Director of Marketing and Communications
Do you want your day-to-day work to have a lasting impact on the lives of isolated people around the world?
Mission Aviation Fellowship Canada (MAFC) is a Canadian charitable organization celebrating 50 years of saving lives in the most remote places in the world. Our vision is to see isolated people changed by the love of Christ and our mission is to serve together to bring help, hope, and healing through aviation.
We are a unique ministry that operates the world’s largest fleet of small aircraft in over 30 countries worldwide, flying patients, relief workers, doctors, pastors, food, and life-saving supplies in the hardest to reach places on the planet.
Overview:
The Director of Marketing and Communications role is a newly formed, full-time position, reporting to the Vice President, Philanthropy and Communications.
The successful candidate will have a proven, demonstrated ability to lead and coach a team of communications professionals to meet and exceed key marketing and communications objectives. As a Christian ministry, MAFC is seeking individuals who embody the values and beliefs of the organization as articulated in our mission, vision, and faith statements.
Purpose: To develop, manage, and measure marketing and communications strategies to build MAFC’s identity and reputation across Canada in support of the organization’s fundraising and recruitment goals.
Role Description:
- Lead and coach a team of marketing and communications professionals, ensuring goals are met with excellence.
- Foster increased brand exposure through new and cultivated relationships with targeted media outlets and journalists through all communication channels.
- Develop and align strategic communication across traditional and online platforms to demonstrate impact and showcase the mission.
- Oversee the development and execution of a crisis communications plan, including updates and the preparation of spokespeople.
- Help build and support the CEO’s external communications and thought leadership strategy, including media relations, social media engagement, public speaking, blogs, and op-eds that highlight the organization's impact and vision.
- Ensure all MAF Canada marketing and communications materials are brand compliant.
- Support missionary recruitment by helping to generate leads through communication and marketing strategies with key partners such as Christian radio, publications, events, schools, and churches.
- Measure and report on the results of marketing and communication initiatives, providing insights and recommendations for improvement.
Key Responsibilities:
- Create and execute a strategic communication plan.
- Build and execute an annual plan to garner earned and unearned media, unsolicited media inquiries, press conferences, and media commentary.
- Equip MAF Canada spokespeople to speak with media, donors, and the public.
- Develop a portfolio of strong media relations.
- Develop and maintain a crisis communications action plan and prepare spokespeople.
- Oversee all digital channels, including social and the website.
- Develop in-house fluency and capacity to assess success and understanding of digital marketing.
- Oversee and foster external partnerships for program growth.
- Partner with the philanthropy department on creating a donor journey strategy and plan.
- Oversee and/or support digital communication for retention, cultivation, conversion, and acquisition activities.
- Ensure the website drives optimal fundraising results, best represents the brand, and delivers various stakeholder goals.
- Oversee and leverage a social media strategy to best protect and enhance the brand and support fundraising and recruitment objectives, including lead generation.
- Stay abreast of industry best-practices and adjust strategies as appropriate.
- Promote and protect MAFC’s brand.
- Ensure staff and missionaries understand and can communicate the brand.
- Create easily accessible and useful brand resources.
- Collaborate with leadership on incorporating the brand into communication, work expectations, and plans to build brand acceptance and action internally.
- Ensure the brand is accurately represented at all MAFC physical locations.
- Work with the communications team and all agency partners to ensure a consistent external brand identity.
- Lead content creation.
- Create and oversee the Communications Calendar, ensuring quality, timely content is provided for the website, philanthropy, social media, and other channels.
- 15 + years’ experience in non-profit marketing and communications as brand champion.
- Proven experience leading, inspiring, and mentoring teams to meet key marketing and communications objectives and targets.
- Demonstrated success in strategically developing and executing a communications strategy for a charitable organization.
- Experience growing a digital marketing program, including oversight of a website.
- Experience implementing a successful brand strategy.
- Sound understanding of the media landscape, understanding of social media activation, and community/donor engagement.
- Ability to manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines, work both collaboratively and independently as appropriate.
- Strong experience in developing and evaluating creative.
- Solid writing and copy-editing skills.
- Excellent oral communication and presentation skills.
- A strong team player with a desire to learn and collaborate.
- Strong computer literacy, including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Experience with a CRM system, preferably Salesforce.
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge of the AFP guidelines & Donor Bill of Rights.
- An awareness and general understanding of CRA and CCCC guidelines, which relate to giving and donor recognition.
Personal Qualities:
- An analytical thinker.
- Solutions-focused and purposeful.
- Emotional resourcefulness, flexibility towards others and circumstance.
- Able to establish a professional and friendly relationship from first contact.
- At ease working with industry leaders, journalists, senior executives, board members, and philanthropists.
- Ability to effectively prioritize projects.
- Cheerful outlook.
- Willingness to travel on a periodic basis.
- A passionate belief in and love for Jesus Christ.
Compensation and Work Conditions:
- Annual salary range is commensurate with experience, education, and training, as well as participation in a comprehensive benefit program.
- The successful candidate is invited to take advantage of a hybrid remote/office work experience (2-3 days per week in the Guelph, Ontario Head Office). This is a full-time position working 37.5 hours/week.
- Interaction with employees, management, and the public at large.
Start Date
As soon as possible.
Deadline for Application
This search will remain open until a successful candidate is selected.
While we appreciate all responses, only candidates under consideration will be contacted.
Learn more about Mission Aviation Fellowship at MAF Canada.