Communications Coordinator/Manager

Founded in 1969 to inspire creativity and encourage excellence in the fiber arts, the Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. (HGA), brings together weavers, spinners, dyers, basket makers, fiber artists, and educators as part of our mission to educate, support, and inspire the fiber art community. With more than 3,500 members, we provide educational programs, conferences, and an award-winning publication, Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot.

The Communications Coordinator/Manager actively supports the efforts to improve HGA’s visibility and reach through online and offline channels. In that role, the Communications Coordinator will develop website content, assist the Marketing Manager with social media on a daily basis, gather stories and photos that document the work of HGA and its community, manage the organization’s email account, and coordinate responses with appropriate staff, and create timely e-blasts promoting programs and services. The position supports and reports to the Executive Director. Office hours are from 9 am to 5 pm ET, Monday-Friday, with occasional evening and weekend hours. Some travel is required. This is a remote position, but the candidate must reside in one of the following states: Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, or South Carolina.

Major Responsibilities & Duties:

• Maintain a consistent brand and voice in all HGA’s communications.
• Manage the HGA email by responding or disseminating it to appropriate staff and ensuring follow-up.
• Manage and support the creation of all print and electronic materials, including regular program e-blasts and action alerts; report templates, infographics, and other visual representations of HGA’s work; marketing, development, and solicitation materials as needed; and event announcements, invitations, programs, and signage.
• Maintain HGA’s social media presence, including content creation and curation, marketing programs, and resources, and raising awareness of HGA’s mission and programs by creating and sharing interesting, relevant, and engaging content.
• Identify new and innovative ways to enhance and expand HGA’s social media presence and outreach to various stakeholders.
• Manage HGA’s website updates. Write text, create new pages, and solicit updates from staff.
• Working with the Program Coordinator, managing external evaluations of the effectiveness of all programs and engagement activities.
• Identify strategies to engage with national media outlets, reporters, and social media influencers.
• Coordinate media requests and follow-up, while serving as a media contact as needed.
• Prep HGA staff for media appearances and interviews.
• Manage inquiries from outside groups that want a representative from HGA to speak at their upcoming event.
• With the Executive Director, develop public relations strategies for HGA events and announcements as needed.
• Write press releases and send them to appropriate press outlets as needed.
• Maintain a press list with accurate contact information.
• Measure and report on the effectiveness of communications activities, engagement levels, and progress.
• Help establish and maintain internal communications to keep staff informed of the work of the organization. Ensure cross-departmental collaboration on communications efforts.
• Provide exemplary and proactive customer service to all internal and external clients such as members, teachers, vendors, board members, etc. Answer questions and dispense information about programs, policies, and procedures. Manage and respond to complaints.
• Exercise confidentiality and integrity upon handling personal and financial customer information.
• This list of essential duties, tasks, and responsibilities is not all-inclusive; the individual will perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• Meticulous attention to detail and excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Self-motivated with superior time management skills and the capacity to work in a fast-paced organization. The ability to juggle and organize multiple tasks is essential.
• Ability to work independently, but also as a member of a team; a self-starter with a high level of motivation, creativity, and proactivity.
• Flexibility to embrace change and unexpected opportunities.
• A strong instinct to think outside the box and experiment with new ideas.
• Experience with outreach and community building.
• Cultural sensitivity and understanding of diversity.
• Experience building social media channels and executing social media strategies for maximum engagement, particularly for mission-driven non-profits or through cause-based marketing.
• Deep working knowledge of current digital marketing best practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills; strong ability to interact courteously and respectfully with supervisor, fellow employees, volunteers, and the general public.
• Technology aptitude and experience with emphasis on managing computer-based information and data.
• Education and experience in the fiber arts are preferred, but not required.

Qualifications:

Qualified applicants may possess any combination of education and experience enabling them to successfully perform the responsibilities of the position. Preferred qualifications are a Bachelor's degree (preferably in Communications, Marketing, English, Journalism, or a related field) from a four-year accredited college/university and 2-3 professional years' experience working in a similar or related position, non-profit experience preferred (internships and other educational experience will be considered). An expert with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Experience with social media management/monitoring tools; basic HTML and website publishing, specifically WordPress; and CRM software is a plus. Strong teamwork skills to collaborate with staff and the community. Passion for the organization’s mission is a must!

The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of Sex, Race, Religion, Age, Handicap, or National Origin.

Cover letters and resumes should be submitted by email to the Executive Director. Review of applicants will begin immediately and will continue until the positions are filled.