The Opportunity
At John Rex Endowment, we strengthen organizations that center racial equity and justice to improve the social emotional health of Wake County children. We are embarking upon a bold, 20-year vision to co-create a resilient, equity-centered ecosystem that is better equipped to improve the social emotional health of children. To help us reach this vision, we are seeking a Director of Partnerships and Communications to become a critical part of our small but mighty team. This individual will work closely with Endowment leadership on both internal and external branding, messaging, and overall communications strategies.
We’re looking for a person who:
- Is a strategic thinker, with the skills to develop and implement comprehensive communications and external affairs strategies
- Has a deep understanding of and commitment to racial justice
- Has experience leading communications strategy at a mission-driven organization
- Collaborates effectively with diverse community partners
- Can help expand our network by building new partnerships to improve child and family well-being
Responsibilities of the Role
Reporting to the Vice President, the Director of Partnerships and Communications will:
Partnerships
- Develop, cultivate, and expand the Endowment’s relationships with potential and existing grant funded partners to identify grant, investment, and collaboration opportunities.
- Actively seek ways for the Endowment to co-create funding and other initiatives with nonprofits and local and state governmental agencies to help strengthen the social-emotional health ecosystem.
- Cultivate and nurture philanthropic partnerships and other collaborative initiatives that advance the Endowment’s mission and vision.
- Represent the Endowment through nonprofit board service and/or local or state advisory committees.
Strategic Communications
- Lead marketing and public relations efforts to increase awareness of key focus areas including child well-being, advocacy, racial equity, and nonprofit capacity building.
- Lead our day-to-day communications. This includes managing our:
- Digital presence, including social media newsletter and website
- Branding and design projects, ensuring a cohesive visual identity
- Messaging, helping both establish and maintain an accessible voice
- Thought leadership initiatives, including media relations and events
- Develop and implement a comprehensive communications and external affairs strategy, including defining short- and long-term goals and objectives related to the Endowment’s vision, mission, and strategies in our roadmap.
- Grow the Endowment’s social media audience of philanthropy stakeholders, press, and movement builders.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of communications strategies in support of the Endowment’s goals.
- Ensure cross-collaboration between communications and other staff, ensuring that adequate support from communications is provided for priority projects.
- Design, manage, and implement powerful digital and media campaigns that support our 20-year vision and organizational Strategic Plan, engaging existing and new partners through these activities.
- Stay abreast of time-sensitive news cycle opportunities to advance the Endowment’s goals and amplify our voice and message.
- Oversee the organization’s crisis communications plan, effectively guiding the Endowment through communication strategies to triage moments of crisis to mitigate reputational impact.
- As needed, offer rapid response narratives and communication resources to our grantees, especially to proactively preempt or counter harmful attacks resulting from their prioritization or engagement with DEI initiatives.
The Ideal Candidate Profile
The Director of Partnerships and Communications will bring myriad attributes, skills, and qualifications as outlined below:
- An unwavering commitment to racial justice and equity, especially in the face of systemic and political pressure
- A learning mindset with a commitment to continual growth
- Leadership experience in a communications role with direct responsibility leading the development and implementation of an overall communications strategy
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills, including the ability to simplify complex concepts and make them accessible to a broad audience
- A proven ability to foster relationships with external peers and partners in order to drive an organization’s work forward
- The strategic skills to align communications and outreach efforts with an organization’s long-term vision and goals
- Experience telling the stories of diverse communities, and working under the leadership of and collaborating with historically marginalized communities
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver against deadlines while maintaining the flexibility necessary to adapt, respond, and meet the needs of the organization
- A background in grantmaking and philanthropic communications is preferred
- The ability to imagine and engage with partnership and collaboration strategies that are well-aligned with the Endowment’s strategic priorities
About the John Rex Endowment
In April 2000, the University of North Carolina Health Care System acquired Rex Healthcare, the system in Wake County that included Rex Hospital. Funds from that transaction were designated to advance the health and well-being of the residents of the area to further the original vision of John Rex. As a result, the John Rex Endowment was established as a private, grantmaking foundation.
After more than 24 years of advancing positive change for children, ongoing strategic racial equity work, and a deeper understanding of ways in which systemic racism impacts all children and families, the John Rex Endowment’s refreshed mission statement brings clarity to its identity, work, and aspirations:
The John Rex Endowment's mission is to strengthen organizations that center racial equity and justice to improve the social emotional health of children living in Wake County.
It is through this lens that the Endowment approaches its efforts to improve the well-being of children in Wake County.
The board and staff of the Endowment acknowledge the history of John Rex, who our organization is named after. John Rex's wealth was built from the people he enslaved. Understanding this history, it's our promise to help remove barriers so that all children and their families live to their full potential. We are intentional about supporting the social emotional health of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other People of Color (BILPOC) children and families and organizations that work to do the same.
The Endowment’s commitment to the community extends beyond traditional grantmaking into strategic investing, leveraging the organization’s relationships to shape policy and disrupt inequitable systems. Governed by a 14-person Board of Directors and managed by a staff of 6 employees that oversee an annual charitable contributions budget of $4million and financial assets of $80 million, the Endowment recognizes that change starts from within. As such, we are committed to maintaining an internal culture and external partnerships in which racial equity is centered in norms, policies, and practices.
Want to know more? Visit https://www.johnrexendowment.org/.
To apply, click on the link to the Director of Partnerships and Communications – John Rex Endowment position profile at ArmstrongMcGuire.com/jobs. You will see instructions for uploading your compelling cover letter, resume, salary requirements, and professional references. Please provide all requested information to be considered. In case of any technical problems, contact [email protected]. No phone calls, please, and no applications will be accepted by email. Due to integration issues, applications submitted through third-party sites such as Indeed and LinkedIn may not be received.
Salary is commensurate with the requirements of the position and ranges between $95K-$110K. The Endowment also offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, life, short and long-term disability insurance; pension and 403(b) retirement plans; accrued vacation and sick time; 11 paid holidays; and a charitable matching program.
The John Rex Endowment actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates. The Endowment is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age.
