Associate Director Communications

A Way Home America (AWHA) (awayhomeamerica.org) is a national organization ending homelessness for Black, Indigenous, youth of color, and LGBTQ+ youth, on a path to ending it for all. Our work is driven by the following values.  We are homeless youth providers, advocates, researchers, government agencies, philanthropists and young people uniting behind a common goal: Prevent and end homelessness among all youth and young adults. Ensure that homelessness among youth and young adults is rare, and if it occurs, experiences of homelessness are brief and one-time.

 A Way Home America is a fiscally sponsored organization of TSNE (tsne.org).

The Associate Director manages AWHA’s pipeline of communications to keep advocates, service providers, funders, and other stakeholders engaged in the movement to end youth homelessness. The incumbent is a nimble, hands-on team member energized by the challenge of managing a high volume of communications on topics ranging from community-level engagement to national policy discussions. The incumbent is poised to grow professionally alongside the movement and our organization as both reach an important inflection point. 

Responsibilities include but aren’t limited to the following.

• Further develop and maintain AWHA’s communications infrastructure, including its digital channels, branding, and materials;
• Partner with AWHA staff and ensure all AWHA communications maintain clear, consistent voice and branding;
• Create promotional materials for events, webinars, meetings, etc.
• Review for consistency in branding and messaging in external facing materials (flyers, handouts, slides, emails etc.)
• Develop communications/marketing plan with input from internal stakeholders for AWHA events, webinars, meetings, etc.
• Follow-up with internal stakeholder and revise communication/marketing plan as needed based on engagement to ensure maximum participation.
• Author social media content, send email blasts, share relevant data and materials, follow up with communication and feedback seeking guidance from AWHA leadership and/or TSNE, as needed;
• Author and co-author, with partners, reports that support the movement to end youth homelessness;
• Assess and update website user experience, including website maintenance and responses to communications inquiries; 
• Track, analyze and report on engagement of social media platforms and use the data for strategic planning and increased traffic;
• Develop and adapt AWHA’s organization wide communications strategy and messaging in parallel with the organization’s evolving work;
• Collaborate with partners to provide resources to the community and serve as a medium for information sharing ensuring that what is being shared aligns with AWHA’s values;
• Maintain the organization’s editorial calendar of communications to coordinate regular updates to the movement with rapid response communications on emerging issues;
• Be AWHA’s point person on media relations, including proactive outreach, managing reactive inquiries, and supporting AWHA leadership in writing statements and op-eds;
• Promote AWHA events on all platforms (including website, email (Brevo), social media, etc.;) with logistics from Events Coordinator;
• Engage with other communications leaders across the movement to amplify efforts and provide communications technical assistance to community partners, as needed.
• Be a thought partner on how to increase AWHA’s digital footprint in our external communications and social media platforms;
• Monitor social media and email inboxes, sharing relevant messages with appropriate divisions;
• Grow AWHA’’s presence and content creatively across all social media channels, being receptive to constructive criticism and feedback;
• Gather content (interviews, pictures, etc.) to creatively showcase our work through social media platforms;
• Gather and lead communication squad meetings to advance strategic plans, understand the shifts in messaging on youth homelessness;
• Record and edit short clips, podcasts, videos and other content and upload to social media outlets and other platforms to obtain and increase momentum around our initiatives;
• Other duties as assigned.

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• 5+ years of communications, public affairs, or public relations experience, preferably in a non-profit environment with multiple stakeholders;
• Ability to think strategically while acting tactically to maintain a steady flow of communications to AWHA’s various audiences;
• Hands-on experience managing websites, social media, email marketing campaigns, and other digital communication channels for an organization;
• Impeccable writing skills - from pithy short-form social copy to long-form explanations of complex policy issues;
• Superb project management skills with an ability to juggle multiple communications channels and audiences; 
• Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision, prioritizing workload and flagging potential issues before they arise;
• Flexibility, a bias toward action, and comfort executing communications within a rapidly evolving organization;
• Ability to work under deadline pressure handling multiple tasks accurately, with composure, and according to procedure;
• A demonstrated commitment to youth collaboration, LGBTQ+ and racial equity, and ending youth homelessness;
• Experience with using web and social analytics to improve performance;
• Experience with nonprofit or philanthropy communications;
• Basic photography experience to photograph members and events;
• Basic video recording experience to record and edit short clips and upload to social media outlets;
• Prior experience working on housing and youth issues, preferred but not required.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and G Suite, email marketing services, basic HTML, WordPress, Tweetdeck or other relevant media management tools;
• Working knowledge of design tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, Piktochart;
• Knowledgeable with Microsoft Office, and Google Suite;
• Thorough knowledge of social media platforms, such as but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Additional Qualifications

• Valid driver’s license;
• Successful background check;
• Ability to travel for events and meetings;
• Ability to work occasional nights and weekends;
• Experience in building relationships with diverse populations;
• Align with A Way Home America’s core values:
• Recognize and Center Intersectionality
• Name and Challenge White Supremacy
• Engage in Principled Struggle
• Practice Targeted Universalism
• Generate Transformative Visions Toward Liberation
• Create a Culture of Accountability
• Shift Power to Youth and Young Adults
• Open to understanding young people;
• Passionate about the mission to end youth homeless and impact change in existing systems;
• Able to give and receive feedback with love, rigor, and respect, honoring individual differences and promoting a healthy life/work balance;
• Has integrity and accountability;
• Holds all accountable for anti-black racism and colorism;
• Be adaptable to the workload and self-sufficient;
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work;
• Attention to detail and problem solving skills;
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask;
• Lived experience in homelessness, child welfare, juvenile justice, a plus;
• Research experience, a plus;
• Bi-lingual ability, a plus (Spanish preferred).

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• Ability to sit and/or for extended periods of time in front of a computer screen is an essential aspect of the position;
• There may be a need to lift and/or move materials or equipment up to 50 pounds;
• Ability to travel for events and meetings;
• Reach; traverse; sit (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move;
• Walk to extended periods of time, particularly at events;
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate;
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards;
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight;
• Environmental and work hazards are not present to a measurable degree.

Compensation and Benefits

Location: Work is primarily performed remotely from personal home office and will require occasional travel.

Schedule: This role requires the ability to work during regular business hours Monday – Friday and occasional mornings, nights and weekends. 

Compensation: The pay range for this position is $70,000 - $80,000/yr and is commensurate with experience.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a full benefits package including:

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): 12 paid holidays, 3 weeks vacation, 1 week personal holiday, and health leave time for full-time staff;
• 80% Employer-paid, offering some $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim along with several low-deductible plans;
• Low-cost MetLife Dental and Vision;
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care;
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance;
• Employer-paid Pension through TIAA;
• ...and more!

TSNE/AWHA strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/AWHA prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/AWHA celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/AWHA's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.