Communications Director

POSITION SUMMARY

The Alliance for Children's Rights seeks a Communications Director who will lead comprehensive communication activities that support the organization's mission to ensure abused and neglected children have safe, stable homes, healthcare, and the education they need to thrive. This highly experienced individual will act as an ambassador and as the lead storyteller for the organization. This position works closely with the Development Department and program staff and reports to the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

This is an exciting opportunity with one of L.A.'s premier nonprofit organizations. The Alliance for Children's Rights protects the rights of impoverished, abused and neglected children and young adults by providing free legal and social services and promoting systemic solutions. Our lawyers, advocates, and social workers, together with hundreds of pro bono attorneys and community volunteers, ensure that children in the foster care and guardianship systems have stable homes and families, and can access the healthcare, education, and financial supports that they need. We also help transition-age youth achieve independence and work statewide to improve child welfare practices and policies to remove the many barriers our clients face. Since its founding 27 years ago, the Alliance has helped more than 150,000 children.

Charity Navigator has awarded the Alliance its highest 4-star rating for the past nine years in a row. This puts the Alliance in the top 2% of charities in the U.S. rated by Charity Navigator. The 4-star rating reflects the Alliance's sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.

The Alliance is well known in the child welfare community for its knowledge, expertise, and accomplishments. Alliance staff members find that being a voice for children who often have no voice, and otherwise could be forgotten, is incredibly rewarding.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The following responsibilities are representative of the position, but are not limited to:

• Creates, develops and manages the Alliance's external communications, including website and social media content, marketing materials, electronic and print communications, and press outreach.
• Develops the Alliance's communications strategy, plan, and calendar in coordination with the CDO, key staff, board members and other strategic partners.
• Coordinates and manages public relations, press, and media engagement for the Alliance, and ensures timely responses to time-sensitive requests.
• Creates and coordinates communications for Alliance fundraising events and campaigns, including marketing materials, social media, digital and print collateral and content for presentations.
• Establishes the Alliance as an expert in its field and serves as media point person, vetting and coordinating all interactions with reporters and editors and maintaining press contacts.
• Writes, edits and coordinates content for stakeholder communications and annual and other reports and designs professional pieces that include compelling imagery and infographics.
• Maintains the integrity of the Alliance brand across all mediums and special projects.
• Develops and implements digital strategies that leverage technology, and works with program staff and technology partners, to enhance reach, maximize efficiency, promote awareness and support, and meet organizational goals.
• Assesses needs and implements communications strategies for signature events, including speakers, media, staging, videos, social media, and public relations, and takes photographs or arranges for photographers as needed.
• Supports messaging for Alliance programs, departments, and volunteer organizations, and edits communications to ensure quality and compliance with Alliance strategies and goals.
• Supports Alliance staff as needed with communications in public forums, board meetings, fundraising events, and other speaking engagements. 
• Provides regular social media and email analytics.
• Serves as the web administrator for kids-alliance.org, stepupforkin.org, knowb4ugo.org, and laoyc.org.
• Manages relationships with multiple vendors, including printers, website developers, graphic designers, videographers and communications consultants.
• Manages, collects, and oversees archives of reports, articles, statistics, and client and event stories and photographs related to the Alliance's work.
• Manages inventory of print and digital communications and develops and manages stakeholder contact lists.
• Other related duties as required.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & ABILITIES

• Minimum of eight years of experience in nonprofit, corporate, or government communications.
• Outstanding writer and editor of social justice or human-interest stories, speeches, media materials, publications, social media content, talking points, donor appeals, and other types of content.
• Demonstrated background in developing and implementing communications plans in support of a mission, issue, program or campaign.
• Experience to excel as organizational lead on how to leverage technology to enhance communications strategies.
• Enthusiasm for the Alliance's mission and programs and commitment to improving outcomes for underserved children and young adults.
• Excellent social media skills and social media analytics.
• Experience overseeing video production and working with videographers and editors.
• Exceptional oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with Alliance senior management and staff as well as funders and board members.
• Demonstrated skill and comfort in proactively building relationships with reporters and in successfully positioning subject matter with the media.
• Understanding the diversity of the population served by the agency.
• Excellent judgment, creative problem solving, and collaboration skills.
• Professionalism and ability to maintain confidential client and organization information.
• Ability to work under tight and changing deadlines and manage multiple tasks simultaneously with strong attention to detail and in a timely manner.
• Ability to work evenings or weekend events as needed.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign), WordPress, MailChimp, and Hootsuite is preferred.

The Alliance for Children's Rights believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, or marital status.

The above statements are of a general nature and are intended to describe the level of work being performed by people assigned to comparable positions. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

The Alliance for Children's Rights offers a competitive salary and a generous benefits package. For more information, visit kids-alliance.org.

TO APPLY

To be considered, please submit a resume and a cover letter that outlines your interest in joining the Alliance, relevant work experience, and how you heard of the position to a.zometa@kids-alliance.org (E-mail submissions only/no phone inquiries). Responses will be sent only to individuals meeting the outlined qualifications of the position