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Director
of
Communications
Nellie
Mae Foundation
Quincy
(Boston), MA
OVERVIEW
The Nellie Mae Education Foundation seeks applications and nominations for the position of Director of
Communications.
As the largest public charity dedicated to improving academic achievement across underserved communities in New England, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (the Foundation) is embarking on a dynamic period of renewed strategic focus aligning program investments with a refreshed vision. The Director of Communications will work closely and collaboratively with the Foundation’s President & CEO, senior managers, and staff to promote and expand the Foundation’s visibility, research and outreach on local, state and national levels. Specifically, s/he will help develop the Foundation’s communication infrastructure and lend strategic vision and expertise in devising and executing a comprehensive, multi-dimensional communications strategy. The Director of Communications will develop and implement a communications outreach plan; oversee, develop and manage marketing enterprises, materials, publications and presentations to diverse audiences; and provide strategic, expert analysis, advice, and other forms of support to internal colleagues and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate will support and demonstrate the values advanced by the Foundation, will have significant experience and success developing and implementing communications strategies, and will possess impeccable writing skills, the ability to translate complex and sometimes arcane policy agendas into compelling public educational materials, a strategic approach to creating and implementing a savvy media agenda and the capacity to effectively manage relationships that will enable communications efforts to succeed.
MISSION & HISTORY
"A catalyst for dramatic, dynamic, and relevant change and improvement in education."
The Nellie Mae Corporation, a nonprofit education-financing company, first pioneered philanthropy in the student-loan industry in 1990 by creating the Fund for Education. For the next eight years, the Fund for Education provided over $5 million in grants to advance more than 300 education programs throughout New England. In 1999, the Nellie Mae Corporation was purchased by SLM Holding Corporation (Sallie Mae) resulting in the creation of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. Today the Foundation is New England’s largest independent principle public charity focused exclusively on education.
The Foundation is grounded in the belief that access to higher education is a right and necessity for all individuals. Dedicated to promoting accessibility, quality and effectiveness of education for the underserved in the six New England States, the Foundation has to date granted $83 million funding education programs and technical assistance to improve academic achievement and access to higher education, and sponsored research and conferences that have advanced knowledge within the educational field and influenced policy at the state, regional and national levels. The Foundation’s historic and primary focus has been on engaged funding of relevant programs within defined strategic areas. Since 2000, the Foundation has focused grantmaking in four strategic initiatives – Adult Literacy, College Prep, Minority High Achievement, and Out-of-School Time Matters. Through these endeavors, the Foundation has improved academic achievement for underserved students throughout New England.
While
it will continue to build on established successes, the Foundation seeks to
achieve increased, direct impact on education reform by transforming into a
catalyst for innovative, multi-dimensional improvement in systems of education.
With new leadership and a renewed vision, the Foundation recognizes that
today’s learners must achieve across a wider range of domains. Thus, the
Foundation is reexamining its historical focus and forging a new strategic
direction in order to equip learners to actively engage in the global economy
through a renewed, dynamic and relevant system of high quality education
accessible to all from preschool to adulthood.
Under the forward thinking leadership of President & CEO Nicholas C.
Donohue, the Foundation has charted a bold course to explore reinvention to
strengthen, expand, and diversify the variety and quality of educational access
and advancement for every student. To achieve this goal, the Foundation, with a
staff of 13, is realigning its programs and investing in a deeper array of
innovative and promising practices to acquire impact-driven knowledge to inform
future practices and shape public policy. Capitalizing on program investment
lessons, the Foundation will be poised to: influence, shape and identify new and
refined programmatic strategies; influence public policy; analyze successes and
barriers to success in policy innovation and reinvention; and develop and
cultivate strategic partnerships with key opinion leaders, policymakers, and
constituent networks on local, state and national levels. Through these efforts,
the Foundation will increase public understanding and commitment needed to
support authentic, sustainable systems of education reform that respond
equitably and dynamically to the needs of all learners, and support the high
achievement learning needed to thrive in a dynamic economy.
Beginning in 2008, the Foundation will focus its grantmaking on strategies,
including funding for partnerships, programs, research, and intermediary
organizations, that will support underserved learners and build knowledge to
dramatically improve outcomes for them. Emerging program areas include early
learning, the use of time in learning, the examination of the pathways involved
between secondary and postsecondary education, and adult learning with a focus
on postsecondary opportunities. The development and implementation of a
comprehensive communications strategy and knowledge plan is integral to the
successful implementation of these emerging programs. Specifically, the
communications plan will: enable the alliances and relationships necessary to
inform, disseminate, and promote program evaluation data; inform public policy;
and grow the public understanding to support authentic, sustainable action in
education reform. The Director of Communications will lead and manage critical
facets of the Foundation’s core communications functions that impact
programmatic practice, public policy and public awareness in education reform,
and that increase the visibility of the Foundation.
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
The Director of Communications (the Director) will assume primary responsibility for devising and implementing a comprehensive, multi-dimensional communications strategy and outreach plan in support of extending the impact and reach of the Foundation’s efforts. S/he will work to forge and nurture positive internal relationships, and cultivate external relationships with institutions, policymakers, opinion leaders, the media, and the public at large. S/he will successfully understand, integrate, and translate themes and topics to drive targeted and sustained outreach to diverse audiences. Reporting to the President & CEO, s/he will become an integral part of the Foundation’s senior management team, will direct and manage communications staff, and will play a critical role in expanding the Foundation’s impact, leading dialogue and broadening public understanding to achieve sustained gains in education reform. This important and exciting role will present challenges and opportunities for the new Director that are each key to the success of the Foundation’s goals, and include, but are not limited to:
Developing and implementing a sophisticated, multifaceted outreach and communications strategy to expand, diversify and increase the Foundation’s impact;
The Director will raise the public profile of the Foundation by developing and
implementing a comprehensive, multi-dimensional communications outreach plan.
The implementation of the plan will include promoting the Foundation’s brand,
research, and knowledge share; informing and building public awareness for
action in reform; influencing public policy; and advancing the Foundation’s
mission both internally and externally. S/he will oversee and manage
relationships between the Foundation and communications research organizations
that support the Foundation’s outreach objectives, and will use and oversee
the use of consistent, appropriate message framing principals in developing
outreach. S/he will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the
Foundation’s outreach, including management of internal and external
communications, oversight of the website and publishing services, development of
marketing and communications materials including e-newsletters, reports,
journals and web-site material. S/he will facilitate the placement of the
Foundation’s research, analyses, meetings, conferences, and publications
including articles in major educational and popular publications by forging and
maintaining relationships with journalists, editors, and communications staff at
relevant organizations, and will inspire press events including media briefings
and press conferences.
Designing and executing a comprehensive knowledge plan to capture and disseminate information, research, and outcomes learned through the Foundation’s program investments;
The Director will work with the senior management team to develop a plan to support, document, exchange, and disseminate knowledge resulting from the Foundation’s program investments. S/he will create and implement a system for gathering evidence of success in program investments and grantmaking practices, and for capturing programmatic learning and knowledge to ensure institutional memory and build increased public understanding. S/he will design intake and dissemination strategies to build awareness on current status and future directions in education reform including related activities, opportunities, and limits, and will support regional efforts to convene and engage key opinion leaders in deliberations.
Developing and implementing a communications infrastructure that supports the Foundation’s mission and strategic objectives;
The Director will be a strategic thought-partner to the Foundation’s senior leadership team working to ensure outreach to the Foundation’s diverse audiences on local, state and national levels. S/he will understand the interrelationship among organizational functions including but not limited to programming, marketing, public relations, media relations, research, public policy, and public awareness. S/he will provide strategic and operational guidance to support the Foundation in commanding its unique space among organizations seeking to influence education reform. S/he will exhibit outstanding management skill and savvy in assessing and developing an effective communications infrastructure, and in directing and managing communications staff. S/he will counsel and train staff and partners to create effective strategies for the cultivation and dissemination of research, knowledge, advocacy, public policy, and public understanding.
Cultivating and stewarding internal and external relationships and representing the Foundation to the broader community;
The Director will encourage new and continued focus and commitment of supporting and funding partners. S/he will build and maintain ongoing, collaborative relationships to strengthen and broaden the understanding of urgency in education reform within the Foundation and with key stakeholders. S/he will identify opportunities to engage and cultivate new relationships and partnerships that accelerate the research and knowledge necessary to inform the Foundation’s path forward, and that strengthens effective, established relationships. The Director will be an articulate, persuasive, and charismatic advocate of the Foundation. S/he will join associations and building collaborations with appropriate organizations. Internally, s/he must cultivate and maintain positive and productive internal relationships with the Foundation’s staff.
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will be an established and articulate communications professional with sophistication, intelligence, drive, and a demonstrable record of success developing and directing a multi-dimensional communications and outreach strategy to diverse audiences. S/he will minimally hold a bachelor’s degree in communications or related fields, demonstrate a proven communications track record, and have a successful track record in communications, public relations, journalism, or marketing including experience working with media across broad sectors with sustained commitment in previous positions. The ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
A deep commitment to the Foundation’s mission to promote accessibility, quality and effectiveness of education for the underserved in the six New England States. Ability to understand the Foundation’s goals, objectives and work and apply gained knowledge;
Substantive grasp on education reform, public policy and interest issues, and programs and program research, and the capacity to convey the significance and relevance of outcomes to policy questions;
A minimum of seven to ten years of experience in leadership positions encompassing strategic communications, media relations, public affairs, public relations, and brand management;
A truly exceptional ability, interest, and facility to write in a variety of mediums from short e-mail news releases to published reports and from web features to persuasive
op-eds;
A proven track record developing and disseminating effective communications products and publications, both in print and on the web, from conception to publication;
Proven ability to meet multiple deadlines and balance numerous projects while maintaining a perspective on long-term goals;
The superior management techniques of a seasoned, collaborative and energetic manager, a consultative and hands-on management style, and the ability to lead, motivate, support and manage the expertise of talented and committed staff;
Experience collaborating with a diverse and decentralized staff, and managing outside contractors and consultants;
Superior oral and written communications skills, used in one-on-one settings and in large group meetings. Ability to advocate and drive attention to the Foundation;
An entrepreneurial attitude and comfort crafting and executing a comprehensive strategy for communication and outreach. The personal charisma and eagerness to be a dynamic and compelling ambassador to all audiences;
Intelligence and inspiration to anticipate, conceive, express, and create opportunities. Independence and self-confidence to act decisively and, at the same time, an ability to receive, integrate and translate others’ ideas and suggestions;
Innovative, strategic, opportunistic and creative thinker with strong leadership, impeccable management and organizational skills, and exceptional attention to detail. The ability to handle competing priorities in a fast paced work environment. The ability to multi-task and work well both independently and as part of a team with the proven ability to meet multiple deadlines and balance numerous projects;
A passion for and proven leadership and management success within Foundations and/or nonprofit organizations is desirable; and
Equal parts humor, integrity, compassion, and patience necessary to address the practicalities and desires of an entrepreneurial nonprofit. A hard working, positive, mission-driven and extroverted work style.
TO
APPLY:
More information about the Nellie Mae Education Foundation may be found at:
http://www.nmefdn.org/
Nominations and applications will be considered as received. Due to the pace of the search, candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), salary history, and where you learned of the position should be sent to:
nm-dc@nonprofitprofessionals.com.
In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.
The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.
Women and candidates of color are encouraged to apply.
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