Acumen is looking for a Communications Director to join the marketing and communications team and work directly with our founder and CEO Jacqueline Novogratz.This role reports to the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. We are seeking someone passionate about amplifying our founder’s inspirational voice in and beyond the social enterprise and development sectors. The role will be responsible for growing her audience and deepening her influence to advance Acumen’s mission. We’re seeking someone with a minimum of 10 years of experience in media, communications or journalism. This role would be based in New York. Our office is working under a hybrid model and working in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Acumen
We’re investors. A different kind of investor. We invest in people and companies working to solve problems for people living in poverty, investing in essential products and services that bring more opportunities, more choices to millions. To date, Acumen has positively impacted 501 million lives by investing $154M in 167 innovative, early-stage companies in Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. But investing clearly isn’t just about capital. It’s about investing in people. We’ve been investing in people for years. Connecting with over 1,500 emerging leaders in their own countries and engaging them in extended collective dialogue on what constitutes a “good society”, moral inquiry, and skill building.
About Marketing and Communications
The Marketing and Communications team are the guides and stewards of our brand voice. They shape how, when and where it comes to life. As strategists, writers, designers, data practitioners and makers, they seek effective and creative ways to inform, empower and meaningfully connect with our audiences globally. Through audience definition, campaign strategies, content, PR, events and partnerships they drive visibility and memorability of our thought leadership, insights and brand story.
About the role
The Communications Director for the CEO will be responsible for crafting and implementing an integrated communications strategy for our founder and report into the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. They will act as a thought partner in positioning her narrative, shaping it across diverse channels and geographies and nurturing new and existing media relationships. The role will require a deep understanding of the media landscape, and a creative approach in identifying and activating priority opportunities (digitally and in person). The role also requires intimate collaboration in crafting content that is authentic to our founders voice and compelling in driving action across audiences.
Specifically the Communications Director to the CEO will be responsible for:
- Crafting a multi-channel communications strategy in partnership with the Chief of Marketing and Communications and the CEO
- Thought partnership in the development of short form and long form content
- Implementing the communications strategy (with team support) for the Office of the CEO that is aligned with brand, marketing, and fundraising goals.
- Identifying priority media and event opportunity targets
- Manage inbound media requests and liaise with journalists and producers.
- Nurturing new and existing relationships with top tier media
- Evaluating media and speaking opportunities
- Staffing our CEO at major events and media appearances
- Pitch story ideas and draft or execute press releases, speeches, op-eds, presentations, keynotes, and videos.
- Facilitating interview prep : brief and prepare the CEO for speaking engagements, interviews, and appearances. Who is the audience? What do they care about? What is our POV?
- Tracking and reporting on ROI
- Driving internal communications cadence and messaging
- 30% travel
Skills and Qualifications
- Minimum 15 years of experience with over 8 years of communications, media or journalism experience
- Exceptional writing and copy editing skills
- Can develop a strategy and revise based on stakeholder input
- Excellent project and stakeholder management skills. The Office of the CEO is a hub of multiple stakeholders and priorities. This role is about organizing, choosing a coherent path forward, and gaining agreement
- Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills
- Ideally experience working directly with an influential leader
- Demonstrated knowledge and proficiency with communication technologies
- An ability to handle confidential matters and information with discretion
- Self reflective and aligned with Acumen’s values
- Authorized to work in the U.S. (based in New York, or willing to relocate there for this role)
Deadline to apply
Apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.
The salary range for this role as a Communications Director in NY is $140,000 - $185,000 USD plus a performance-based bonus. This range represents the present low and high end of pay range for this role. Actual compensation will vary based on various factors including but not limited to experience. Acumen has equal pay, so pay is determined through comparison to a cohort of employees in market at the same level of accountability. A full detail of compensation and benefits will be available through the first screening.
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