Director, Communications at Catholic Medical Mission Board - CMMB

Department Summary

• The Marketing, Communications & Brand Management Department is responsible for implementing and evaluating the success of CMMB’s marketing, communications (external and internal) and brand efforts nationally and in each geographic location to ensure that CMMB is recognized nationally and internationally to generate and optimize revenue and develop and market programs that achieve the CMMB vision and strategic plan.

Job Summary

• The Director of Communications will design, create and execute communications strategies and plans that will promote CMMB’s messaging and brand, and showcase the impact of its work to internal and external audiences. They will manage and lead multi-channel promotional strategies and integrated campaigns that tell the CMMB story, and that drive engagement and fundraising. The Director of Communications will oversee advertising and branding, content creation, digital communications, media relations and thought leadership, and social media.
• The position requires strategic thinking, leadership, innovative ideas, exceptional writing and editing skills, and the ability to convey complex ideas clearly using consistent messaging and storytelling tactics.

Key Responsibilities
Strategy and Planning

• Develop, guide and execute the communications strategy and the annual communications plan to advance CMMB’s strategic goals and brand identity.
• Work closely with the Strategy, Marketing and Communications team to coordinate these efforts.
• Create and implement compelling campaigns and special initiatives with emotive and motivating stories and materials to strengthen CMMB’s brand, advocacy and fundraising efforts.
• Form strong relationships with staff in country offices; collaborate with communications leads to develop and implement integrated communications strategies across the globe.
• Collaborate with fundraising and marketing teams on communications strategy for donor cultivation, acquisition, engagement and retention. Create compelling campaigns across all channels to reach new audiences, increase the number of supporters and build loyalty. Work with the fundraisers to coordinate the implementation of campaigns and content across channels and segments.

Content Creation

• Direct and develop a compelling annual report that tells the story of the organization and its programs and reflects the brand, voice and global impact.
• Design and implement an internal content request and review/approval system for gathering and creating stories, photos, and other content required to support organizational-wide communications efforts.
• Come up with creative concepts and oversee the production and distribution of multi-media content, including, but not limited to writing and designing ads, acknowledgement letters, audio slide shows, blogs, emails, e-newsletters, issue briefs, reports, photo shoots, postcards, telemarketing scripts, social media posts and videos.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to team members and country office staff for multi-media content gathering trips. Oversee the development of standard operating procedures, templates and guidelines for these visits, to ensure consistency in gathering content across program sites and registering content into internal systems.
• Manage team to maintain all graphical and digital assets.

Digital Communications

• Provide leadership and strategic direction to evolve and refresh the website.
• Strengthen CMMB’s SEO practices, including the development of SEO guidelines; train communications staff on SEO guidelines when writing content to improve SEO performance.
• Oversee content and design updates to the website, with input across departments.
• Provide direction on donor experience and fundraising campaigns across the website.
• Oversee and lead the creation of web pages for CMMB’s five country offices.
• Develop a global social media and content strategy and plan to increase CMMB visibility and engagement among different audiences and across channels.

Media Relations and Thought Leadership

• Identify and develop reputational risk mitigation and communications strategies.
• Author key messages, talking points and positioning statements; train senior leaders, staff and volunteers on organizational messaging.
• Provide leadership to the team, coordinating and researching opportunities for author and co-authorship of white papers, book chapters, op/eds and other opportunities, as relevant.
• Identify conferences, forums or other events where CMMB leadership and experts can speak to the organization’s work, issues or campaigns. Oversee the development of global collateral and promotional materials, supporting CMMB’s presence at conferences, meetings, and events.
• Develop an earned media strategy and pro-actively place stories that promote the organization’s issues, campaigns and programs and that elevate the voice of CMMB board, staff, donors, partners, program participants and volunteers.
• Build and strengthen relationships with journalists, with an emphasis on reaching new audiences.
• Collaborate with program experts, country leadership and Executive Team members to develop an advocacy communications strategy that aligns with the organization’s brand and mission; serve as communications liaison to coalition partnerships, such as the Frontline Health Workers Coalition.

Advertising and Branding

• Develop and refine the brand voice and maintain brand integrity; ensure the consistency of CMMB messaging and tone of voice among internal and external stakeholder groups and across platforms.
• Develop, lead and execute the organization’s advertising campaign, including digital ad promotions, to increase brand awareness. Track, measure and report on the impact of the advertising strategy.
• Create and distribute brand merchandising to global staff and volunteers.

Management

• Recruit, develop, manage and retain talent in the communications team.
• Supervise three direct reports, as well as interns and volunteers, as needed.
• Effectively communicate organizational priorities, strategic direction and results with direct reports for continued commitment and active engagement.
• Assess and improve the processes and systems within the department to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of staff time.
• Develop a measurement and evaluation plan to assess the impact of the department’s work and to help inform strategy.
• Provide direction, performance goals and regular feedback to ensure department goals and targets are met.
• Select and manage agencies, consultants and vendors.
• Develop and manage budget to support the department’s plan.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications, English, Journalism, Marketing, PR or a similar field. Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+years of well-rounded professional experience in branding and communications, preferably with an international non-profit organization.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressive leadership and management experience required.
• Strong project management, interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.
• Experience developing and implementing communications strategies.
• Passion for storytelling.
• Practical knowledge and hands-on experience with content management systems, graphic design programs, media and
• social media monitoring databases and project management software; understand trends in digital and social media; deep knowledge of marketing copywriting compliance and trends across various forms of media.
• Strategic skills and the ability to translate these skills into flawless operational plans, ensuring we have a competitive advantage and take advantage of best practices.
• Highly collaborative style; commitment to work jointly with the following stakeholder groups: staff, board members, volunteers, donors, program participants, vendors and other supporters.
• Self-starter, able to work independently, and entrepreneurial; enjoys creating and launching new initiatives.
• Ability to travel locally and internationally 10% - 25% of the time.
• Must be comfortable working for a faith-based organization.
• Valid work authorization to work in the United States.