Director of Communications
Boston, MA or Philadelphia, PA
Compass
Date Posted: 12/18/2024
About Compass
Compass is an innovative, mission-driven organization that supports families with low incomes to save for their future and access greater economic opportunity. We believe in our clients and in their ability to achieve their goals and dreams. We operate high-quality financial coaching and savings programs and pursue opportunities to shape the national approach to poverty through practice and policy change. Compass is also an emerging leader in a national effort to leverage housing assistance as a platform for economic mobility. We are looking for people who want to be part of taking our programs and our impact to the next level.
Our mission is to partner with families with low incomes to build assets as a pathway out of poverty. We focus on reaching families led by Black and/or Latina women.
To achieve our mission, we operate client-centered savings and financial coaching programs, deliver training and technical assistance to other practitioners, and shape policy solutions that dismantle barriers to asset building.
For more information, please visit our website, www.compassworkingcapital.org, or click here to learn more about our strategic plan.
About The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program
Congress created the FSS program in 1990 as an employment and savings program for families in federally subsidized housing. The program combines a powerful savings incentive with service delivery to support residents in reaching their goals. It is the nation’s largest asset-building program for families with low incomes.
Since 2010, Compass has partnered with public housing agencies and other affordable housing providers to operate an asset-building model for the FSS program — the first nonprofit organization in the country to do so.
About the Job
The Director of Communications oversees communications initiatives across all stakeholder groups, ensuring consistent messaging and brand integrity while advancing organizational objectives and enhancing the organization's visibility, reputation, and impact. As the organization's principal communications leader, this role provides strategic counsel to all departments and coordinates client communications – our largest and most critical audience segment.
This role reports to the Chief External Affairs Officer.
All Compass staff embody the following core competencies:
Ownership: Steps up and follows through to consistently deliver high-quality work.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Champions the value of diversity and the creation of inclusive spaces.
Growth Mindset: Embraces challenges and setbacks as the fuel for learning and development.
Teamwork: Contributes actively and collaboratively with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
Primary Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Advisory
Develop and implement comprehensive communications strategies aligned with organizational goals
Serve as internal communications advisor to all departments, providing strategic guidance on messaging, timing, and channel selection
Create and maintain annual communications calendar
Track and analyze communications metrics to optimize strategies and demonstrate impact
Stakeholder Communications & Content Strategy
Coordinate all client communications, ensuring clear, timely, and effective messaging for this audience
Design and oversee comprehensive client communication protocols, including standard operating procedures for routine updates, program information, and critical announcements
Lead organizational storytelling efforts, identifying and developing compelling narratives that showcase impact
Oversee production of key organizational materials and publications
Brand & Public Relations Management
Serve as brand guardian, ensuring consistent voice and visual identity across all materials, platforms, and audiences
Manage media relations contractor. Coordinate organizational engagement in media opportunities and media training to leadership, staff, and clients.
Identify and secure speaking and presentation opportunities for organizational leadership, senior staff, and clients
Build and lead cross-functional team to plan and execute annual program graduation activity that celebrates participant success and engages stakeholders
Team Leadership & Department Collaboration
Provide direct supervision and professional development to Marketing Manager
Leverage department Associate to support project execution
Contribute to department-wide strategic planning and goal setting
As a senior leader, play an active role in shaping and strengthening organizational culture and driving key internal initiatives that advance Compass mission and values
This job description is not intended to provide a comprehensive listing of all duties or responsibilities. Job duties and responsibilities may change at any time based on the needs of the organization.
Qualifications and Skills:
7+ years of progressive communications experience, including 3+ years in management role
Demonstrated success in developing and implementing comprehensive communications strategies
Excellence in writing, editing, and verbal communications, and strong editorial judgement
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and knowledge of how those values show up in the work of communications
Experience managing media relations and serving as organizational spokesperson
Strong project management and team leadership abilities
Proven ability to translate complex information into compelling narratives
Preferred:
Experience in nonprofit sector
Knowledge of policy advocacy and fundraising communications
Event planning and execution expertise
Benefits
The salary range for this role is $110,000 - $130,000, commensurate with experience. We’ll promote your professional growth and development by providing access to a competitive salary and benefits package and additional employee benefits that include but are not limited to:
Healthcare: medical, dental, vision: Compass covers up to 80% of employee premiums and 80% for dependents. There is no waiting period to enroll in health insurance.
Retirement plan 401(k) & 3% match
Parental Leave: Employees who have been employed for at least three (3) months are eligible to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. *Employee must be with the organization for six (6) months to receive up to six (6) weeks of full pay from the organization.
Life insurance & disability Insurance
Paid time off: Employees receive up to 36 Wellness days and 8 holidays per calendar year, plus the final week of the calendar year off as an organizational wide holiday. All employees enjoy a two-hour early closure starting the Friday after Memorial Day through the week of Labor Day.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
Professional development & certification
Pre-tax commuter benefits
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Office closed the final week of calendar year
Equipment: $200 one-time stipend for work from home expenses
Internet Reimbursement: Up to $40 per month for personal internet expenses
Equal Opportunity Statement
Compass Working Capital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applications for all positions, without regard to age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Compass Working Capital is committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities receive the accommodations required for them to interview for a position on our team. Should you require accommodations, please contact hr@compassworkingcapital.org.
As a contractor of Philadelphia Housing Authority, Compass also provides hiring preference to Section 3 residents. Section 3 Residency is defined as being an authorized resident of Philadelphia Housing Authority or a “low-income resident” of the area where the HUD-assisted project is located.
For the purposes of Section 3, "low-income" is defined as 80% of the Area Median Income. To learn more information about Section 3 income eligibility, please refer to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Website.
