Marketing and Communications Specialist

Are you looking for a meaningful career in a position that allows you to make a positive impact in your community?

Come work at Voices for Children and be part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and families in our community and takes pride in serving our children with the highest level of excellence and care. At Voices for Children, you will enjoy a friendly, fun, warm culture with the following generous benefits for our full-time employees:

• 12 vacation days
• 13 paid holidays
• 5 additional days of paid time off after Christmas Day through New Year’s Day
• Medical (one plan is free), Dental, Vision
• Pet Insurance
• Flexible spending account (Health & Dependent Care)
• 403b plans for retirement savings (Traditional & Roth)
• 403b 3% employer contribution (fully vested)
• A welcoming work environment
• Alternate Work Schedule: Choose from a 4/10 schedule (4 days a week / 10 hours a day) or 5/8 schedule (5 days per week 8 hours per day)

And more....

About Us

Voices for Children is a respected, local nonprofit organization focused on fulfilling our mission to advocate for the needs of children in foster care. Our mission is to transform the lives of abused children by providing them with CASAs. VFC believes that every child deserves a safe and permanent home, and to that end, our vision is to provide a CASA to every child in foster care who needs one, monitor every court file in the system, and advocate to improve the lives of Riverside and San Diego County’s foster children. Consistently considered a top CASA program out of 1,000 programs nationwide, our team takes pride in serving our children with the highest level of excellence and care

MARKETING and COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION

The Marketing & Communications Specialist reports to the Director of Marketing & Communications and helps implement strategies that advance Voices for Children’s (VFC’s) mission and strategic goals. Key responsibilities include: 1) managing and developing content for VFC’s social media, website / blog and email platforms and 2) creating compelling written, video, and graphic content for use across the organization’s communications channels.

The Marketing & Communications Specialist is an essential part of the VFC team and works in collaboration with internal departments and teams (e.g., Philanthropy Team, Recruitment Team). This role takes the lead in marketing and communications activities that: 1) support fundraising critical to VFC’s essential work, 2) facilitate the recruitment and retention of volunteers, 3) raise community awareness of VFC, 4) raise community awareness of the needs of justice-involved youth supported by volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers, 5) raise community awareness of the needs of children in foster care in San Diego and Riverside counties and the foster care system.

Content and Creative Development & Communications

· Develop compelling written, visual, and video content for VFC’s website, blog, email campaigns, The Voice newsletter, annual Impact Report, advertising, internal communications, and print and digital collateral.

· Support marketing and communications projects from concept through completion, including fundraising and recruitment campaigns, event promotion, video production, and collateral development.

· Approach storytelling with a journalist’s mindset by conducting interviews, gathering stories in the field, and creating authentic, mission-focused content that can be adapted across multiple channels.

· Follow VFC’s confidentiality, consent, and approval requirements and use ethical, trauma-informed practices when gathering and sharing stories about children, youth, families, and volunteers.

· Update VFC’s Constant Contact database and create, schedule, test, and distribute organizational email campaigns using current email-marketing best practices.

· Update the VFC blog, producing two to four posts per month featuring engaging stories, videos, and graphics.

· Create video recaps and other content for major fundraising and community events, including Uplifting Voices, the Fostering Hope Golf Tournament, Starry Starry Night, Real Word, etc.

· Serve as editor of the biannual The Voice newsletter, including story planning, interviews, writing, editing, photo selection, contributor coordination, design collaboration, approvals, and production deadlines.

· Write, edit, and proofread press releases, media advisories, photo captions, backgrounders, biographies, award nominations, community articles, story ideas, pitches, and other organizational communications.

· Maintain and update website content, create online forms, and provide routine technical troubleshooting.

· Coordinate with graphic design, printing, merchandising, and other creative vendors to complete projects on time and within established requirements.

· Collaborate with the Philanthropy and Volunteer Recruitment teams to advance organizational fundraising and CASA recruitment / retention goals.

· Manage multiple priorities and deadlines while maintaining accuracy, attention to detail, and proactive communication with internal and external stakeholders.

Social Media

· Develop content strategy and implementation for Voices for Children’s social media channels.

· Create, draft and schedule publication of authentic, compelling and timely posts, graphics and videos on each of VFC’s social media accounts at the appropriate intervals for each platform. Provide tactical support and high-level strategic counsel as needed to team members regarding social media needs.

· Interact with and respond to VFC’s social media audience, build VFC’s awareness and brand through an engaged following, develop relationships with influencers, and drive measurable action and growth across all platforms.

· Conduct on-site social media for special / community outreach events and organizational initiatives including crafting and posting real-time content, conducting interviews, and taking compelling videos, photos and audio. Edit and package assets for media deployment, event recap eblasts and marketing opportunities.

Metrics, Reporting & Data Analysis

· Assist with tracking marketing metrics, reporting and activities to help the team measure progress and evaluate priorities.

· Track, measure, and report on the level of engagement and actions taken by website visitors.

· Remain apprised of changing trends in marketing, particularly social media, website engagement, and email marketing.

· In collaboration with Director of Marketing & Communications, create a yearly Marketing sizzle reel video / report to report back on organizational success.

· Provide general administrative support to the Director of Marketing & Communications.

Other Duties

· Serve on VFC committees and attend meetings as requested by the Director of Marketing & Communications and / or leadership team.

· Continually work to further the mission and vision of Voices for Children.

· Other job-related duties as assigned by the Director of Marketing & Communications and/or leadership team.

· Research and assist with the creation and ordering of new promotional products / marketing collateral as needed.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Essential Criteria

· A minimum of 3 years of related work experience required.

· A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (e.g., year for year experience in lieu of a degree, completion of a certificate program in related fields).

· Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.

· Experience with using written, photographic, and video storytelling to create innovative and engaging content in support of the organization's marketing goals. Experience with CapCut is a plus.

· Proven track record of managing organizational social media platforms, particularly Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube.

· Proficient with current Microsoft Office programs, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

· Experience and basic tactical understanding of Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop preferred. Ability to update existing organizational design files and templates.

· Experience creating and editing videos and presentations using a video editing software such as Adobe Premiere.

· Experience in website Content Management Systems, particularly WordPress.

· Experience in email marketing platforms is a plus, particularly Constant Contact.

· Experience with creating visual assets and repurposing existing templates for a wide variety of marketing platforms (e-mail, social graphics, events, etc.) using design platforms such as Canva.

· Highly organized, true self-starter, adept at multi-tasking and managing multiple projects at once.

· Able to work independently with minimal oversight and as an effective and gracious team member. Thrives in a fast-paced, high-collaborative environment, and has the discipline and skills to work in a remote or hybrid environment as needed.

· Have a valid California driver’s license and automobile insurance as well as access to an automobile for local travel (San Diego and Riverside Counties).

· Reside locally (San Diego County / Riverside County area) and be able / willing to regularly and reliabily report in person to VFC work sites, meet and coordinate with vendors in San Diego County, and complete various other job related tasks in San Diego County as needed.

· Able and willing to report in person to complete work related tasks and attend VFC events and activities in both San Diego and Riverside Counties.

· Meet all security-screening requirements as set forth in the California Rules of Court, Rule 5.655.

· Must be able to furnish work samples to demonstrate essential criteria of the position.

Preferred Criteria

· Familiarity and knowledge of AP Style guidelines.

· Work experience as a working journalist or social media / content manager.

· Work experience in a nonprofit setting.

· Work experience at a for-profit marketing or public relations firm.

HOW TO APPLY

Please go to the following link and click “Apply for this Job”https://jsco.re/hpv4x

No phone calls, please. Position open immediately and will remain open until filled.

NOTE: Your application should include:

• Cover letter
• Resume

The person who is offered the position will undergo a background check, including a DMV record review, FBI and DOJ fingerprinting, and a check of the Child Abuse Central Index. Our hiring process includes an initial phone interview and at least 2-3 in-person interviews with current VFC staff. Please submit all application materials to be considered.

EEO STATEMENT

Voices for Children (VFC) is an equal opportunity employer and an inclusive organization whose staff and volunteers value, represent, and serve individuals of diverse backgrounds, identities, cultures, and abilities. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.”

We embrace the guiding principle that all children should be safe, have a permanent home, and have an opportunity to thrive. Inclusivity and equity are essential components of the advocacy for and protection of the children and families we serve. In order to provide high quality advocacy and serve the best of interests of children, we are similarly committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in our workforce. We celebrate and value our differences and are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment