Sr. Director, Communications & Events

Position Description:

Responsible for all forms of internal and external communications and events, developing, implementing, and managing integrated internal, external and leadership communications for the organization to position Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona (GCNA) and its affiliated entities as the leader in the thrift retail and donated goods business, as well as promote our community services that benefit from donation sales (e.g., workforce development, education, veteran services); building community understanding and appreciation for our efforts to confront poverty, upskilling and homelessness within and beyond Arizona and Maryland.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees the development and execution of external communication strategies and plans that protect and enhance the organization's reputation and delivers measurable impact that is effective, economical, and targeted to their intended audience.
• Serves as the primary liaison for contracted strategic communications and public relations partners, providing oversight to scope development, contracts, budget management, content review, and innovative recommendations.
• Drives process improvement and cost savings initiatives through evaluating current processes, identifying best practices, and developing plans to reach goals and implement improvements.
• Works with the VP of Marketing/Communications and other leaders to continually improve the organization's internal and external communications and public relations strategies to achieve business goals and promote/protect the organization's reputation to the public, the media, government officials, employees, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Responsible for holistic marketing communication strategies that leverage paid, earned and owned channels, bringing together a consistent internal and external brand message.
• Oversees events planning (internal, philanthropic, store grand openings, etc.), from concept to completion, on budget and delivers a great experience for participants.
• Leads organic social media messaging across various channels to reinforce the brand messages with key constituents.
• Understands and delivers on customers’ and the communities’ needs by managing expectations and collaborating with internal and external teams.
• Acts as a spokesperson for GCNA.
• Responsible for enterprise-wide public relations, corporate communications, media relations, government relations, issue management and executive positioning.
• Crafts messages and provides training and support for individuals speaking on behalf of GCNA.
• Oversees and contributes to the production of all internal and external communications, including newsletters, website content, speeches, announcements, invitations, annual reports and white papers.
• In partnership with outside PR agency and internal departments, creates metrics to measure success and outcomes of initiatives, campaigns and events.
• Serves as a strategic business partner to senior and executive leaders, working to understand business goals and objectives, developing communication strategies that promote organizational understanding and alignment through key messaging and media plans that boost corporate and brand initiatives.
• Advises and counsels various stakeholders on media opportunities, driving buy-in decisions through influence, persuasion and relevant marketing data points.
• Responsible for performance management (coaching, discipline, performance improvement plans and annual reviews), staffing, compensation, and development of approximately ten Team Members.
• Plays a critical role in driving company culture change efforts and change management processes.
• Models Goodwill Core Values – Trust, Collaboration, Engagement, Ownership, and Innovation.
• Performs other related duties, as appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications (Education, Experience, Skills):

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, English, Journalism, or another related field.
• Minimum of 10 years combined experience in Corporate Communications, Media Relations and Government Relations; and/or comprehensive experience working in journalism.
• Experience in a retail (B2C) environment.
• Ability to deal professionally in a corporate and not-for-profit environment, assuming responsibility for guiding communications and marketing projects and programs from inception through completion.
• Strong ability to think strategically and keep abreast of industry/market trends.
• Strong history of quickly building relationships, gaining credibility and partnering with leaders and peers.
• Demonstrated excellence in written communication skills, including news, business, and persuasive writing.
• Ability to speak and read English proficiently.
• Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills including proven effectiveness in one-on-one, group communications and media relations.
• Demonstrated project management skills and strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to simultaneously manage multiple, complex projects in varying stages of development under time pressure and deadlines.
• Strong MS Office skills including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to pass a background check and drug screen.

You will be eligible for a comprehensive Total Rewards package, 1st of the month following 60 days of employment that includes the following:

• 5 Medical Plans
• Employer Funded Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)
• 3 Dental Plans
• Vision Plan
• 401K (Immediate participation upon hire)
• Employer Paid Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Time Off; Sick and Vacation
• Paid Holidays
• These are just a few highlights of our key benefit offerings!

Become a valuable part of our team and work for a company which has been named a Best Place to work by the Phoenix Business Journal 4 out of the last 5 years. Work for a company which has seen double digit growth year after year for nearly a decade. Work for a company which values diversity and is centered on success. Goodwill of Central & Northern Arizona - We Put People to Work!

Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona endeavors to make our website accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact HR Support at 602-535-4000, option 5, or RecruitingOperations@goodwillaz.org.

We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, the presence of a non-job related medical condition or disability, or any other legally protected status. We will make reasonable accommodation and modification, including adaptive devices, to assist any person with a disability to apply for and, if hired, to perform the duties the position they seek. Assistance could include help in completing on-line application as well as providing alternative communication, e.g., Braille and Large Print.

PHISHING SCAM WARNING: Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona/Goodwill Industries of Monocacy Valley, Inc. (“GCNA/GIMV”) are among several companies recently made aware of a phishing scam involving con artists posing as hiring managers recruiting via email, text and social media. The imposters are creating misleading email accounts, conducting remote “interviews,” and making artificial job offers in order to collect personal and financial information from unsuspecting individuals. Please note that GCNA/GIMV only use company email addresses, which contain “@goodwillaz.org” or @gimv.org”, to communicate with candidates via email. The company also uses secure tools on our website to receive data from applicants and would never ask them to submit their personal banking information to apply for an open job. If you are contacted by someone about an open job at GCNA/GIMV, please verify the domain of the sender’s email address and that they are asking you to apply on this website. If you believe you have been a victim of a phishing scam, please visit the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Smart website (https://www.cisa.gov/be-cyber-smart/campaign) to learn how to report it.