that includes residential, office, retail and educational components; developing housing for the homeless  and very low income households at a key location in downtown Boston; developing a new residential community along the Fairmount line in Mattapan; and creating the first safe house in the City of Boston for victims of human trafficking. In undertaking this work, we have formed partnerships with such groups as the Greater Haverhill Foundation, St. Francis House, Caribbean Integration Community Development and Casa Myrna Vasquez/The Eva Center.  We have also worked with St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children and the Pine Street Inn, among other partners. 

The Planning Office is led by experienced affordable housing leaders, who participate in and lead local and national advocacy efforts to increase affordable housing resources, avoid 

foreclosures, and address homelessness. Our board of trustees, appointed by the Cardinal, works together with our President to govern our financially strong and growing organization. 

Communications and Fundraising at the Planning Office

The Communications and Fundraising Manager will be responsible for leading key communications regarding our housing development and advocacy efforts. They will build on and oversee our social media strategy, explore and create opportunities to increase POUA’s visibility with print and other media, and support our fundraising efforts, particularly our bi-annual fundraising event. They will explore new sources of grant revenue, and develop an updated fundraising strategy for the Planning Office. The Communications and Fundraising Manager will report to our President, and work closely with her on communications and related activities. 

The Communications and Fundraising Manager will join a staff who bring considerable housing development, asset management, financial and administrative skills to the organization. Planning Office staff enjoy a collegial environment, and opportunities to work together and with other organizations on a range of projects. 

The Communications and Fundraising Manager will:

• Develop a comprehensive media strategy for POUA including an expanded social media presence and opportunities for exposure in print and other media
• Lead the effort to organize and carry out the bi-annual corporate fundraiser, including preparing a schedule and all materials, arranging event logistics, and serving as staff to the Fundraising Committee, with support and assistance from the President 
• Examine opportunities, develop, and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy, including tracking and responding to grant and other opportunities to complement POUA’s current sources of revenue
• Prepare, update and maintain POUA communications materials including corporate resume, project description sheets, media articles
• Assist with planning and executing POUA events, including producing invitations and programs, arranging event speakers, handling logistics, and media coverage for groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and other events
• Assist with communications to POUA’s various stakeholders regarding specific projects and advocacy efforts
• Review and update our website on a quarterly basis, including preparation or assembly of written, photographic, video and third-party/media content
• Prepare and send out a Planning Office newsletter on a quarterly basis
• Manage the Planning Office’s photo library and keep updated photos of projects and developments
• Assist the President with media inquiries, educate staff on media inquiry protocol and assist staff with Planning Office presentations
• Assist the President with work on Federal, State and local housing campaigns, and with State and Federal legislative testimony
• Assist the President with communications work related to various Boards, and
• Assist with other policy and corporate communications efforts and fundraising initiatives as they may arise.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a media savvy individual who would enjoy the opportunity to build on and strengthen communications and fundraising within a dynamic mission-driven organization. Our ideal Communications and Fundraising Manager will possess many of the following skills and attributes:

• BA in communications or a related field plus two years of work experience preferred; additional experience may be substituted for a BA
• Strong English language written and oral communication skills
• A demonstrated ability to take initiative, bring new ideas to the President, and move tasks forward independently
• An ability to write for a range of audiences, including private donors, public funding agencies, press, community partners, and others
• Knowledge of and solid experience with a variety of website and social media platforms, as well as word processing, graphic and data base software
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Demonstrated interest in social justice work
• Comfort working independently and as a member of a team
• Experience organizing fundraising events preferred
• Some experience with nonprofit fundraising and proposal writing preferred, and
• Some knowledge of legislative advocacy preferred.

While experience in or familiarity with real estate development is not required or expected, once hired, the Communications and Fundraising Manager must become sufficiently familiar with the details of POUA’s projects and development activities to be able to draft materials and appropriately describe the work of the Planning Office.

The Selection Process

Please submit a cover letter detailing your interest and your qualifications for this position, along with a resume to: http://annlsilverman.com/communications-fundraising-manager/. No phone calls or letters please. 

Applications will be reviewed and acknowledged as they are received. The Planning Office seeks to fill this position by early summer of 2019.

Planning Office for Urban Affairs is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We encourage applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and cultures.