Job Description

About Room to Grow

Room to Grow is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the vision that one day all parents will have the resources they need to unlock their families’ potential and become champions for babies and their community. Its mission is to offer structured parent support, material goods, and community connections to support parents as they activate their natural strengths and expand their knowledge, so children thrive from the start. Room to Grow was founded in New York in 1998 and expanded to Boston in 2005, currently partnering with over 1,500 families with an annual budget of $5M and a team of 47 passionate and dedicated staff members. 

Room to Grow uses a two-generation, preventative, and strengths-based approach to engage families. Through its unique program, parents and caregivers partner with program staff to develop strategies to support their child’s development, select the material items that their child needs, and connect with community resources that can expand their support network. Room to Grow program staff work alongside parents and caregivers as they build upon their existing skill sets and parenting styles and promote the well-being of their children and family. 

As an entrepreneurial and growth-oriented organization, Room to Grow is in an exciting period of development as it continues to expand its reach and impact in Boston and New York and potential future locations. 

The Room to Grow Core Values

Our core values apply to working with each other, with our families, partners, donors, and other collaborators.

Integrity: Consistently conduct business in a way that is accountable, authentic, transparent, honest and ethical.

Respect: Treat people with equity and compassion. Value differences and affirm the dignity, potential, and contribution of all staff, partners, clients, volunteers, and the public.

Growth: Challenges are a learning opportunity. We cultivate an environment that promotes ongoing education, coaching, continuous improvement and innovation.

Collaboration: Our mission depends on the quality of our relationships and linkages cross-regionally, cross-departmentally, and with community partners and collaborators. We work together to support our individual and collective goals.

Community: The health of our organization relies on supportive interactions within our community, built on shared beliefs in responsibility, generosity, enthusiasm, humility, and levity.

Inclusion: An open-minded, inclusive work environment that fosters diversity, creativity and empowerment in everything we do.

Position Summary

Room to Grow is at an exciting inflection point as an organization and preparing for ambitious growth and we will need expanded capacity to create a proactive and sophisticated communications strategy and to capitalize on an increasing volume of PR opportunities. 

As a part of the External Engagement team (which covers fundraising, inventory generation, volunteer engagement, and communications), the Communications Director reports to the CEO and will lead in all areas of communications at both the strategic and tactical levels. This new position will collaborate closely with the leadership team to develop and lead on national and organization-wide strategies and will also partner with Executive Directors in New York and Boston to adapt and execute strategies at the local level.

We are looking for someone who is a vibrant storyteller, an agile and collaborative leader, and an articulate and persuasive communicator. This position would be an ideal opportunity for a creative, entrepreneurial, and tenacious individual looking to take on a significant leadership role in advancing the brand of a promising program model. 

Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive and actionable communications strategy in partnership with the CEO 
• Translate strategy into actionable annual goals and activities, and partner with Executive Directors and External Engagement team members to adapt for execution in local markets
• Steward and build Room to Grow’s brand and public reputation through targeted campaigns, partnerships, events, and media engagement 
• Engage, enlist, and train staff and board to serve as ambassadors of the organization
• Direct the creation of all print and electronic collateral (e.g. annual reports, fundraising appeals, one pagers, presentation decks), and ensure that content is accurate, up-to-date, and accessible
• Manage Room to Grow’s “day-to-day” communications (e.g. social media, email blasts, website) in order to ensure a consistent voice and brand in all external messaging and collateral
• Lead the execution of large-scale projects, such as our Annual Report

• Elevate Room to Grow as a leader in the early childhood field and local nonprofit landscape by identifying and managing PR and media opportunities (e.g. media training for leadership staff)
• Drive thought leadership strategy and activities including seeking out and securing PR engagements (e.g. speaking and writing opportunities, conferences, panels, interviews) 
• Create and support relationships with celebrities and influencers, including Room to Grow Ambassadors, for organizational engagement and media opportunities  
• Develop creative corporate engagement opportunities in partnership with relationship managers to raise funds, inventory, and awareness (e.g. cause-marketing, co-branded content)
• Support regional teams with major special events in areas such as marketing, collateral design, and program development (e.g. developing remarks, preparing speakers)

• Oversee storytelling and content collection such as writing program participant highlights and coordinating video and photo shoots
• Provide written communication support to team members as needed, including copy-editing and development of language bank
• Support community engagement efforts including communication to program participants and alumni, participating in community events, and building relationships with local public officials
• Coordinate internal team communications in alignment with Room to Grow’s core values

Qualifications and Experience

• A passion for the mission, vision, and core values of Room to Grow
• 7-10 years relevant experience in communications; background in nonprofit or mission-driven companies preferred but not required. 
• Public relations, marketing, and branding acumen with superior interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills 
• Experience developing and leading short- and long-term communications strategies
• Creative instincts and strong visual eye, with an astute ability to convey and steer creative direction; hands-on design experience a plus (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud applications) 
• Track record of success in media relations, including pitching/securing high-level media opportunities, independently managing press relationships, and prepping executives for speaking engagements
• Strong portfolio of written persuasive materials including talking points, op-eds, press releases
• Experience overseeing websites and social media and familiarity with digital marketing tools such as Google AdWords, Google Analytics, Constant Contact, Salesforce (or equivalents)
• Cross-cultural interpersonal skills, a history of building strong relationships with diverse stakeholders and colleagues, as well as strong listening skills
• Superb critical thinking skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information, confidently make recommendations based on data, and work with an action-oriented mindset
• An ability to handle pressure with equanimity and to thrive in a entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and accountability-focused organization; a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
• Ability to travel within the US (5-10%)

Core Competencies

Mission & Culture Alignment – Allows a candidate to thrive at Room to Grow and to be highly motivated by the organization’s work and mission. A successful candidate:

• Embodies our core values of: integrity, respect, growth, collaboration, community, and inclusion

• Articulates an authentic passion for and belief in Room to Grow’s mission, demonstrating a commitment to and literacy around the issues of equity that undergird our work 

• Demonstrates comfort with ambiguity and navigates changes in direction with ease

• Presents as collaborative and flexible with a strong service mentality

• Approaches work with a learning orientation, continuously seeking to improve his or her own work and the work of the organization

Communication – Allows a candidate to represent the organization across a range of internal and external stakeholders and share information in a clear and compelling manner. A successful candidate:

• Thinks strategically about communications as an engagement tool

• Possesses superior communication skills and is a dynamic storyteller who can represent program participants’ stories in an authentic and compelling fashion
• Uses discretion when communicating with internal and external stakeholders, striking the balance between keeping individuals informed and maintaining confidentiality
• Takes complex or challenging messages and articulates them in a clear and straightforward way with an eye towards the audience and an awareness of the limitations of one’s own perspective
• Ability to build and maintain meaningful relationships with diverse stakeholders, such as thought leaders, journalists, community leaders, program participants, and celebrity ambassadors

Strategic and Creative Thinking – Allows a candidate to synthesize information and extract key findings and trends in order to develop, communicate, and execute strategy. A successful candidate: 

• Has a track record of translating a vision for a team, department, or organization into effective strategies for execution, setting ambitious goals, and delivering results 
• Has a hunger/curiosity for learning and seeks out internal and external resources to understand new concepts or content areas
• Excels at unpacking quantitative and qualitative data, synthesizing information, and extracting key insights or trends in order to communicate to different audiences
• Understands the big picture and how granular information connects to the macro level
• Generates and develops fresh ideas, while also inspiring and building creative thinking in others
• Ability to respectfully and productively question the status quo

Resourcefulness & Agility – Enables a candidate to respond to difficult and complex situations quickly, responsibly, and respectfully with all constituents involved. A successful candidate:

• Can effectively manage their responsibilities and is able to shift priorities quickly when the situation warrants, applying independent judgment even in high stress situations

• Demonstrates disciplined, entrepreneurial, and creative thinking, with a track record of developing and adapting strategies in the face of complexity and ambiguity 

• Is forward thinking and has the ability to anticipate consequences of situations or implications of certain actions, and respond appropriately

• Can work independently, or with a team; is not dependent on any one individual, including those in a leadership position

Compensation and Benefits

Salary and benefits will be competitive for our field and commensurate with experience. Room to Grow is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

How to Apply

To Apply

Submit your application via Room to Grow’s career portal.

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 100,000 and above.

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