Director of Marketing and Communications

General Position Summary: The Director of Marketing & Communications leads the team responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating the organization's marketing and communications activities. The Director will implement a robust communication strategy to promote awareness of and engagement in Food Lifeline’s mission to end hunger. This position ensures the development of compelling, value-based communcations for all internal and external audiences.

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:

• Oversight and development of Food Lifeline’s primary and secondary messaging to actively engage donors, agency partners, food donors, staff, volunteers, and the board of directors.

• Create and execute an annual strategic marketing and communications plan that spans all communication avenues and reaches target audiences, based upon specific organization goals. Evaluate the success of various strategic marketing efforts including newsletters, websites, paid advertisement, social media, direct response, and implement recommendations for improvement.

• Actively manages, with the Giving Team, print and digital direct response collateral that is created by an external vendor.

• Continuously center Food Lifeline’s messaging in the organization’s values and commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

• Participates as an active member of Food Lifeline’s Leadership Team, developing a culture of accountability and collaboration between Marketing and other departments.

• Provides direction and strategy for Food Lifeline’s website, including content management, SEO, and integration with other software and tools.

• Serves as brand manager for Food Lifeline, working with Graphic Designer and across departments to not only ensure consistent messaging, but also to maintain cohesive style, voice, and design. Proofs all major external pieces on behalf of all departments.

• Represents Food Lifeline at events and media opportunities providing support to speakers and event team, as needed.

• Actively partners with Food Lifeline’s Advocacy Team to create and promote public policy strategy and messaging.

• Supervises, mentors, and evaluates the Marketing & Communications team to successfully reach annual goals based on the developed department strategies.

• Ensures the Food Lifeline communications calendar is strategic, and all projects are completed in a timely manner. Serves as lead staff person for the organization’s monthly Outreach and Editorial meetings.

• Develops, implements and monitors the Marketing budget to ensure fiscal responsibility to the annual plan and that investment targets are met for projects assigned.

Secondary Functions:

• Participates in events, committees, workgroups, and meetings as required.

• Attends Leadership Team and Development team meetings.

• Participates in applicable committees and work groups as required.

• Develops and maintains positive and collaborative relationships with vendors, internal staff, contractors, and other external partners.

• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Supervises the Marketing & Communications team as part of a larger Development Department.

Specific Job Skills:

• Experienced managing a department budget.

• Ability to manage and supervise a team.

• Understanding of multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.

• Understanding of website, social media, and email SEO and analytics.

• Ability to lead large interdepartmental meetings.

• Excellent written and public speaking skills.

• Ability to prioritize, meet deadlines and produce well under pressure.

• Ability to work collaboratively across teams.

• Experience working with diverse populations.

• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative external/internal working relationships, demonstrating effective interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work independently, exercising initiative and good judgment and work collaboratively as part of the communication and development team.

Job Scope: This position:

• Has a wide diversity of work situations.

• Has a moderate level of work complexity.

• Determines own practices and procedures and contributes to the development of new concepts that govern the work of others.

• Performs work independently with minimal supervision.

• Decisions are made within constraints of applicable laws, guidelines, policies, parameters.

• Budgetary accountability –Fully responsible for budget preparation and compliance for department.

• Responsibility for planning: Fully accountable for long-range operational and strategic planning for department/functional area.

Interpersonal Contacts: Contacts are primarily external and may contact some sensitive content.

• Internal 60%

• External 40%

• In person 65%

• Telephone 15%

• E-mail 25%

Education and/or Experience:

• Minimum 6+years professional experience managing marketing and communications programs in a non-profit environment required.

• Prior experience leading an organization through a significant shift in messaging and branding preferred.

• Personal lived experience of systemic hunger and/or its root causes preferred.

Job Conditions: Work is performed in a Hybrid office setting with adequate lighting, heating and ventilation. Position is subject to the pressure of managing multiple functions, planning and completing multiple projects or tasks, managing multiple direct reports and, meeting demands and timelines of others. Position will interact with a wide variety of people including donors, volunteers, board members and general public. Position requires maintaining professional and positive working relationships with internal and external contacts. Position handles inquiries by remaining tactful, respectful and with a calm, patience demeanor even in an urgent situation. Position is also required to attend events and meetings outside of workplace and may act as Food Lifeline representative at events requiring adherence to high standards of behavior. Requires occasional driving short and long distances in a variety of traffic, road and weather conditions.

Physical Demands: Requires extended periods of sitting, with frequent use of keyboard, utilizing repetitive hand and wrist movement. Position requires walking, standing and lifting and carrying of items up to 10 pounds. Requires continuous talking and listening, in person, by phone and in front of groups.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $185,000–$225,000 annually

Full benefits package includes:

• Employer-paid medical coverage for employees and children
• Dental and vision insurance
• Employer-paid basic life, long- and short-term disability
• Employer match for 403(b) retirement plans
• Generous paid time off, including parental leave
• Paid sabbatical after 5 years

Position Details

• Full-time, hybrid role requiring three days per week in the office
• Candidates must be willing and able to live and work in the Seattle area