Employee Communications Director jobs in Helena, MT

If you are viewing this job listing from a job posting board (indeed, LinkedIn, etc.) and wish to apply for this position you MUST do so directly through our website (http://hrdc.bamboohr.com/jobs/). If you apply through Indeed or LinkedIn, your application WILL NOT be complete and you will therefore not be considered for the position.

HRDC does not discriminate against any person including customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, physical or mental disability, gender identity, reprisal, and where applicable, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, political ideas and beliefs, level of English skills, if all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by HRDC, in the performance of contracts and the delivery of services or funding. Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Health insurance coverage
• Retirement savings plan
• Paid time off and holidays
• Wellness Hour Benefit Policy
• Paid inter-company volunteer hours
• Flexible work environment

Job Opening Date: April 22, 2024

Anticipated Start Date: May 16, 2024

Job Closing Date: Until filled

Job Status: This is a regular status, full time position (36 worked hours/week 4 paid non-worked hours/week in alignment with HRDC's Reduced Workweek Policy)

Wage: $86,000 annually

About HRDC

HRDC is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through comprehensive programs and services. With a mission to instill hope, develop resources, design solutions and change lives, HRDC offers a range of resources including housing, food and nutrition, transportation, community development and childcare. Committed to excellence and inclusivity, HRDC strives to create positive impacts on society by addressing various socio-economic challenges.

General Summary of Purpose of this Position:

HRDC is seeking a dynamic and experienced Communications Director to lead and execute strategic communications efforts. The Communications Director will be responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive communication strategies to effectively engage both internal and external stakeholders. This position will play a crucial role in enhancing HRDC's visibility, reputation, and impact through various communication channels. The Communications team is part of the Promotions team that includes Development, Volunteer Management, and Grants Management.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
This position has the following duties and responsibilities. They are listed starting with the most important. This listing does not include minor duties, which constitute less than 5% of the position’s time, unless such duties are significantly important or critical to the success of the position. Each of the duties listed below is considered an essential function of this job. (Essential functions are those functions that the employee must be able to perform unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation. Regular and predictable work schedules and attendance are considered essential functions.)

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive communications calendar to ensure timely delivery of communication materials and initiatives.
• Provide strategic guidance and support to senior leadership on communication matters, including crisis communication and reputation management.
• Lead cross-functional teams to develop content, including written, visual, and multimedia materials, that align with HRDC's communication objectives.
• Conduct regular assessments and evaluations of communication strategies to identify areas for improvement and innovation.
• Stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in communications and digital media.

Internal and External Communications:

• Develop and implement internal communication strategies to ensure consistent and transparent communication across all levels of the organization to foster employee engagement, alignment and morale.
• Coordinate internal communications channels such as newsletters, intranet and staff meetings
• Develop and implement comprehensive communications strategies to support HRDC’s goals and initiatives
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external communications, including stakeholders, partners, donors, and the general public.
• Craft compelling messaging and visual materials to effectively communicate HRDC's mission, programs, and achievements to diverse audiences.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to ensure alignment of messaging and communication efforts with organizational objectives
• Develop and implement crisis communication plans to effectively manage and mitigate reputational risks. Serve as a spokesperson for the organization during crisis situations as needed

Media and Marketing:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for media inquiries and manage relationships with journalists and media outlets.
• Proactively pitch stories and secure media coverage to raise awareness of HRDC’s programs, events and impact.
• Oversee the development and execution of marketing campaigns and organizational branding strategies.
• Utilize market research and audience insights to inform strategies and tactics

Digital Communications:

• Oversee the organization's digital presence, including website, social media platforms, email newsletters, and other digital channels.
• Develop and execute digital communication strategies to engage stakeholders, drive traffic, and enhance user experience.
• Monitor and analyze digital metrics to measure the effectiveness of communication strategies and make data-driven decisions for optimization.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

Language Skills: 

• Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret complex and sensitive information
• Persuasive public speaking abilities and demonstrated successful ability to manage and communicate effectively with management team colleagues
• Strong listening skills
• Strong understanding and expression of written and verbal English sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents
• Strong organizational and negotiation skills with a record of accomplishment of maintaining positive business relationships

Reasoning Ability 

• Demonstrated ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; 
• Demonstrated success at a managerial level in independent judgment to determine project guidelines, purpose, follow-through, and completion
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables
• Demonstrated ability to interpret a variety of instructions in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form and deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables and process them to create plans for agency services, projects, and upcoming events
• Demonstrated ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems
• Demonstrated ability to deal with nonverbal symbolism (formulas, scientific equations, graphs, etc.) in its most difficult phases
• Demonstrated ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form
• Demonstrated sensitivity to problems; ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong
• Demonstrated ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations
• Demonstrated ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists
• Proven leadership skills and previous experience with personnel management of staff
• Excellent problem and/or dispute resolution skills
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under stress, interruptions, and tight deadlines

HRDC, Professional or Governmental Policies and Regulations:

• Agency Policies or Procedures (List by Name): HRDC Bylaws, Personnel Policies & Procedure, Fiscal Policies

Drivers Licenses Required for Performing this Position:

• Montana Class D Driver License
• Must have personal transportation and appropriate insurance

Other Required Knowledge, Skills or Abilities: 

• Successfully functions with a thorough knowledge of agency goals, objectives, projects, and services
• Ability to ensure complete and accurate documentation is maintained; a high degree of accuracy and exactness is extremely important in the performance of this job
• Demonstrated ability to effectively work and communicate with a wide range of individuals from all socio-economic groups
• Demonstrated ability work with minimal supervision and effectively manage workflow 
• Ability to create effective plans for services, service delivery, and employee best practices
• Demonstrated ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints from customers or claimants
• Demonstrated ability to effectively supervise and train employees in order to direct work flow, assess performance, and assign duties to achieve department and agency goals
• Demonstrated ability to presents self and organization in a positive professional manner
• Demonstrated ability to work with graphics, statistics, technical sketches, blueprints, and codes
• Ability to create and develop spreadsheets, prepare reports with graphics, charts, and tables
• Demonstrated flexibility in responding to multiple project needs at one time while working effectively under stress, interruptions, and tight deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to prepare, document, and present work assignments in a timely, accurate manner
• Demonstrated ability to work independently
• Demonstrate knowledge of community needs, and resources and partners to meet needs
• Demonstrated ability to collect, assemble, and analyze a variety of data and information in a timely and accurate manner
• The incumbent must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, must be able to work under time and/or deadline pressures
• Ability to present self and organization in a positive and professional manner
  

Essential Physical, Mental and Emotional Requirements of this position

The following physical, mental, and emotional abilities are considered essential to perform the duties listed above: 

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• The incumbent must be able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously
• Must be able to work under time and/or deadline pressures

Education and Experience

Education:  The following course(s) of study or class work usually provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or related field.

Experience:  The following kinds of experience usually provide the required knowledge skills and abilities to perform the duties of this position:

• Proven experience (3 years) in communications, public relations, or related field, preferably in the non-profit sector.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for different audiences and platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in media relations, including pitching stories, securing coverage, and managing media inquiries.
• Proficiency in digital communication tools and platforms, social media management tools, and email marketing software.
• Strategic thinker with excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders
  

Supervision

Supervision Received: 

• This position operates under broadly stated policies, goals, objectives, and principles. The incumbent has, within established policies and procedures and applicable laws, rules, and regulations, broad freedom to establish work priorities and/or methods used to accomplish work.

This position supervises the following position(s): 

• Communicatins Team

This position has the following supervisory responsibilities: 

• This position has responsibility for assigning and checking work, conducting performance evaluations, and approves hiring, disciplining, pay adjustments, or status changes of subordinates
• May solicit and oversee volunteers for project needs

Decisions

• Must make on-the-spot decisions based on knowledge of issues involved and requirements of the agency.

Impact of Decisions and Errors Made by Position:

• Decisions relate to establishing and applying established administrative and operational policy to day to day situations that directly affect the provision of timely, accurate service and the ability of other work units to carry out their assigned responsibilities. 
• Decisions, final recommendations and/or errors affect creation of major new programs or continuation of existing Agency Programs. Some decisions, final recommendations and/or errors may affect all employees of HRDC.

Judgment required to make decisions:

• Job duties typically involve frequently changing conditions and problems. Requires considerable judgment in identifying problems and applying factual background and fundamental principles to the development of approaches and techniques for the solution of problems.  Perform duties wherein recognized general principles may be inadequate to determine the best procedures to follow or the optimum decision in all cases.

Exception Authority:

• This position can authorize exceptions to program policy or procedure.
• This position does not have the authority to make exceptions to Agency-wide policy or procedure.

Financial Responsibility

This position is accountable for the following company money, funds, and budgets:

• Develop Communications budget 
  

This position is authorized to sign the following documents and forms:

• Approves contracts with vendors for special projects and/or programs.

Personal Contacts

The incumbent is responsible for the following personal contacts (in either oral or written form) when performing the duties and responsibilities of the position:

• Daily interaction with the public or consumers
• Interacts with program directors, executives, HRDC Board and/or committees several times per week
• Represents HRDC with members of the press or media
• Maintains positive relationships with public and private partnerships

Confidentiality:

• The incumbent has complete access to most agency data, reports, records, and client files where utmost judgment is required