Communications Manager

The Communications Manager is responsible for implementing Give Back’s communications strategy and building a strong, consistent national communications presence across digital, social, web, and print channels.

This is a highly hands-on role. The Manager will create and publish content; manage Give Back’s website and social media presence; gather stories, expertise, photos, video, and other source material from staff, students, alumni, and partners; and turn that material into compelling communications for Give Back’s priority audiences.

Give Back has ambitious communications goals and a lean communications budget. The Manager will be expected to use artificial intelligence and other digital tools extensively and thoughtfully to increase the quality, speed, and volume of communications production while maintaining human responsibility for strategy, accuracy, judgment, brand standards, consent, privacy, and final publication.

The Communications Manager will report to the Chief of Strategy and Growth and will initially have no direct reports. They will manage communications with freelancers and vendors as needed and work closely with the CEO, development staff, program staff, coaches, students, and alumni. A major priority will be creating a repeatable content pipeline across Give Back’s programs in 11 states so staff can easily capture useful source material, and the Manager can transform it into high-quality communications.

Responsibilities & Duties

Brand, Communications Systems & Quality Control

• Lead an initial audit of Give Back’s communications, brand, digital presence, and organizational materials, and lead implementation of an appropriate brand refresh using AI tools, freelancers, and other external resources where useful.
• Maintain and operationalize Give Back’s communications strategy, voice and tone standards, approved messaging, proof points, and brand guidelines.
• Establish communications workflows, editorial procedures, content-submission systems, review processes, and approval timelines, subject to leadership approval.
• Serve as the routine reviewer and publishing authority for communications produced within approved organizational strategy and brand guidelines.
• Revise, delay, or decline publication of material that does not meet Give Back’s communications standards and escalate appropriate consent, privacy, state-agency, legal, safety, or reputational issues to leadership.
• Maintain consistency in how Give Back describes its programs, Success Coaching approach, outcomes, audiences, and organizational identity.

Organizational Materials & Leadership/Partnership Support

• Turn ideas, concepts, and source material from organizational leadership into compelling external communications products.
• Create and update presentations, organizational overviews, handouts, impact materials, sponsorship materials, digital collateral, and similar products.
• Use AI-assisted writing and design tools to produce polished materials efficiently and iteratively, exercising strong visual judgment and directing AI tools, templates, freelancers, or other production resources until materials meet Give Back’s quality and brand standards.
• Support the CEO and other organizational leaders with presentations, talking points, social media content, conference materials, and other external communications as needed; support communications involving Give Back’s founder when appropriate.
• Develop communications materials supporting corporate, foundation, government, and promotional partnership opportunities while the CEO, development team, and other organizational leaders retain responsibility for relationship development, fundraising, and sales.
• Develop or update donors and fundraising communications products as requested, while not serving as the organization’s grant writer or fundraising relationship manager.

Content Creation & Social Media

• Manage Give Back’s coordinated social media presence, including LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Develop and maintain consistent publishing cadence and integrated editorial calendar.
• Create, edit, repurpose, schedule, and publish high-quality content tailored to each platform and priority audience.
• Use AI extensively to accelerate content development, including drafting, editing, repurposing, ideation, design iteration, captions, video editing, and platform-specific variations.
• Produce respectable short-form video using tools such as Canva, CapCut, and AI-assisted video tools.
• Interview students, alumni, coaches, staff, and other stakeholders and turn those conversations into stories, videos, posts, profiles, and other communications products.
• Attend selected programs and events to gather photography, video, interviews, stories, and other source material.
• Ensure content reflects Give Back’s approved messages, voice and tone, content standards, direct-service excellence, student outcomes, Success Coaching approach, and more than 20 years of experience.
• Create selected youth-facing content that is practical, useful, candid, and appropriate to the platforms young people use.

Website & Digital Presence

• Manage the content and ongoing development of Give Back’s website, including writing and editing most website copy and making routine content updates.
• Manage freelance or contract support for technical WordPress development and other specialized website needs.
• Ensure Give Back’s website, leadership biographies, organizational descriptions, proof points, and other prominent digital information remain accurate, current, and consistent.
• Lead ongoing review and improvement of Give Back’s broader digital footprint.
• Own website analytics and SEO performance, either directly or through oversight of qualified freelance support.
• Use analytics and audience behavior to recommend improvements to website content, structure, calls to action, and digital communications.
• Develop email communications when strategically useful; Give Back may not operate a recurring newsletter during the first year.

Story Gathering & Staff Content Pipeline

• Build and manage an organization-wide process for identifying, gathering, and developing stories and content opportunities.
• Establish simple methods for staff to submit story leads, photographs, videos, program updates, statistics, student accomplishments, and other useful source material.
• Train program staff and other employees to capture usable photos, video, interviews, stories, and program moments so content can be gathered consistently across Give Back’s 11-state footprint.
• Provide staff with examples, templates, instructions, and feedback that make content contribution easy and improve quality over time.
• Build productive relationships with program staff, coaches, students, alumni, and other stakeholders so communications accurately reflect Give Back’s work.
• Develop processes for obtaining and documenting appropriate consent for student and alumni stories, photography, and video, and apply trauma-informed storytelling practices.

AI, Analytics, Vendors & Communications Operations

• Develop and continuously improve AI-assisted workflows that allow Give Back to accomplish significantly more communications work with a lean staff.
• Use tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Canva, CapCut, and other emerging technologies for writing, editing, design, video, research, repurposing, planning, and analysis.
• Evaluate emerging AI and communications tools and recommend adoption where they can improve quality, speed, efficiency, or reach.
• Maintain appropriate safeguards for accuracy, student information, privacy, intellectual property, consent, and organizational reputation.
• Manage communications freelancers, consultants, and vendors, including website support and specialized production resources.
• Monitor social media, website, email, and content performance and prepare regular reports identifying what is working, what is not, and what Give Back should test next.

General

• This is a full-time remote position and may be based anywhere in the United States.
• Travel approximately 25–30% to Give Back programs, meetings, events, and activities across the country.
• Attend selected evening and weekend programs and events when communications coverage is needed, including periodic Scholar Saturday sessions.
• Maintain confidentiality and follow Give Back policies regarding student information, privacy, consent, and organizational information.
• Successfully complete required fingerprinting, background checks, including applicable child abuse/neglect, federal, national criminal, and other required screening.
• Follow all policies outlined in the Give Back employee manual.
• Manage work independently and effectively in a remote environment and collaborate closely with staff across functions and geographic regions.
• Provide updates on communications activities, performance, priorities, and progress as requested.
• Internal staff communications are not a responsibility of this position except as necessary to coordinate communications activities, gather content, train staff, and implement communications processes.
• The Communications Manager reports to the Chief of Strategy and Growth. All requests for PTO must be submitted in advance through the HR system.
• Perform other communications-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements - Director of Communications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least 4 years of professional experience in communications, digital marketing, content development, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated ability to produce exceptional communications content across multiple formats and platforms.
• Portfolio or work samples required, demonstrating strong work across several formats such as social media, websites, digital or print collateral, presentations, and video.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to turn incomplete ideas, interviews, source material, and leadership direction into clear and compelling communications.
• Advanced ability to use generative AI as a professional communications tool and to demonstrate how AI can increase productivity and quality while maintaining sound human judgment and quality control.
• Experience using tools such as ChatGPT and/or Claude, Canva, CapCut, content-management systems such as WordPress, social media platforms, and digital analytics tools.
• Strong visual judgment and the ability to direct AI tools, templates, freelancers, and other resources to produce high-quality communications even when not performing advanced graphic design.
• Experience producing and editing short-form digital video.
• Demonstrated understanding of social media content creation and the differences among major platforms.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, platforms, vendors, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal skills and comfort interviewing and working with young people, staff, senior executives, alumni, and external partners.
• Ability to train and support colleagues who are not communications professionals in gathering useful stories, photos, videos, and other content.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 25–30% and occasionally work evenings or weekends for programs and events.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment about content quality, accuracy, privacy, consent, and reputational risk.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing a website or digital content platform.
• Experience with SEO, web analytics, email communications, or social media analytics.
• Experience overseeing freelancers, consultants, or creative vendors.
• Experience developing presentations, pitch decks, sponsorship materials, or other business development collateral.
• Experience establishing content workflows or communications systems within an organization.
• Demonstrated curiosity about emerging AI and digital communications tools and a track record of learning new technology quickly.
• Nonprofit, education, and youth-development experience are welcome but not required.

Compensation

• Salary is approximately $65,000 per year paid bi-weekly.
• Eligible for company health insurance program upon hire.
• Eligible for 401-K program after 90 days.
• Monthly accrual of 10 hours of PTO time granted. See employee handbook for additional information about vacation accrual scale.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Remote