Director of Marketing and Communications

About The Connecticut Project

The Connecticut Project (TCP) is a social change organization that leverages strategies and tools to align around, invest in, and advocate for real-world outcomes and systems change for people who are lower-income and asset-limited. We work for a just, thriving, and optimistic Connecticut where race, gender, income, geography, and other circumstances no longer predetermine opportunity.

Position Overview

We are looking for someone passionate about building and executing high-impact communications campaigns capable of transforming mindsets and raising urgency among our constituency toward a shared identity and interest rooted in a multi-racial, geographic, and generational movement for systems change that improves the lives of people working to survive and thrive in Connecticut. This position is an exciting opportunity for a proven communications professional who is a skilled storyteller, strong writer, savvy marketing strategist, and an experienced project manager that can work across teams in a fast-paced and startup environment.

Under the supervision of the Vice President of Policy and Advocacy and in consultation with the senior management team and other TCP team members, the Marketing and Communications Director will develop and implement the Connecticut Project’s media, communications, and content strategy to directly engage with TCP’s target audiences across Connecticut. You will be responsible for developing and implementing a well-resourced marketing and communications

strategy informed by focus groups, opinion, and market research, as well as by consultants, partners, and key stakeholders. You will work closely with the TCP leadership team to develop and execute comprehensive communications and marketing campaigns that enhance particular issue strategies and actions, enhance brand visibility, manage our media strategy, engage diverse audiences, and promote our programs and initiatives. Additionally, the Director is responsible for all

aspects of the organization’s external communication and creative content, including but not limited to audience identification and refinement, managing omnichannel marketing campaigns, developing our paid media and digital strategy, managing our social media platforms, and developing and editing copy. The Director will be supported by consultants, a public relations firm, and TCP staff for specific projects.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop a broad vision for using communications and marketing to further TCP’s goals, and develop long- and short-term plans to execute that vision and measure progress. Determine ideal communications channels and tactics for distributing TCP-related news, promoting advocacy campaigns, publicizing events, broadening TCP audiences, and making TCP’s issue areas accessible and relevant to our target audiences.
• Develop and run innovative omnichannel communications campaigns that attract our target audiences and speak to the challenges that low-income and asset-limited households are facing, and inspire a shared vision and identity for a multiracial, multi-generational, and cross-ideological movement for families struggling to survive and thrive in Connecticut.
• Manage a portfolio of communications consultants and vendors who work to develop TCP’s communications strategy through messaging, focus groups, market research, opinion research, media relations, paid media, and marketing campaigns.
• Draft, copy edit, and oversee production of persuasive, public-facing written and graphic materials, including legislative action alerts, fact sheets or one-pagers, talking points, letters to the editor, press statements, op-eds, annual reports, brochures, issue area reports, website blog posts, social media posts, and other materials.
• Develop and innovate the online presence of TCP working with vendors and colleagues to plan, schedule, and implement a digital communications calendar for website content, email campaigns, social media posts, and other content that engages and yields measurable action. Key digital platforms include website, email, Slack, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
• Monitor the news and social media channels to identify emerging stories and rapid response moments, and regularly share press developments with internal stakeholders.
• Proactively build new and existing relationships with press outlets, creator communities, writer networks, design groups, academics, artists, and other groups that connect to and can advance TCP’s mission.
• Manage TCP’s branding and overall talking points making sure that, through a consistent look and style, we’re speaking with one coherent organizational voice.
• Smartly raise the profile of TCP and our issue areas by helping colleagues prepare presentations for key constituencies.
• Lead press, communication, and narrative training for staff and other spokespersons who act as brand ambassadors for the organization.

Targeted Knowledge And Skills

• Passion for the Connecticut Project vision and mission and a commitment to organizational excellence in achieving them.
• Relevant combination of communications, marketing, and public relations skills, with a strong preference for in-Connecticut experience and potentially including:
• Proven ability to craft and execute a high-impact communications plan at the state and local level.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale marketing strategies resulting in successful audience acquisition and brand visibility.
• Experience providing marketing and communications support for development, advocacy, or electoral campaigns and/or extensive experience in digital marketing, brand voice, content creation, and paid media.
• Proven ability to draft, copyedit, and oversee the production and distribution of content and materials that speak to different audiences. Specifically, developing and project-managing creative content production pipeline.
• Proven ability to develop issue-based creative messaging and impactful and measurable narrative shifts through public relations, press, or paid marketing campaigns.
• Experience working with and managing consultants or vendors in the development, implementation, and analysis of high-impact marketing campaigns, media

relations, and other public relations strategies.

• Knowledge or expertise in market research, including audience segmentation, audience profiling, focus groups, online journaling, and opinion research.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in marketing, communications, public relations, corporate communications, media relations, or related field, including demonstrated strength in the following professional dimensions:
• Independent and creative thinker that uses a strategic and well-organized approach to managing projects and systems to assist staff and management in protecting the organization’s brand and image.
• Strong leadership and management skills and develops a highly motivating atmosphere in which team members feel energized, engaged, and enthusiastic about achieving goals.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, including experience drafting annual communications and campaign plans, producing high quality copy and copy editing.
• Able to deal with ambiguity, thrives in rapidly evolving environment; flexible and agile, responsive to feedback, open to changing direction, focuses on continuous improvement and innovation.
• Capacity to effectively prioritize projects, work simultaneously on multiple projects, and meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence including demonstrated empathy,

humor, and resilience; engaging team-member; and values, honors, and promotes diversity in all its forms.

• A growth and learning mindset.

Alignment to TCP Organizational Values

Commitment and capacity to authentically live and help develop TCP’s values:

• People-First: We are mission driven to be informed by and work with people working to survive and thrive, particularly people deprived of opportunities and outcomes on a basis of race, gender, income, geography and other circumstances.
• Courageous Acts: We are resolute in the pursuit of growth, equity, and justice, willing to learn from mistakes, and not afraid to challenge steady habits to accelerate progress.
• Better Together: Grounding ourselves in our common humanity ensures that personal, professional, and community differences lead to bolder innovations and stronger solutions.
• Optimistic Realists: We operate at the crux of possibility and pragmatism– the change we imagine is the change we work to achieve.
• Continuous Improvement: We listen, learn, and collaborate with humility and improve our methods with community feedback and guidance.

Reporting

Vice President of Policy and Advocacy

Compensation & Benefits

This position is full-time, operating in a hybrid environment designed for feasibility for staff across Connecticut. Compensation for this role is between $120,000 and $170,000 and commensurate with experience. Applicants should live in or be willing to relocate to Connecticut.

The Connecticut Project offers an employee benefits package that includes, but is not limited to health, dental, vision, life, disability, and supplemental life insurance; a 401(K)-match program; and competitive vacation and holiday policies.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter that references their experience in relation to the qualifications listed in the job description, why the applicant is interested in the position, and how the applicant heard about this posting. This posting closes Friday, July 28, 2023 at 5pm. Applicant information will be held highly confidential.

Please note that finalists will be subject to background and reference checks in addition to a request for a writing sample and an exercise.

The Connecticut Project is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to building a strong and welcoming team that reflects and includes Connecticut’s diverse and inclusive community. Candidates of all backgrounds, including urban and rural communities, are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.