Director of Communications
Status: Full-time, Exempt
Reports to: Chief Advancement Officer
The non-profit Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation seeks a full-time Director of Communications to support all external communications. This is a chance to join one of the country’s most successful public-private partnerships and assist with the Foundation’s Ellis Island Museum Reimagined campaign and other strategic initiatives for the two of the country’s most iconic symbols and visited destinations. The Director will work closely with the CEO and Fundraising team and assure alignment with the National Park Service (NPS).
Responsibilities
- Public relations
- Develop, implement, and evaluate communications plans to serve the Foundation’s strategic goals. Create and execute against a Foundation editorial calendar for unified external messaging across earned and owned media.
- Create and edit written and visual content across earned media, social media, and other digital platforms. Analyze social media and other owned-media channels, and grow engagement.
- Pitch stories and field incoming media inquiries on the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
- Manage PR consultants for the Foundation’s monumental project to reimagine the museum on Ellis Island. Work with the PR representatives of vendors and other stakeholders.
- Support the CEO as the Foundation’s primary spokesperson, serve as alternate spokesperson, and coach other staff spokespeople, as necessary.
- Liaise with NPS’s Public Affairs Officer for the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island to assure strong collaboration.
- Strategize with CEO and Director of Fundraising on any sensitive situations and manage rapid response
- Provide island tours for press and key stakeholders, as needed.
- Management and alignment
- Manage Communications budget and staff, helping determine appropriate resourcing.
- Work with the Fundraising team on strategic alignment of public relations messaging with direct mail and email marketing/cultivation campaigns.
- Work with leadership to assure internal communications are aligned with external messaging.
- Inventory and organize Foundation media assets. Identify gaps and seek additional assets.
- Procure graphic design, media production, and other help, as needed.
- Contribute to upcoming rebranding effort, including future website update.
- Partnerships and events
- Produce the Foundation’s Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Awards event. Work with the board committee to identify and secure honorees; produce the event in conjunction with event management firm and NPS’ event concessionaire; and coordinate with honorees’ teams.
- Strategize with Chief Advancement Officer and the leadership team on promotional, donor, and public events to support the Ellis Island Museum Reimagined campaign; oversee event production.
- Assess potential event and partnership opportunities, consulting with leadership team and with NPS.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree.
- 7 years of experience in communications, marketing, PR. Experience with nonprofits, with public private partnerships, and/or with/for government,, a plus.
- Passionate about the Foundation’s mission and the areas of immigration, genealogy, historic preservation, and parks.
Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strategic and forward-thinking.
- Relationship builder, interested in working collaboratively.
- Demonstrated success in project management and advancing multiple projects with tight timelines;
- outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Experience managing staff and budgets.
- Skilled in using social media platforms and performance metrics.
- Highly proficient with Microsoft Office. Familiarity with WordPress/WooCommerce, Pardot/Salesforce,
- Google Analytics, AdWords, Facebook Ad Manager, a plus.
- Graphic design and video editing experience, a plus.
Logistics
- This is a full-time position with full benefits.
- This position pays $125,000-150,000 annually.
- The work hours are generally Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, but flexibility is required for
- occasional evening or weekend hours.
- This position will generally work from the Foundation’s offices at 17 Battery Place / on Ellis Island.
- 1-2 days/week of remote work are possible.
- Staff must be in-compliance with the Foundation’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy as of
- their first day of work. This policy requires employees to have received the COVID-19 vaccination
- (including boosters, when recommended), unless a reasonable accommodation is approved.
Application process
- Please email one-page cover letter and resume to [email protected] with the job title in the subject line. Each file name should begin with the applicant’s last name.
- No phone calls, please.
About The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation (www.LibertyEllisFoundation.org)
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that collaborates with the National Park Service in one of America’s most successful public-private partnerships. In 1982, President Ronald Reagan asked Lee Iacocca to raise private funds for the historic restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Foundation has since created the museum on Ellis Island, developed the free 65-millionrecord Ellis Island Passenger Database, constructed the Statue of Liberty Museum, maintained museum exhibits, and funded over 200 additional projects on the islands.
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Application Link