Communications Coordinator

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

National Children’s Alliance (NCA) is the national association and accrediting body for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). Formed in 1988, NCA has been providing support, technical assistance, and quality assurance for CACs, while serving as a voice for abused children for more than 30 years.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

The National Children’s Alliance (NCA) is committed to a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within our staff, board, and Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) movement. A diverse, equitable, and inclusive movement is critical not only to achieve a just and welcoming work environment for our workforce and partners: it also impossible to effectively serve children and families across this country without a movement of agencies and professionals that reflect them and understand their needs.

As the national association and accrediting body for CACs, NCA is committed to achieving universal access to CAC services for children in every community in America and is uniquely positioned to ensure CACs both have the resources they need to truly serve America’s diverse population and also that their accreditation with us requires that they do so equitably and inclusively.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Communications Coordinator reports to the Director of Communications and serves as an integral member of the Communications & Media Relations team. The Communications Coordinator will be responsible for general communications and marketing operations work, specifically including the development of training and technical assistance-related products, as well as providing project management, guidance, and support on such projects to NCA departments and partners. The Communications Coordinator is also responsible for external communications activities that support the adoption and use of these products in meeting the training and technical assistance needs of NCA’s national network of CACs. The successful candidate will create and manage external communications content and assist with the development and execution of work plans and product launches.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Product Development, Management, and Support:

• Develop and launch select educational communications products and services including: brochures, guidebooks, video trainings, interactive trainings, and live online learning events.
• Launch and promote the use of educational communications products and services, including newsletters and other publications; web, social media, e-news and other online communications; member email updates; and other channels.
• Strictly adhere to NCA’s brand standards and consistently produce high-quality, audience-directed content focused on the achievement of NCA’s strategic priorities.
• Serve as an ambassador for NCA within the CAC movement, building relationships with collaborative work group members, member CAC representatives, and external strategic partners, and with the goal to elevate the practice and knowledge of member CACs to expand and improve their service to children and families. Within NCA, this individual will also serve as an ambassador for the Communications & Media Relations Department to other internal departments, to ensure sensitive and thoughtful management of projects and products and the delivery of the high level of service and quality our colleagues expect.
• Manage outside vendors providing services to NCA, including contract graphic design, editing, web development, and video providers.
• Continually review the communications landscape and regularly provide updates on current trends, platforms, tactics, and strategies that may help the organization successfully reach audiences and drive them to action.

Communications Operations:

• Write, edit, and design digital and traditional media content that engages:
• Supporters, potential supporters, decision-makers, and parents, leading to greater awareness of CACs and their work and support for them.
• Member agency staff and related professionals, leading to measurable action and elevated practice.
• In partnership with leadership, decide which educational products to disseminate, and to whom and when.
• Manage the development, distribution, and maintenance of print and electronic resources related to training and technical assistance including, but not limited to, newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, reports, and policy briefs. Key aspects of project management include managing vendors, deliverables, and internal relationships.
• Meet specific federal and private grant deliverables per funding agreements.
• Coordinate content updates—ensure that new and consistent training and technical assistance information (articles, links, stories, events, and other content) is regularly posted and updated across channels.
• Identify operational challenges and emerging issues faced by the department, working with the Director to implement improvements and solutions to processes, to achieve operational and project goals measurably, on time, and within budget.

Work Environment/Physical Effort

• This work is primarily sedentary.
• Local and domestic travel required as needed
• Requires the ability to speak, hear, use a personal computer for standard business communications, and the ability to lift up to 15 pounds.

Knowledge and Skills Required

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field is strongly preferred but not required.
• Extensive published external writing and editing experience in a variety of print and online media, whether as an individual or for an institution or figure.
• Minimum 3 years’ public-facing communications experience, ideally within a complex agency, media, corporate, government, or nonprofit environment, creating digital content such as e-newsletters, digital documents, videos, scripts, interactive media, learning modules, or similar for a variety of different audiences or niches. Samples of diverse length and format are essential.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, WordPress, PowerPoint, and similar graphic design and digital publishing tools is a must.
• Very strong organizational and facilitation skills; the ability to communicate with a variety of personalities in a pleasant and professional manner; and the ability to handle stress and produce high-quality work in a fast-paced environment.
• Relationship-builder with the flexibility and finesse to “manage by influence.”
• Experience managing vendors, consultants, and project budgets effectively.
• Sincere commitment to work collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, Board members, members, donors, and other supporters.
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management and staff.
• High energy and passion for the National Children’s Alliance’s mission is essential.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with implementing common style guides a plus.
• Self-starter able to work under pressure and prioritize workload with minimal supervision.
• High degree of sensitivity regarding confidential information.
• Ability to travel and occasionally work evenings and weekends.

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• Proven ability to lead projects or develop published, public-facing work products collaboratively.
• Experience supporting the communications needs of internal departments directly.
• Skills in social media management and mastering the organizational voice.
• Formal project management training or skills.
• Advanced skills in graphic art/design and information presentation/design.
• Proficiency with email marketing tools such as MailChimp or Constant Contact.
• Experience and skills in video and/or audio production, which can include writing and technical production.
• Familiarity with compliance for federal 508 rules for disability access.
• Skills/experience in interactive learning/LMS platforms.
• Basic ability to analyze digital marketing data using tools such as Google Analytics;
• Experience engineering or producing professional podcasts or other audio logs.
• A working knowledge of visual design principles such as typography, hierarchical document design/wireframing, organizational branding, data visualization, and online user experience (UX) design.