Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago ("Charities" or "CCAC") was founded more than a century ago to meet human need through the Mission of Charity.

We are called to partner with mission-driven people and organizations across Cook and Lake counties, to witness a message of mercy and hope to a world in need, as we:

* improve lives and nourish spirits by meeting human need within a faith-based community of courageous compassion, solidarity, and joy.

* strengthen and empower people, families, and communities by building programs that promote hope through meaningful and measurable change.

* create and share opportunities for living out our faith and values through service and accompaniment, community building, and dialogue -- being present to our times through the eyes of faith.

As the largest human services provider in our region, we serve thousands daily -- opening our arms to all who come to our doors. We accompany anyone in need, regardless of their faith, gender, race, or ethnicity. We are proud that our community -- the people we serve and the people we employ and partner with -- represents a broad range of faith traditions and backgrounds, including those who have none. What binds us is unity around our calling, purpose, and shared values.

Where We Are and Where We Need to Go

Serving and accompanying people, families and communities in need is our mission. We serve across Cook and Lake counties, representing a population of ~ 6 million (2.7 million in Chicago, 2.5 million in Suburban Cook and 0.7 million in Lake). We estimate that 2-2.5 million (roughly 40%) of our neighbors in this region have need of our and our partners' help in any given year.

To fulfill our sacred mission to accompany and serve, it is incumbent upon us that we communicate with clarity, wisdom, and care to people and families in need. To do that effectively, it is critical that we communicate both with those we serve and with those who might not know us yet, but who might benefit from our outreach and help.

First and foremost, we need to make it as easy as possible for people to learn about our programs and know where to find them. We also need to offer clear protocols and direction for our team members in how to best communicate about our programs and mission in service of others.
Finally, we must ensure that the people and families we serve can easily share their feedback, questions, and reflections with us. It is in this engagement that we will truly bring our faith calling to life.

The Opportunity
Recognizing that outreach and communication is central to our mission, we have created a new role, Director of Programs Marketing (D-PM). This role is dedicated to oversee outreach and engagement on behalf of those we serve.

This director will lead our marketing efforts on the behalf of our clients -- the people and communities we serve. They will create a clear strategy, a set of tools, and comprehensive plan for increasing awareness across our 40 programs across 80+ sites. They will also have the skills to follow up with excellence and accountability in executing on this plan.

The Director of Programs Marketing will report directly to our Chief Program Officer, who oversees our 1000+ staff operating diverse programs designed to serve 400,000 people in need each year. They will also have a dotted-line reporting relationship to our VP-Communications. They will be expected to collaborate across our Programs teams, while also staying closely connected with our team members in Communications and Client and Community Impact.

In this work, the Director will work closely with each of the Senior Vice Presidents and their teams.

These are the people who deliver our services across our three impact areas which include:
* Immediate Access and Basic Needs
(200 employees serving 325,000 people annually)
o Immediate and wraparound services for people in crisis, addressing basic needs and connecting people to longer-term supports
* Children, Youth, and Families
(500 employees serving 40,000 people annually)
o Holistic and transformational services that promote physical and psychological safety, well-being, and healing
* Seniors and Housing
(400 employees serving 80,000 people annually)
o At-home and community-based services for low-income seniors that foster both independence and connection
o Dignified, safe, and subsidized housing for older adults, veterans, and people with disabilities

Using the visual identity and voice that Catholic Charities has developed over the last two years, the Director will be charged with:
* Maintaining and continuing to evolve everything that is communicated and conveyed under our website's "Get Help" tab.
* Overseeing design and production for any printed materials required by our programs staff, as well as designing effective electronic communications to be delivered via e-mail or text.
* Coaching programs leaders and their teams on effective oral communications.
* Discerning whether a particular social media channel might make sense for communicating with people who engage in particular programs and, in the process, delivering and executing on a small number of focused, high-quality digital initiatives.
* Developing and executing on a broad program designed to increase Catholic Charities' visibility among key target need groups and communities across our region.

When successful, this new marketing program will:
* Make it easier for the people and families who might benefit from our services to learn about them and receive the help that they need.
* Make it easier for our staff to help people and families in need find the right services.
* Increase Catholic Charities' visibility and reputation among key groups of people and communities we are called to serve.
* Make it easier for Catholic Charities staff to receive feedback, affirmation, and reflections from those we serve.

Key responsibilities:

Program marketing strategy

* Lead in development and implementation of a program marketing strategy and associated operational plans, with the goal of supporting and expanding outreach among people and communities in need. Strategy and plans will incorporate website, print, text, and, as appropriate, select social media channels.
* Evaluate and implement opportunities that increase Catholic Charities programs' visibility among the people and communities we serve.
* Assess the effectiveness and influence of marketing and implement quality improvement measures.
* Assure alignment of all program materials with CCAC's broader communications strategy and content.

Content development and curation

* Develop content that highlights the impact of CCAC programs and the strength of the people we serve.
* Select and adapt content across platforms to increase awareness and reach key audiences (e.g., for presentations, publications, website, and social channels).

Program leadership communications support

* Support executive leadership through preparing written communications, speeches, and talking points.
* Maintain brand consistency and graphic identity, with a strong eye for visual design and marketing.
* Create communications materials and templates.
* Review and edit programmatic materials to ensure alignment on content and messaging across Catholic Charities.
Critical skills

Strategy-setting and execution

The Director will excel at listening and integrating input to establish effective outreach strategies, as well as developing and delivering on the plans needed to bring a well-formed strategy to life. They will shun busyness in favor of effective, planful action. Ideal candidates will be both big-picture and detail-oriented. Thought before action, understanding how to both set goals and measure attainment of them, holding oneself and one's collaborators accountable for meaningful impact -- all are important and valued attributes for this role.

Excellent communication skills

The Director will be a strong communicator. They will be an effective writer and storyteller who knows how to use words, data, images, and stories to bring messages to life. Effective communication is critical to marketing, identifying different target audiences and building a strong reputation and community presence. Stakeholders seek clear, crisp messages, and it's essential for Catholic Charities to convey strong, succinct messaging and tell powerful stories that resonate and inspire action.

Strong relationship building and collaboration skills

The Director will build strong relationships across CCAC's programs and communications staff. Ideal candidates will demonstrate flexibility, tenacity, and resourcefulness, as they collaborate to deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment. This individual will be a strong team player who is results-oriented and committed to getting the job done well.

Problem-solving under pressure

The Director must be skilled in managing the unexpected, partnering with key leaders to develop appropriate responses when bad news is received. This includes quickly assessing the situation, diagnosing which audiences will need outreach and through which channels to develop authentic, transparent messages. The Director will need strong judgement and decision-making skills, especially in crisis communications.

Empathy and mission

The Director will bring experience that helps them empathize with the people and communities we serve. They will be mission-driven, unsatisfied with the status quo, and deeply drawn to serving and accompanying others.

Compensation

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and includes a generous and competitive benefits package.