Job Description

Location: Eastern or Central time zone, USA (remote)

Are you ready to use your writing and communications skills to expand the impact of a pioneering social enterprise that is correcting the vision of millions of low-income customers so they can work, learn, stay safe, and care for their families?

VisionSpring seeks a persuasive and collaborative communications manager to tell and amplify our story. The manager leads content creation and development, both creating original content directly and managing a team of international consultants to produce multimedia content, and manages day-to-day communications operations. Audiences include current and potential individual donors; institutional donors such as foundations, governments, corporations, and venture philanthropists; media outlets; partners; and other key stakeholders. The person in this role works closely with the global director of marketing and communications to develop and implement VisionSpring’s strategic communications plan, including the public relations program and editorial calendar. The communications manager is the primary liaison for national and international media contacts.

As VisionSpring builds its marketing and communications capacity globally, the manager works in close collaboration with internal stakeholder groups such as the marketing and development teams, and program and sales teams across eight key markets—Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia—and other emerging and frontier markets. This position reports to the global director of marketing and communications and may be located anywhere in the Eastern or Central time zone of the United States.

ABOUT YOU

• You are an excellent writer and storyteller. You find joy in personal collaboration with internal stakeholders across time zones to uncover the colorful details that make your stories compelling, even if it means starting early some mornings.
• You are deeply curious about social enterprise models, field operations, and the experiences of partners and customers. That makes you an exceptional organizational ambassador.
• You shine when communicating with internal and external organizational stakeholders and your words inspire excitement about what we can do together.
• You have an eye for design and love generating distinctive messaging that allows mission-driven organizations to do good, better.
• You enjoy creating structure, have exceptional focus and follow-through, and prioritize before you act.
• You are flexible and adaptable, and thrive in environments where each day is unlike the next.

ABOUT US

• VisionSpring is creating access to affordable eyewear, everywhere. Clear vision creates opportunities for increased learning, work, safety, civic participation, and quality of life.
• As a social enterprise, social change motivates us first. Our focus on sales and revenue targets serves and advances our mission objective—to increase functioning, productivity, and income earning potential for our low-income consumers by correcting refractive error with eyeglasses.
• We are working to transform the systemic dysfunction of an optical market that has failed to deliver eyeglasses—a 700-year-old technology—to 2.5 billion consumers in need of vision correction, most of whom live on less than $4 a day.
• We serve low-income consumers, not as beneficiaries but as customers. Our customers expect a high-quality and affordable product, and they will spend limited discretionary income for the immediate and tangible benefits of vision correction.
• By selling eyeglasses, we awaken new demand and seed a viable market. By selling new eyeglasses we are able to serve four times as many people per dollar input than the alternative of donating recycled ones. To efficiently scale, we must deliver each new unit with lower cost.
• We run our business on both sales metrics and social impact measures. We use a range of organizational forms and practices to get the job done.
• We believe in scaling our impact, not our organization. We are a lean team of doers.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Content Creation, Development, and Oversight

• Work closely with the CEO to master writing with the VisionSpring “voice,” and develop the capacity to tell our story to a variety of audiences.
• Work globally with key internal stakeholders, i.e. development, sales, programs, and employee relations teams, to create the communications materials they need to successfully execute sales, services, events, conferences, and overall business development. Capitalize on opportunities to teach colleagues how to communicate with the VisionSpring voice.
• Write and edit high-performance content including press releases, case studies, social media posts, annual and quarterly reports, donor communications, fact sheets, briefings, statements, newsletters, blogs, and scripts.
• Create stories of impact for donor and B2B audiences by working with customer success managers in VisionSpring’s key markets to solicit customer stories from the field, and working with organizational leaders to develop narratives that highlight the successes and impact of VisionSpring initiatives globally.
• Work with external web developer to maintain and update VisionSpring’s website, including drafting, curating, and posting content and images. Participate in continual improvement efforts.
• Maintain VisionSpring’s brand throughout all content including appropriate use of logo, consistent look and feel, and messaging.
• Build and manage a team of international freelance consultants to produce multimedia content for omnichannel publication.
• Manage major editorial projects including digital catalogs and short- and long-form documentaries.
• Manage day-to-day communications operations creating content, editing, and contributing to the design of social media campaigns, grant proposals, and digital and print materials for programs, products, press opportunities, and publicity amplification.

Strategy, Planning, and Reporting

• Work with global director of marketing and communications to develop and implement a strategic communications plan that amplifies VisionSpring’s story, including ownership of the communications delivery, publishing strategy, and deployment.
• Create and develop public relations program, including management of editorial calendar and process.
• Build strategic collaborations with, and leverage the communications reach of, VisionSpring’s network of global partners.
• Track communication activities, prepare and submit PR reports.
• Contribute to reports on marketing and communications metrics.

Media Engagement

• Establish and nurture relationships with journalists and maintain media database and contact engagement.
• Identify and promote opportunities that will enhance VisionSpring’s reputation externally, including securing speaking engagements for VisionSpring leaders and managing publicity events and other thought leadership opportunities.
• Support colleagues in preparation for interviews, workshops, events, and press briefings to advance the organizational mission with national and international media.

WHAT’S REQUIRED

• Minimum of 5-7 years of relevant work experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in writing-intensive field of study.
• Outstanding writing skills and the ability to proofread at an advanced level.
• Working knowledge of AP style guides.
• Experience with both digital and traditional media.
• Experience creating visual and/or graphic design content.
• Comfort with a flexible work schedule and working across multiple time zones.
• Experience with email marketing platforms and developing email marketing campaigns.
• Working knowledge of how to analyze and use data from Google Analytics.
• Advanced Microsoft Word skills, proficient in Microsoft PowerPoint, and experience using Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Impeccable attention to detail with strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Experience, and a commitment to, working respectfully with a diverse team; experience collaborating with outside consultants to move projects forward.
• Demonstrated interest in social enterprise models and desire to learn how to articulate and share VisionSpring’s unique approach.
• Must meet the highest standards of ethics and personal integrity, with a demonstrated capacity for discretion and for handling sensitive information with care.
• Must be highly organized with extraordinary follow through and a strong personal sense of accountability.
• Must be legally and permanently authorized to work in the United States.
• You will impress us if you have any of the following: (1) Advanced degree in communications, public relations, or another related field; (2) Experience working with the media (print, television, online) including the development, successful delivery, and uptake of press releases; (3) Experience living in a low-income setting and/or working/studying across languages and cultures; (4) Experience crafting communications for social enterprises and/or nonprofits; (5) Understanding of the PR supply chain; and/or (6) Experience using marketing automation platforms.

COMPENSATION

• Salary range is $65,000-$80,000 per year, based on experience and education.
• We offer comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision, as well as 401(k) with match, flexible spending accounts, and generous vacation/personal time.

How to Apply

• We want to know more than just what you have done. We want to know who you are. What are the passions and talents that draw you to this role?
• Please update your CV/résumé to include a phrase or sentence describing the business of each organization where you have worked. Applications without this information will not be considered.
• Please submit your application, including a thoughtful cover letter and CV/résumé, to https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/789828/VisionSpring-Inc/Communications-Manager
• Please note, only candidates to be interviewed will be contacted.
• At VisionSpring, diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly aligned with our core value to advance equity. Our mission is predicated on removing a fundamental barrier to full economic and social participation—uncorrected blurry vision. The values that underpin our mission energize our commitment to a diverse and inclusive team. A diverse team also allows VisionSpring to approach problems with nuance and develop unique insights that drive an outsized positive impact in the world. We actively recruit, develop, and retain talented people from diverse backgrounds and support everyone in being exactly who they are. VisionSpring is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes people from all experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply.

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 60,000 - 80,000.

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