Director of Marketing and Communications

The Community Service Society of New York (CSS) has worked with and for New Yorkers since 1843 to promote economic opportunity and champion an equitable city and state. Through a strategic combination of research, direct services, and advocacy, we ensure New Yorkers have the power to create change in their lives and the life of our city and state. Our programs, policy analysis, legal advocacy, and campaigns expand access to health care, safe and affordable housing, employment, opportunities for individuals with conviction histories, debt assistance, and more, making a tangible difference in the lives of millions.

CSS seeks a strategic, creative, and data-driven Director of Marketing and Communications to plan and execute marketing initiatives that elevate our brand and activate key audiences in support of our mission and agenda. The Director will lead marketing campaigns that raise awareness of CSS’s work and impact through storytelling, community engagement, public-facing events, media engagement, and digital communications. This position reports to the Vice President, Marketing and Digital Strategy and will oversee a talented team of content strategists and creators—thus playing a pivotal role in aligning marketing strategies with organizational objectives.

Job Responsibilities:

Brand Stewardship & Public Positioning

• • Manages the organization's brand identity, messaging, and voice to ensure consistency across all channels.
  • Brand awareness: develops communication strategies and campaigns that elevate visibility and awareness of CSS mission and impact with key audiences. Oversee budgets, work plans, content production, and performance measurement.
  • Brand storytelling: champions innovation in digital storytelling to communicate impact and inspire action. Develop narratives, formats, and partnerships to reach and engage new audiences.
  • Events and convenings: working with leadership, identifies topics, speakers, and formats for regular events that elevate CSS’s profile with key audiences and advance CSS’s agenda and strategic priorities. Defines goals, scope, and themes for public events and other high-level convenings; develops key messages and audience engagement strategies.
  • Media relations: working with leadership, developing media engagement strategies to position CSS expertise and thought leadership with both traditional and emerging media outlets, including podcasts. As assigned, drafts press releases and coordinates media releases for new publications and events. Improves media relations contact database and tracking of media engagement outcomes.

Departmental Leadership & Digital Strategy

• • Cross-channel content and production calendars: manages the alignment of content, messages, and calls to action across web, email, social media, digital advertising, and print production calendars. Ensure leadership is informed of important dates and public releases.
  • Community engagement: develops channel-specific strategies to reach and engage key audiences across new and existing digital communication platforms. Regularly reviews engagement metrics and adapts strategies to analytics insights.
  • Website development and content strategy: Plans and oversee new website features and content anchors for digital campaigns. Working with the marketing team and CSS departments, ensures smooth workflows and processes for timely, up-to-date publication of key content including reports and policy briefs, media coverage, staff updates, agency-wide event calendar, program updates, and advocacy campaigns. Determines needs for website support and development and manages vendors.
  • Program marketing: oversees the development of brand-aligned materials and outreach strategies to support the marketing needs of CSS programs and services.
  • Publications: manages department resources to coordinate a high volume of policy reports and publications, ensuring consistency and quality across products. Ensures timely production of the CSS annual report and digital impact reports.
  • Marketing operations: aligns and optimizes processes, technology, and data to achieve strategic objectives for the marketing team, CSS departments, and the agency as a whole.

Job Qualifications:

• • Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years’ experience in marketing, public relations, or a related role required. Master’s degree in marketing, business, public administration, journalism, or related field preferred.
  • Previous experience managing a team of creative professionals
  • Demonstrated interest in social and economic justice, human services, or public policy
  • Ability to evaluate and implement technology solutions to support marketing operations
  • Experience working with creative or technology vendors and managing budgets, workflows, and timelines
  • Familiarity with web and social media analytics and advertising platforms and thorough knowledge of digital communications performance measurement
  • Skilled in one or more areas of creative production, including photography, videography, audio visual production, or graphic design in Canva or Adobe Creative Suite
  • Experience pitching stories to the media and nurturing media contacts
  • Knowledge of Salesforce or comparable CRM systems
  • Occasional travel to events or media opportunities within the five boroughs of New York City

Salary and Benefits: The annual salary range for this position is $110,000 to $135,000. Community Service Society provides a comprehensive employee benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage, life, AD&D, and long-term disability insurance, annual performance-based bonus, 403b retirement savings plan, defined benefit retirement plan, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits plan, EAP, and more in addition to paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal days.

Physical Requirements: Office work, prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer, etc.

CSS currently offers a hybrid work environment requiring onsite work at CSS’ office at least two days per week and three days per week remote work.

***Interested applicants should provide a cover letter and resume at the time of application submission***

CSS is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

CSS complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing employment, recruitment, and hiring.

Community Service Society provides a comprehensive employee benefits package including health, dental, and vision coverage, life, AD&D, and long-term disability insurance, annual performance-based bonus, 403b retirement savings plan, defined benefit retirement plan, flexible spending accounts, commuter benefits plan, EAP, and more in addition to paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal days.