Director, Marketing And Communications

About Room to Grow

Room to Grow is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the vision that one day all parents will have the resources they need to unlock their families’ potential and become champions for babies and their community. Its mission is to offer structured parent support, material goods, and community connections to support parents as they activate their natural strengths and expand their knowledge, so children thrive from the start. Room to Grow was founded in New York in 1998 and expanded to Boston in 2005, currently partnering with over 1,500 families with an annual budget of $8.5M and a team of 50+ passionate and dedicated staff members. 

Room to Grow uses a two-generation, preventative, and strengths-based approach to engage families. Through its unique program, parents and caregivers partner with program staff to develop strategies to support their child's development, select the material items that their child needs, and connect with community resources that can expand their support network. Room to Grow program staff work alongside parents and caregivers as they build upon their existing skill sets and parenting styles and promote the well-being of their children and family. 

As an entrepreneurial and growth-oriented organization, Room to Grow is in an exciting period of development as it continues to expand its reach and impact in Boston, New York and Chicago. 

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief External Engagement Officer, the Director of Marketing and Communications is responsible for leading all marketing, communications, public relations, and event activities for Room to Grow. The Director will drive the development and execution of strategies that enhance Room to Grow’s brand and reputation, promote its program and mission, and increase financial support. This position will collaborate closely with the leadership team to develop and lead on national and organizational-wide strategies and will also partner with Regional Directors in New York, Boston and Chicago to adapt and execute strategies at the local level. 

The ideal candidate will be an experienced marketer who is entrepreneurial, creative, data-driven, and passionate about Room to Grow and the advancement of our mission. The candidate will have a track record of achieving measurable results through innovative marketing programs and communications across various types of channels, including social, digital media, and PR.

This is a full-time hybrid role requiring 2-3 days per week in person at one of our Room to Grow locations. Candidates in New York are preferred, candidates in Boston will be considered.

Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Leadership and Team Management 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive and actionable marketing, communications, public relations, and event strategy
• Inspire, mentor, and lead a 4-person team; foster a collaborative and innovative team culture that encourages creativity and continuous improvement

Marketing and Communications

• Plan, execute, and evaluate robust content marketing strategies across multiple channels and mediums to promote organization and key priorities
• Oversee the content creation for Room to Grow’s owned channels including social media, website, email marketing and blogs
• Steward and build Room to Grow’s brand and public reputation through targeted campaigns, partnerships, events, and media engagement
• Direct the creation of all print and electronic collateral (e.g. annual reports, fundraising appeals, one-pagers, presentation decks), and ensure that content is accurate, up-to-date, and accessible
• Oversee storytelling and program content collection such as writing participant highlights and coordinating video and photo shoots
• Coordinate internal team communications
• Engage, enlist, and train staff and board members to serve as ambassadors of the organization
• Provide written communication support to team members as needed, including copy-editing and development of language bank

Public Relations 

• In partnership with Room to Grow’s PR firm, elevate Room to Grow as a leader in the early childhood field and local nonprofit landscape by identifying and managing media opportunities
• Drive thought leadership strategy and activities including seeking out and securing PR engagements (e.g. speaking and writing opportunities, conferences, panels, interviews)

Events 

• In partnership with the Chief External Engagement Officer, develop Room to Grow’s event strategy and align to mission, operations, and revenue goals

• Oversee the planning, execution, production, and evaluation of all events

• Lead the special events team in the development and management of event timelines, annual plans, budgets, and deliverables, ensuring consistent tracking, reconciliation, and forecasting

• Analyze event performance metrics and make data-driven decisions to optimize ROI

Partnerships  

• Create and support relationships with celebrities and influencers, including Room to Grow Ambassadors, for engagement and media opportunities

• Design and execute influencer engagement campaigns that align with organizational priorities

• Develop and manage corporate and brand partnerships to raise funds, inventory, and awareness (e.g. cause-marketing, co-branded content)

Qualifications and Experience

• A passion for the mission, vision, and core values of Room to Grow

• 7-10 years relevant experience in marketing and communications; background in nonprofit or mission-driven companies preferred but not required

• Substantial experience in developing and executing vision, strategy, and workflows for marketing and/or communications within an organization or department

• Marketing, communications, and branding acumen with superior interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills

• Creative instincts and strong visual eye, with an astute ability to convey and steer creative direction; hands-on design experience a plus (e.g. Adobe Creative Cloud applications)

• Experience overseeing websites and social media and familiarity with digital marketing tools such as Google AdWords, Google Analytics, Constant Contact, Salesforce (or equivalents)

• Cross-cultural interpersonal skills, a history of building strong relationships with diverse stakeholders and colleagues, as well as strong listening skills

• Superb critical thinking skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information, confidently make recommendations based on data, and work with an action-oriented mindset

• An ability to handle pressure with equanimity and to thrive in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and accountability-focused organization; a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude

• Ability to travel within the US (5-10%)

Core Competencies

Mission and Culture Alignment - Allows a candidate to thrive at Room to Grow and to be highly motivated by the organization’s work and mission. A successful candidate:

• Embodies RtG core values, including integrity, respect, growth, collaboration, community and inclusion
• Articulates an authentic passion for and unwavering belief in RtG’s mission, demonstrating a commitment to and literacy around the issues of equity that undergird the work
• Navigates ambiguity and pivots with ease; presents as collaborative and flexible with a strong service mentality and ability to navigate a local/national structure
• Models transparency as a leader and encourages open dialogue and inclusivity
• Demonstrates a growth mindset; approaches work with a learning orientation, continuously seeking to improve his or her own work and the work of the organization
• Possesses a deep appreciation for diversity, equity and inclusion and seeks to bring people together along lines of difference; is able to model this value in Room to Grow’s internal work by treating our diverse population of families with sensitivity, respect, compassion, and dignity, as well as demonstrating this value with an external presence

Communication - Allows a candidate to represent the organization across a range of internal and external stakeholders and share written and verbal information in a clear and compelling manner.

• Effectively engages current and prospective stakeholders with compelling anecdotes and insightful narrative to allow for a warm and inclusive connection with Room to Grow

• Strategically leads on department  communications with a focus on effectively sharing the organization’s mission with a consistent voice and message

• Applies the utmost discretion and judgment when communicating with internal and external stakeholders, striking the balance between keeping individuals informed and maintaining internal confidentiality

Strategic Thinking - Allows a candidate to synthesize information and extract key findings and trends in order to develop, communicate, and execute strategy. A successful candidate:

• Develops a shared vision while using expertise and resourcefulness to develop innovative plans and opportunities, giving thorough thought to risk and overall integrity to Room to Grow’s mission
• Possesses a deep understanding of financial analysis to create predictive scenarios that drive action and decision-making with multiple stakeholders
• Naturally and effectively translates a vision for a team, department, or organization into effective strategies for execution, setting ambitious goals, and delivering results
• Keeps abreast of emerging trends, local current events, updates from community partners, and feedback from stakeholders to inform and analyze organizational processes and direction
• Acts as a leader by constantly acquiring knowledge and insights and promoting the sharing of knowledge not only across departments, but also across the entire organization

Resourcefulness - Enables a candidate to respond to difficult and complex situations quickly, responsibly, and respectfully with all constituents involved. A successful candidate:

• Provides leadership and guidance to team members when faced with challenging situations or unexpected issues

• Encourages productivity and growth throughout the organization that inspires confidence, integrity, and resilience

• Recovers quickly from setbacks, not allowing unexpected situations to derail progress at work or alter the tone of the organization

• Establishes and maintains a calm and inclusive environment, built on respect of everyone involved with Room to Grow, both internal and external

Compensation and Benefits

Room to Grow offers a collaborative work environment, competitive compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package including:

• 8+ weeks of paid time off per year
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance, Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA
• 403(b) retirement savings with matching program
• Quarterly wellness reimbursement up to $150 per quarter
• So much more!

Salary and benefits will be competitive for our field and commensurate with experience. Room to Grow is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. We encourage you to share any required accommodations with elise.spector@roomtogrow.org, who will treat your requests as confidentially as possible.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We view differences between individuals (e.g., race, gender, age, cultural heritage, physical ability, education, beliefs, and lifestyle) as an asset. We celebrate what makes us unique and strive to create an inclusive environment for all. We are focused on fostering a culture of empowerment in an effort to better understand and serve the multifaceted cultures and identities of all of those within the Room to Grow community. At Room to Grow, our DEI efforts focus on uplifting the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented groups and doing the work that draws out the best in all of us.

To Apply

Submit your application via Room to Grow’s career portal.