Communications Manager

About the Opportunity: We are looking for a creative individual to help develop and implement a broad range of activities to support the strategic direction and positioning of POAH's mission and help convey POAH's brand, message, and value in the affordable housing sector including the transformative impact of POAH's work.

Building on POAH's outstanding reputation as a leading developer, owner and operator of affordable housing, the Communications Manager will support an integrated communications strategy across the organization and take advantage of new technologies, fundamental communications principles and emerging trends in the field to create new and exciting marketing opportunities.

Under the supervision of the senior communications director, the Communications Manager will work collaboratively with POAH and POAH Communities staff to implement a communications strategy designed to broaden awareness of POAH's work and build support and confidence in the organization.The Communications Manager will develop and execute thoughtful communications strategies to engage a range of audiences including residents, partners, investors, elected officials, media and other stakeholders with achievable results.

Responsibilities:

• Write, edit, and collaborate with staff to produce press releases, website copy, social media content, fact sheets, and PR materials as requested;
• Produce a variety of materials, including but not limited to website content, photos and videos, brochures, special reports, electronic newsletters, press releases, social media posts, staff-authored thought leadership articles, illustrated publications in conjunction with POAH's graphic designers;
• Develop collateral materials to support the organization's business lines, including contributions to Requests for Proposals as requested and materials highlighting individual departments' work;
• Serve as a brand manager to ensure that POAH's PR, marketing, and collateral materials align with the organization's messaging and branding guidelines;
• Serve as social media manager responsible for frequent postings and periodic assessment of POAH's social media performance based on analytics;
• Continuously explore new platforms, practices and strategies to broaden POAH's visibility and engagement with its stakeholders, the media and the general public;
• Oversee POAH's main website and 10 redevelopment websites and ensure that content and functionality are frequently refreshed;
• Work with the senior communications director and development staff on the execution of property-based events (ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings) including securing all logistical supplies and services and creating communications-related materials for these events;
• Work with communications vendors such as website developers, graphic designers, photographers and videographers to ensure that support and supplemental services are delivered in a timely fashion and comply with POAH communications standards;
• Cultivate existing and new media relationships and track media coverage and maintain media lists;
• Help grow POAH's stakeholder list;
• Work with POAH's property management company to source property and resident stories and craft compelling narratives that highlight the impact of the organization's work for public consumption;

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, or related field
• Minimum five (5) years of progressive responsibilities as a key contributor with knowledge and experience in the design and execution of a communications program, and ideally, marketing, and public relations activities
• Knowledge of affordable housing and/or nonprofit organizations helpful

Skills and Knowledge

• Excellent interpersonal skills; strong in multi-tasking, and time-management. Ability to promote communications goals in a complex business environment
• Collaborative: Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with POAH staff and regional and central staff property management staff as well as with external partners and stakeholders
• Confident Communicator- possesses exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent writer whose work requires minimal editing. Strong proofreading skills
• A high level of competency in communications tools and platforms including print and digital media, photography, videography, social media, graphic design, website management or a willingness to become proficient in these skills.
• Learning-Oriented: Actively seeks out and participates in ongoing learning and skill-building opportunities related to responsibilities, organizational priorities, industry and sector. Participates in these opportunities with the goal of discovering new practices and tools and making recommendations to the organization for the advancement of its communications program
• Ability to work in a range of digital, electronic and print platforms to execute POAH's communications strategy including solid working knowledge of a range of social media platforms, basic computer programs such as Microsoft 365, design programs such as Creative Suite or similar, website programs such as WordPress and experience using analytics to creative content that will engage
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written tailored to a variety of audiences and platforms. Confidently project ideas, messages and information to a range of audiences
• Proficiency in 35mm cameras and/or video cameras and editing software
• Experience in graphic design or understanding of good graphic design principles is critical to this position.

About the Organization:  Preservation of Affordable Housing, Inc. (POAH) is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve, create and sustain affordable, healthy homes that support economic security, racial equity and access to opportunity for all.  POAH owns and operates more than 13,000 affordable homes at more than 120 properties in 11 states and the District of Columbia.  POAH is based in Boston with offices in Chicago and Washington, DC.

POAH's reach is national in scope, and its pursuit of the preservation mission is empowered by a focus on the business bottom line.  Its strong reputation is the result of a demonstrated ability to craft complex financial transactions, tackle tough multi-family projects, and close deals that preserve the affordability of at-risk properties.  The organization and its leaders are at the forefront of policy and legislative discussions around housing preservation, affordable housing finance and regulatory reform, including energy efficiency in the multifamily sector.

The POAH team is dedicated, creative and passionate.  We believe a diverse and inclusive team is a stronger, smarter team and we actively promote diversity and meaningful inclusion of different perspectives among our Board, our staff, our partners, in our procurement of goods and services, and at our communities.  We understand that addressing structural racism and achieving racial equity are central to the work we do and we proactively integrate the issue of race in our housing work.