Senior Director of Communications

### Senior Director of Communications

**Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA America)** is a leading champion for children in the United States. Founded in 1972, we are the nation’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to the primary prevention of child abuse and neglect, working to actively prevent all forms of child abuse and neglect before it happens. Our Theory of Change for Primary Prevention in the U.S. articulates a vision where all children and families are living a purposeful and happy life with hope for the future. We aim to achieve our vision and aspirational outcomes by building an aligned and comprehensive primary prevention ecosystem across our country. Our success is founded on a nationwide network of state chapters and six hundred Healthy Families America (HFA) home visiting sites. We also conduct, translate, and disseminate innovative research that our vast network then puts into action. A major component of our work is strategic communications and public awareness that includes supporting our networks and positioning PCA America as a national thought leader.

#### Roles and Responsibilities:
– Oversee communications department, including managing employees, consultants and vendors, creating and overseeing the communications budget, managing communications projects across departments, and ensuring brand alignment across the organization.
– Create a comprehensive communications and media relations strategy aligned with PCA America’s Theory of Change, goals, and priorities. Ensure that all communications portray PCA America in a positive manner, protect the integrity of the PCA America brand, and create a greater awareness of and positive attitude towards the organization.
– In partnership with Development, determine communications best practices and capacity to support PCA America’s goals for fund development, marketing, promotion, and community relations.
– Serve as the lead communicator for the organization, including in written and oral capacities. This includes overseeing the development of communications related to fund development, research, and policy consistent with the Theory of Change, and drafting speeches, talking points, slide decks, and other communications for the organization.

– Create original content, by identifying the most relevant and up to date communications methods, and overseeing the development and distribution of clear, credible, and compelling messages for electronic, broadcast, and print vehicles, such as website, social media, promotional videos and PSAs, marketing copy and collateral materials, reports, and e-communications.
– Oversee development of key materials, which includes the organization’s annual report, one-pagers, newsletters, and/or presentation decks for specific projects/issues, and more.
– Oversee all facets of media relations, including crafting, vetting, and circulating press releases and quotes; initiating and nurturing strong relationships with writers, editors, bloggers, influencers, and other media reps to get organization featured in high-profile print, broadcast, and digital publications; and coordinating interaction between media and the Executive Leadership Team.
– Manage crisis communications as they arise, cultivating responsive and defusing messages in urgent situations, often in coordination with state chapters. Serves as spokesperson for media inquiries in place of the President & CEO.
– Act as communications liaison to key internal and external audiences, including chapter and network partners, board members, and consultants, among others. Serve as staff to the Chapter Network Communications Workgroup.
– Enforce the Prevent Child Abuse America, Healthy Families America, and Pinwheels for Prevention brands, through brand usage policies; updating and disseminating templates of various materials; ensuring consistent “look and feel;” overseeing the consistent implementation of the brand by partners.
– Manage Pinwheels for Prevention®, Child Abuse Prevention Month, and other public awareness and impact campaigns.
– Oversee and continue to develop influencer engagement strategy, including establishing partnerships/relationships with high-profile individuals locally and nationally to help promote the organization, heighten awareness, and leverage their own audiences to engage and inspire action that benefits the organization and the prevention field.
– Build relationships and rapport with communications staff and volunteers across national and corporate partnerships to advance reach and alignment.

Please note: this list of responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as management deems necessary from time to time.

#### Expectations:
– Commitment to working in a mission driven organization with a focus on achieving equitable outcomes for all children.
– Demonstrate ethical behavior and business practices and ensure that one’s own behavior and that of others is consistent with ethical standards and aligns with the values of the organization.
– Demonstrate a willingness to be flexible, versatile, and tolerant in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency.
– Establish and maintain a professional demeanor aligned with a senior member of an organization.
– Promote positive working relationships internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.
– Maintain a proactive, collaborative, and supportive management style that focuses on the development and empowerment of employees at all levels.
– Demonstrate the capacity to transform processes and strategy in a manner that motivates the team, fosters alignment, and produces strong results.

#### Necessary Qualifications and Skills:
– Bachelor’s degree with emphasis on marketing, communications, public relations, or related field required, Master’s degree preferred.
– At least 10 years of related experience. National non-profit experience preferred.
– Minimum of 4 years supervisory experience.
– Experience managing operational or project budgets.
– Superior communication skills, written, analytical, and verbal.
– Excellent project management, presentation and organizational skills.
– Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
– Experience with email marketing platforms, such as Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, and Salesforce CRM platform.
– Experience with other software programs like Trello, Google Analytics, WordPress, FindHelp, Adobe products, Wufoo, and Zoom.

#### Travel:
5% – 10%. Local travel and national travel, including overnights and weekends, should be expected.

#### Work Environment:
This is a full-time position working on a hybrid schedule, requiring 2-3 days per week in the Chicago, IL office.

#### Compensation and Benefits:
PCA America’s compensation strategy is based on equity and transparency. When determining salary offers, the candidate’s directly applicable experience will be taken into consideration as well as internal equity within the range. The starting pay range is between $110,000 to $130,000 annually.

Benefits offered include medical, dental, and vision benefits options, company-paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability, paid time off including a sick leave policy and personal days, paid holidays and paid parental leave. We also offer a wellness benefit reimbursement, retirement plan with a company match, and the option to contribute towards a Health Savings Account.

#### Applications:
Please send your resume to Lauren Hampton, Senior HR Consultant to PCA America, at [email protected].

PCA America is deeply committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity, inclusion, equity, and respect. Our goal is to attract qualified candidates and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To learn more about Prevent Child Abuse America, please visit: [www.preventchildabuse.org]

Prevent Child Abuse America is an Equal Opportunity Employer.