MISSION OF NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION
National Skills
Coalition is a broad-based
coalition working toward a vision of an America that grows its economy by
investing in its people, so that every worker and every industry has the skills
to compete and prosper. We engage in organizing, advocacy and communications to
advance state and federal policies that support these goals – polices that are
based on the on-the-ground expertise of our members and allies.
Business Leaders
United (BLU) is an initiative of the National Skills
Coalition and operates as a national network of small and medium-sized
businesses and business membership organizations promoting public investments
in skills training and workforce development programs that strengthen the
workforce and economy. https://www.businessleadersunited.org/
POSITION SUMMARY
The
Communications Manager is responsible for developing and executing communications
strategies and tactics and engaging BLU members and allies that target members
of the coalition’s Business Leaders United (BLU) initiative. This person will lead strategies to
use traditional communications and digital tools to engage and mobilize people
to support BLU’s network, advocacy, and engagement goals. The Communications
Manager will expand
the reach of NSC’s communications, find new audiences, bring more constituents
to our platforms and build awareness of our key issues.
He or she
is action-oriented, and eager to actively collaborate with policy and
communications staff on simultaneous campaigns. This job requires strong
project management skills, and the ability to multi-task in a deadline driven
environment. The successful candidate
will be able to translate complex ideas into succinct and impactful
communications for a wide range of platforms and purposes. He or she must also demonstrate a team-oriented
approach to shared work, problem solving, and strategic planning.
DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
Communications
- Work with BLU members and business
leaders across the country to effectively communicate about our issues,
priorities, and agenda to a wide range of audiences including the press, policy
makers, and stakeholders.
- Work to
increase the visibility of BLU in the media and assist in developing
written materials such as op-eds, press releases, advisories, backgrounders and
other media-friendly collateral.
- Assist in
creating social media strategy and digital initiatives and drive
engagement of stakeholders.
- Write and
edit a range of content and collateral.
- Oversee the
development of videos and other digital and traditional storytelling
products.
Policy and
Coalition Communications
- Prepare BLU members to participate or act
as spokespeople in advocacy activities or actions that publicly promote the
organization or our policy platform.
- Develop network-wide correspondence and
support BLU member mobilization.
- Provide
communications guidance and support to the BLU Affiliate Network.
- In collaboration
with policy and communications staff, develop or adapt business-facing policy
and issue-based materials that can be used directly with business leaders and
by national network partners.
Event Planning
- Manage the
development of all communications collateral for BLU’s events – including
look/branding, printed collateral, and social media plans.
Planning
- Conceptualize,
develop, and execute, and assess vibrant, cohesive communications strategies
and tactics for BLU’s most dynamic campaigns in coordination with NSC
staff.
- Actively
participate and contribute to planning BLU initiatives and strategic
communications campaign plans to ensure that communications goals are
integrated into campaign strategy.
- Maintain BLU’s
communications calendar.
Technology
- Use NSC’s
project management software, efficiently manage communications projects that
include BLU staff, coalition partners, and other stakeholders.
To perform the job successfully, an
individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Project
Management: Brings
together every component of a project, including resources or planning, that
are needed to complete in a timely manner.
- Partnership Development: Ability to develop, maintain and strengthen
partnerships with others inside and outside the organization who can provide
information, assistance, and support.
- Strategic
Thinking/Management: Creates
and communicates a long-term vision, balances short- and long-term goals, keeps
own and team’s work aligned with overall goals, creates, adjusts strategic plans.
- Organizational
Awareness: Using
knowledge of the organization and the organization’s business environment to
turn data into insight.
ORGANIZATIONAL
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Interpersonal
skills: Exhibits respect
and understanding of others to maintain professional relationship.
- Problem
Solving: Solves
problems while ensuring rules and directives are followed.
- Communication
Skills: Ability to
effectively engage and communicate with target audiences.
- Initiative: Takes independent action, seeks out
new responsibilities, acts on opportunities, generates new ideas, practices
self-development.
- Attention
to Detail: Committed
to accuracy and excellence, looks for improvements continuously, monitors
quality levels, finds/owns/acts on quality problems.
QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform
each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements
listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability
required.
Education
& Experience:
- Minimum of
3 years relevant experience
- Knowledge
of business association landscape and players
- Knowledge
of postsecondary and workforce development policy and policymaking
- Knowledge
of postsecondary and workforce development field, practitioners
- Excellent
written communication, including drafting emails, social media copy, web copy,
blogs
- Public
speaking (ability to effectively engage and communicate with target audiences)
- Strong
interpersonal, collaborative skills
- Proactive,
problem solving orientation
- Ability to
manage tasks and projects and meet deadlines
- Attention
to detail
- Effectively
uses technology to communicate/collaborate with colleagues and manage work
COMPENSATION: Salary range
for this position is $60,000-$85,000; salary depends on relevant experience and
new staff rarely start at the top of the range. Excellent benefits package,
including employer-paid health and dental, retirement plan, life and disability
insurance and generous vacation policy.
National Skills Coalition is an Equal
Opportunity Employer. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to
apply.