Communications Director

Description

The Communications Director is a pivotal thought- and strategy-leadership role to give word, voice and image to the mission, brand, and ministries of First Pres. The Director builds a competent, healthy in-house agency of specialists across a variety of disciplines to lead and align the church’s communications efforts. The position works collaboratively with the Executive Pastor and ministry department heads. It is a dynamic position that offers the opportunity for strategic campaign development and hands-on creative involvement. The efforts of the team will advance First Pres’ role in worship, discipleship and outreach and spur involvement by the Congregation.

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor of Arts from an accredited college/university in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, English, Business Management, or Marketing.

• Masters Degree in Marketing or Business Administration desired.

Experience Requirements:

• Minimum of five years’ experience in communications, advertising, marketing, strategic communications, or related industry experience, preferably with a Christian church or non-profit ministry.

• Proven experience leading teams of creative professionals – both shepherding the content creators and evaluating the content they create for quality and effectiveness.

• Proven experience guiding senior leadership teams through the development and articulation of their organization’s story and translating that story into effective communications campaigns.

• Proven experience managing projects for multiple clients or ministry teams simultaneously, while stewarding the alignment of the organization as a whole.

Skills Requirements:

• Working knowledge of what constitutes good written copy, graphic design, photography, video production and audio production, and the ability to effectively evaluate those mediums in which you don’t personally work.

• Proven ability to write and edit and working knowledge of Adobe InDesign.

• Strategic, systems-oriented thinking.

• Ability to understand organizational goals and context and their relationship to strategic communications planning.

Trait Requirements:

• Highly relational with excellent communication skills and emotional intelligence.

• Stable, wise, and non-anxious leader.

• A commitment to contributing to a healthy staff culture.

• A buck-stops-here mentality for everything produced and distributed by the Communications Team.

• Ability to think critically and strategically to create and evaluate campaigns, messaging, and communications strategies.

• Ability to receive and respond to feedback with grace.

• Ability to work independently, managing multiple priorities in keeping with the overall mission established by Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor.
   
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

• Developer and mentor of people.

• Passion for excellence, attention to detail, commitment to success.

• Humility and a servant leader mindset.

• Friendliness, compassion, and a sense of humor.

Spiritual Requirements:

• A personal, growing, and mature commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

• A commitment to a Christian lifestyle and ethical holiness.

• Understands the value of the local Church and participates regularly in worship, Bible study, prayer, and service.

• Spiritual Gifts of leadership and administration.

Position Requirements:

• Lead the Communications Team in the development of initiatives and the production of communication assets to support the First Pres ministries.

• Constantly evaluate content and the effectiveness of strategies and collateral production to ensure brand compliance, message consistency and impact and effectiveness.

• Ensure that First Pres’ online platforms are relevant, appropriately targeted, up-to-date, and effective at engaging both church members and non-members alike.

• Provide proactive and creative leadership for planning of sermon series and other key ministries.

• Regularly meet with pastors and directors to understand their ministry plans and communication needs and provide a comprehensive and coordinated communications strategy for the church.

• Ensure that all regular communications pieces are executed with accuracy, excellence, and deadline compliance.

• Develop and execute environmental elements (decorations and wayfinding) to support key ministries and events.

• Participate in Alignment Team, Communications Ministry Team, Worship & Music Ministry Team, and other meetings to collaborate and coordinate.

• Other duties as requested by the Lead and/or Executive Pastor as applicable to the position or to advance the ministry of First Pres.