Chief Communications Officer

• APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 25, 2021
• FAQs: bit.ly/KeshetFAQ
• SALARY: $100,000 - $115,000
• LOCATION: May work anywhere in the United States but welcome candidates to our offices in Boston, NYC, San Francisco, and Chicago

ABOUT KESHET

At Keshet, we work for the full equality of all LGBTQ Jews and our families in Jewish life. We turn values at the heart of Judaism – equality, inclusion, and human dignity – into action in Jewish communities because when we stand by and allow LGBTQ Jews to be excluded, we hold all of Jewish life back from reaching its full potential. We equip Jewish organizations with the tools to build LGBTQ-affirming communities, create spaces in which queer Jewish teens feel valued, and mobilize for LGBTQ right nationwide. See our reflections on 2020 and learn about one of our signature programs.

THE OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPACT

Too many LGBTQ people experience discrimination and isolation in Jewish life. Keshet takes the lead in ensuring both that no one feels ostracized because of who they are and in building communities of belonging. In this critical role, you will enable us to spark change in every sphere of Jewish life by raising LGBTQ visibility and telling stories that change hearts and minds. The impact of your work will expand possibilities for LGBTQ Jews to thrive and ultimately, will help create a world in which people of all sexual orientations and gender identities can live with dignity.

We are seeking a skilled and proven Chief Communications Officer to join our executive team and fully weave communications strategy into the fabric of our programs and fundraising efforts, coach a high-performing team, and chart the future of Keshet communications. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

We invite you to conduct a needs analysis once you’re hired and evolve/adapt this set of responsibilities based on your findings and communications expertise.

1. Develop and implement a strategic vision for communications across all platforms and departments.
2. Act as a thought partner around communications and marketing to our three program departments (Education & Training, Youth, and Community Mobilization), Development, and Data-CRM.
3. Build and manage a high-performing team.
4. Align all communications with Keshet’s commitment to racial and gender equity.
5. Build the capacity of team members and the board to become excellent ambassadors of our brand and messaging, especially across fundraising, events, and programs. 
6. Create content that ensures Keshet remains a thought leader in Jewish community discourse.
7. Work strategically with our Department of Data and CRM in order to optimize marketing efforts.
8. Oversee production of print materials, digital, advocacy alerts, media outreach, newsletters, donor communications, social media, special event collateral, and other content with a keen eye to brand and voice.
9. Manage our media contacts and generate new leads to further the work.

CORE COMPETENCIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Mission Alignment & Culture Fit

• You are personally passionate and committed to advancing LGBTQ equality in Jewish life.
• You have a sophisticated, nuanced understanding of LGBTQ and Jewish identities, experiences, and perspectives as well as how they intersect. You possess a high level of fluency in the languages of these communities and social justice movements more broadly.
• You have previous experiences bringing a racial justice and gender equity lens to work products and staff culture.
• You have high EQ and hear what is said and unsaid. You build trust through relationships and personal stories. You are not afraid to advocate for organizational culture and values.
• You set high expectations for yourself and those around you.
• You are able to celebrate the victories in the work, big and small while continuing to work for the long-term vision.
• You exude calm and warmth.
• You find joy in community and justice work.

Communications Knowledge and Expertise

• You can point to previous experience implementing a comprehensive (ideally national) communications plan that advanced a mission-driven organization’s goals and achieved measurable results.
• You have outstanding verbal and written communication skills. This role requires a stellar writer and editor capable of generating and finalizing error-free content by deadline.
• You can build a culture of effective communication and powerful storytelling.
• You stay on top of evolving digital communications and social media trends.
• You are a proactive brand manager who can weave narratives from the field into print and digital platforms.
• You can transform knowledge, data, analytics, and experiences into powerful written, video, and digital marketing messages while disseminating them to appropriate audiences/channels.
• You have experience with data and deadline-driven, detail-oriented project management.
• You can serve as an enthusiastic, visible, and engaging spokesperson for the organization.

Leadership & Management

• You are a collaborative leader and gain input and buy-in from a variety of stakeholders when executing your vision.
• You have worked with a visionary founder or leader as their strategic thought-partner.
• You are perceived by others as having presence, maturity, and expertise. You are decisive and can make hard decisions.
• You plan the big stuff and sweat the small stuff.
• You can translate strategy into plans and manage a team towards results.
• You coach team members with an open, inclusive leadership style that encourages cohesion, accountability, and high performance.
• You are adept at using technology and working with remote colleagues to facilitate daily work.
• You hold joy and resilience as key foundations for a healthy and happy team.
• You can distinguish between the truly time-sensitive and urgent and what is important but not requiring immediate action.

Keshet is dedicated to building a culturally, racially, and ethnically diverse, and pluralistic staff. Keshet provides equal opportunity to all people regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other proscribed category set forth in federal or state regulations. This policy applies to all employees and candidates for employment.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DEIJ

As an organization that teaches the importance of proactive LGBTQ inclusive messages and actions, Keshet recognizes the similar need to make our commitment to racial equity and justice clear and explicit. We commit to embedding a racial equity and justice lens into Keshet’s leadership and staff structure, hiring practices, political analysis, organizational policies, communications, and program content. Read more about our commitment to DEIJ in our FAQs.