Communications Associate

Boston, MA, United States

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Position Title: Communications Associate

Reports To: Senior Director of Communications

Organization Overview:

Steppingstone prepares students from marginalized communities to access, navigate, and graduate from college through two initiatives, the Steppingstone Scholars Program and the National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA). The Steppingstone Scholars Program is a direct-service program in Boston that provides academic, social-emotional, and college-readiness services to students, called Scholars, beginning as early as fifth grade and continuing all the way through college graduation. The Steppingstone Scholars Program consists of five components: Admissions, the Academy, Middle School Success, High School Success, and College Success. NPEA connects the people, practices, and innovations for eliminating barriers to educational access, and college and career success for underserved students.

Position Summary:

The Communications Associate will support efforts to grow and engage our community through storytelling and will strengthen the communications essential to delivering our programs. This position is responsible for day-to-day operations of Steppingstone's communications. By writing, editing, designing within brand guidelines, and managing data, the Communications Associate will support program outreach, fundraising, marketing, and PR.

The Communications Associate represents the core values of Steppingstone in all work performed on behalf of the organization and in all activities related to the lives of Scholars, Alumni, their families, colleagues, donors, and our broader community, demonstrating a strong commitment to our mission.

The Steppingstone office is hybrid with the expectation that employees will work in the office a minimum of two days per week, with some flexibility around work hours. A $500 home office set-up stipend will be provided upon hire, followed by quarterly stipends of $50. Laptops are provided to each employee to enhance the hybrid experience.

The Steppingstone office is accessible by public transit and has very limited parking availability.

Salary Range: $55,000 - $60,000

Start Date: August 2024

Responsibilities:

Communications

Maintain clear and consistent messaging and branding online and in print.

Collaborate with colleagues to identify stories to highlight, and thoughtfully execute storytelling with an asset-based approach that honors the subject's agency, provides thoughtful context based on the target audience, and inspires individuals to engage in the Steppingstone community.

Strengthen communications to Scholars and families by assisting colleagues with branding, newsletter planning and editing, and effective use of HubSpot. Support teams by assisting with content creation, providing thoughtful feedback on content strategy, and carefully managing students' permission to appear in publicity to protect confidentiality.

Write and design seasonal newsletters to engage donors and schools.

Marketing / PR

Increase earned media with occasional pitches to local news.

Manage our social media presence and exercise strong professional judgment when engaging with followers.

Format our Annual Report with strong attention to detail regarding donor acknowledgments and volunteer recognition.

Design invitations, signage, and other collateral for events.

Partner with advancement, admissions, program, and HR teams to produce one-pagers, advertisements, and other marketing materials.

Stay current on market research and emerging trends that support our mission.

Website Management

Maintain an online presence that meets the needs of various audiences including prospective and current families, Scholars, Alumni, donors, schools, and volunteers.

Ensure online content is up-to-date and follows best practices for UX and accessibility as well as our brand guide.

Create and maintain visually appealing landing pages for events and program engagement.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

Maintain up-to-date contact lists to maximize email deliverability.

Organize contact lists, emails, and other media within existing structures.

Support expanded use of automation and segmentation for more personalized impact.

Photo/Video

Maintain photo library and organize for future use in publications.

Take photos and videos at smaller events and programming.

Edit photos and videos to support storytelling efforts.

Requirements

Required Knowledge and Skills:

Experience with writing and other forms of storytelling

Core competencies related to writing: Exceptional grammar and spelling

Strong research skills

Clear and concise communication

Attention to detail

Proofreading and editing

Critical thinking

Content organization

Ability to write for different audiences

Core competencies related to layout: Ability to format materials consistently within a brand guide

Understanding of design principles such as scale, contrast, hierarchy, color, etc. to promote ease of reading and follow-through on calls to action

Demonstrates commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Communicates effectively with students and staff from diverse cultural, social, economic, and educational backgrounds

Approaches all communications with respect, intentionality, and professional judgment

Familiarity with Google Workspace programs (Drive, Docs, Slides, Forms, Sheets)

Education and Work Experience:

Bachelor's degree in communications, English, marketing, graphic design, or related field

2-3 years of experience in communications work

Preferred education and experience:

Experience with video editing or photography is a plus.

Experience managing AI communications tools is a plus.

Familiarity with Salesforce, Hubspot, or other CRM is desirable. If not already HubSpot-certified, the Communications Associate will be expected to gain HubSpot certification at the start of employment during work hours.

Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite or Canva is desirable.

Experience with nonprofits and/or Boston schools is desirable.

Physical Demands:

Lifting up to 20 pounds, standing, walking, sitting, reaching, operating computer and office equipment

Pursuant to the ADA, Steppingstone will provide reasonable services and accommodation(s) to employees with qualified disabilities in order to perform the essential functions of their employment, except when doing so would be unduly disruptive and/or result in undue hardship to the organization.

To Apply: Please input your resume and a thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position, and how you learned about this position. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

As a condition of employment, all Steppingstone employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary and contract employees, and interns, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. To be considered fully vaccinated, individuals must have received two doses of the approved Pfizer/Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or single dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, and remain up to date with all boosters recommended by the CDC prior to the finalization of the hiring process. Finalists will be given details about how to demonstrate receipt of vaccination.

Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis for exemptions to this requirement in accordance with applicable law. Applicants should be aware that for external-facing roles, particularly those involving close contact with students, accommodations that involve remaining unvaccinated against COVID-19 may not be deemed reasonable. Steppingstone will engage in the interactive accommodation process on an individualized basis in light of each particular role.

Employee Benefits:

Generous paid time off (over 8 weeks total, as outlined below)

15 days PTO

2 days Discretionary Time Off

5 wellness days

12.5 holidays

2 weeks paid office closure

$500 Home Office Set-up Stipend; plus $50 quarterly

Health, Dental and Vision coverage

Life, Short-Term and Long-Term disability insurance

Retirement Plan

Tuition & Professional Development reimbursement

Flexible Spending Accounts - Health and Dependent Care

Pre-tax Transportation Plan (Transit & Parking)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Membership to the National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA)

Steppingstone Core Values

Power of One

We honor every voice and believe we are strongest when we work together.

We recognize, respect, and nurture the fullness and complexity of each member of our community.

We believe in the power of belonging and seek to create a welcoming and inclusive culture.

Walk the Walk

We partner with every Scholar and family, supporting them holistically throughout their own educational journey.

We work with clear and measurable purpose, using data to drive collective decision-making and challenge assumptions.

We create spaces for difficult conversations to transform our thinking and move us forward.

Embrace Growth

We strive to operate as an anti-racist organization and commit to continuous learning and action in the service of this goal.

We provide opportunities for everyone in our community to flourish and reach their full potential.

We make time for reflection, learn from past experiences, and take initiative in response to changing needs and new ideas.

A candidate will be found unsuitable for employment with Steppingstone and automatically disqualified if they use threatening language or behavior either written, verbal, or physical during any phase of the interview process.

The Steppingstone Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any individual, employee, or application for employment on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or handicap, as defined by law.

Salary Description

$55,000 - $60,000

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