This vice president, communications role is strategic and has a heavy emphasis on brand management. This role is responsible for managing all communications plan activities and building external relationships with the organization's constituencies, including funders and the media.

Feel free to use and modify this sample job description to help you create one for your organization.

Sample Position Description

Reporting to the Vice President (VP), the Director of Communications will set and guide the strategy for all communications, website, and public relations messages and collateral to consistently articulate XYZ Nonprofit's mission. The Director of Communications will ensure that XYZ Nonprofit is viewed as the primary source, disseminator, and conduit of information within this diverse network and constituent base.

The Director of Communications will work closely with a senior peer group within the organization as the communications partner on a variety of strategic initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and evaluate the annual communications plan across the network's discrete audiences in collaboration with the XYZ Nonprofit team and constituents
• Lead the generation of online content that engages audience segments and leads to measurable action. Decide who, where, and when to disseminate
• Put communications vehicles in place to create momentum and awareness as well as to test the effectiveness of communications activities
• Manage the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral including, but not limited to, newsletters, brochures, and XYZ Nonprofit's website
• Mentor and lead a team member responsible for XYZ Nonprofit's website administration and coordination
• Coordinate webpage maintenance—ensure that new and consistent information (article links, stories, and events) is posted regularly
• Track and measure the level of engagement within the network over time
• Manage development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral including, but not limited to, newsletters, brochures, annual report, e-newsletters, and XYZ Nonprofit's website
• Coordinate and organize annual meetings that engage the network's discrete audiences
• Manage all media contacts

Qualifications

XYZ Nonprofit is seeking an accomplished Director of Communications who has at least 10 years of communications experience, ideally in an “in-house” leadership role within a complex (number and variety of constituents) nonprofit entity, and covering areas such as website content, newsletters, and donor communications. The ability to take knowledge and transform it into exciting and useful messages, and disseminate it to the right audiences through the best distribution channels is critical.

Specific requirements include:

• Highly collaborative style; experience developing and implementing communications strategies
• Excellent writing/editing and verbal communication skills
• A strong track record as an implementer who thrives on managing a variety of key initiatives concurrently
• Relationship builder with the flexibility and finesse to "manage by influence"
• High energy, maturity, and leadership with the ability to serve as a unifying force and to position communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels
• Sincere commitment to work collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, board members, volunteers, donors, program participants, and other supporters
• Self-starter, able to work independently, and entrepreneurial; enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives