Senior Director of Marketing and Communications

Brightpoint invites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leader in the human services sector for 140 years, we aim to advance the well-being of children by investing in families and strengthening communities through data-informed, collaborative, and preventative solutions. 

We have a story to tell, and we are seeking a Senior Director of Marketing and Communications to help us tell it in a way that furthers our mission and advances our reputation, sector leadership, and fundraising goals.  The Senior Director will partner with the Chief External Affairs Officer to develop, implement and manage communication and marketing strategies that further the mission of Brightpoint and the Blueprint for Impact, and advances the agency’s reputation, sector leadership and fundraising goals. These efforts will include enhancing the agency’s media relations strategy, marketing plans, promotional materials, and digital, social media and web-based platforms so they effectively articulate the agency’s mission. The Senior Director works closely with agency leadership, departments, and program staff across the agency to support branding efforts, build strategic partnerships, and elevate the agency’s visibility among policy makers, civic and corporate leaders, and donors. The Senior Director also works closely with resource development staff and manages a team responsible for content, social media and website management.

For consideration for this position, please submit your resume, cover letter, and two writing samples each 5 pages or less or a single writing sample and example of a marketing plan or presentation.

What you’ll do:

• Directly manage the communications team responsible for content, social media, and website management; create annual objectives and work plans to ensure goals are met.
• Develop and guide the implementation of an annual communications plan that is aligned with the agency’s priorities, sector leadership and fundraising goals, including plans to support signature agency fundraising events.
• Work collaboratively across the agency to shape the communications strategy and develop campaigns, communications, and materials capturing staff, family and youth voices and perspectives that demonstrate sector leadership and engage partners, funders and civic leaders.
• Craft a robust content strategy utilizing digital and interactive media that engages audience segments and leads to measurable action externally and consult on internal communication efforts to grow engagement across the organization.
• Increase the amount of traditional and digital content that promotes the agency messaging and conveys the agency’s outcomes and determine the best dissemination strategy for the materials.
• Manage major media contacts and improve the agency’s visibility through earned media and other PR efforts.
• Collaborate with the Ahlquist Center for Policy, Practice, and Innovation team to develop public advocacy campaigns that connect with policy makers, civic leaders, and the community.
• Oversee the development of donor-specific messaging informed by recent donor research conducted by the agency.
• Write and edit key all-staff communications for the agency’s executive team and generate opinion pieces for media outlets from the agency leadership and trustees.
• Manage training of agency spokespersons ahead of engagement with news media outlets.
• Generate, manage, and adapt a crisis communications response to immediate internal and external events when needed.
• Direct the development of all print and electronic materials.

Who you are:

• You have at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Nonprofit Administration, Business, or a related field. Master’s Degree in a related field strongly preferred.
• You have at least seven years of relevant experience, including at least three years of supervisory experience. Experience supervising communications staff highly desirable.
• You have demonstrated success in managing a comprehensive communications program, including successful public relations/advocacy strategy and results, branding and visibility expanding, donor communication and engagement, and social media.
• You thrive in a fast-paced work environment and are skilled in managing multiple projects under demanding timelines.
• You have a highly effective leadership style and demonstrated experience in successful strategic alignment.
• You are forward-thinking and driven to innovate, relying on your analytical and critical thinking skills to evaluate complex issues and develop creative solutions.
• You are a skilled communicator who has an engaging presentation style proven to be effective in one-on-one, small group, and large audience settings. 
• You are a natural collaborator, effectively bringing stakeholders together across functions and departments, and developing effective working relationships with individuals and constituencies in diverse communities.
• You relish the opportunity to work with data, including compiling, analyzing, and interpreting information, and using complex reports to tell stories in meaningful and influential ways.

The details:

• Compensation: Salary Range $110k-$120k; offers are commensurate with candidate qualifications and experience. The salary range provided represents our current estimate for this role at the time of posting and is subject to change. The final salary will be determined based on a range of factors, including but not limited to, a candidate's relevant experience, education, qualifications, skills, certifications, and alignment with organizational needs. We are dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to fostering a diverse workforce while providing equal opportunities for all candidates.
• Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, 3+ weeks paid time off in the first year including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day (PTO increases with tenure); 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match (more benefits details here).
• Location: Must be within reasonable driving distance to Chicago and available to work from home office at 200 West Monroe Street (downtown Chicago loop). 
• Schedule: Hybrid (remote/in office); Full-time, salaried; General business hours with flexibility for special projects & events.
• Student Loan Forgiveness: Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).