Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago (CCAC) is the largest private human services provider in the Midwest and one of the largest in the country. Operating at a scale of $200 million annually, each year we touch 375,000 lives in need of compassion and help, employ 1,300 amazing team members, and regularly connect with thousands of donors, prospective donors, volunteers, and other partners.

We seek an experienced, creative, and highly collaborative Senior Director of External Communications (SD-EC) who will help us tell our story across these critical stakeholder groups (and more) in a fresh, dynamic, and compelling way.

The SD-EC will be an integral member of our Institutional Advancement team, charged with expanding and deepening our relationships with our most critical external supporters and stakeholders, as well as helping us to find our future donors, corporate and foundation partners, and friends.

The Institutional Advancement Team reports directly to Catholic Charities' President and Chief Executive Officer (P/CEO) Sally Blount, as a critical partner to her. Sally is a strong communicator who seeks a strong communications leader, who will partner with her to make external communications a source of distinction for Catholic Charities.

The Institutional Advancement Team is led by two Vice Presidents, one overseeing all giving; i.e., assuring that we have all of the revenue that we need to serve; and one overseeing all of the operations that support and vitalize our giving and engagement pipelines. A critical component of our outreach operations is excellence in external communications.

The SD-EC will report to the Vice President, Institutional Advancement -- Operations (VP-IAops). They will be responsible for driving CCAC's communications strategy, outreach architecture, and key messaging in order to share the compelling, inspiring work of CCAC and amplify its purpose and message of hope.

* Our purpose: 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.

For the right mission-driven communicator, this role will provide an incredibly compelling platform for finding meaning at work, achieving impact on behalf of a cause that truly matters, and growing professionally.

A Strategic Communicator
The SD will work to advance CCAC's purpose and outward impact by crafting and leading messaging, themes, and compelling stories that share the transformative work of CCAC. They will be skilled at deploying a variety of channels and creating messaging that resonates across diverse audiences within the Chicagoland community and beyond. This leader is a strategist with demonstrated experience in setting and implementing effective communications strategies in complex organizations. They will have a demonstrated talent for seeking and absorbing diverse input. They will be able to work across our organization and communications platforms to develop a cohesive identity and narrative.

The SD will highlight the work of CCAC through the stories of the men, women, and children we serve and through the work of our dedicated frontline staff and volunteers. The SD will use the CCAC website, social media, podcast, print and digital reporting, gift announcements, media placement, and other channels to communicate with diverse audiences, but with one overarching and compelling voice.

A Communications Expert
The SD will drive and implement an integrated strategic communications plan -- organized by audience and by channel. With an ability to identify and amplify the right messages with the right delivery to cut through a crowded and fast-paced communications space, the SD will strategically position CCAC as a thought leader and change maker, crafting stories and narratives that "sell" externally across various channels.

The SD will be a skilled and experienced writer and editor with an ability to communicate complex information effectively to external audiences. This leader will learn the institutional history and culture of CCAC, gather interesting stories by building fruitful internal partnerships, and discern how best to leverage stories of the work with external audiences with professionalism and a collaborative spirit.

The SD will exhibit a wide-ranging curiosity and will be deeply committed to improving access and information regarding the critical services CCAC provides. They are analytical and data-driven, able to conceptualize and analyze both problems and solutions and identify key metrics that will help CCAC work towards its strategic objectives.

A Leader of Integrity and Courageous Compassion
The SD is an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics and values; someone who can be trusted without reservation with exemplary judgement, a strong work ethic, emotional and social intelligence, an ability to bring compassion to the table in tough situations, as well as a natural joy and foundational understanding of our shared humanity.

Above all, this leader will bring a personal passion and commitment to CCAC's purpose as well as an appreciation and understanding of the organization's vision, methods, and impact.

A Skilled Collaborator and Executive Communicator

The SD will work closely the VP-IA and P/CEO to align on core messaging and strategy with professionalism and confidence -- understanding the power of collaboration and teamwork.

They will be part of a cross-functional team, emerging as a natural leader within it, that crosses the organization to deliver on a best-in-class basis. This leader will be expected to collaborate with colleagues in People and Culture, Programs, Government and Corporate Relations, and Mission Engagement to assure that all messaging and talking points reflect one unified and compelling voice.

They will be confident in supporting the P/CEO, as needed, in preparing public remarks and published pieces. Through their partnership, they will be able to help direct, elevate, and leverage the P/CEO's natural capabilities as a public speaker and writer on behalf of CCAC.

Key responsibilities include:
* Working with key stakeholders, including the President / CEO, to develop a guiding strategy that will drive and govern development of all external communications.

* Developing and maintaining a robust yet streamlined suite of communications materials and tools that incorporates proactive storytelling to raise visibility of CCAC and its work, and can be used across multiple stakeholders and groups, including the website, Spirit magazine, social media, and partnerships and placements in various Catholic and other media.
* Leading development of CCAC's annual and quarterly communications maps, identifying key themes and preparing supporting materials, and ensuring effective timing of communications across audiences.
* Building out CCAC's verbal, written and visual design content using a small internal team and top-tier bench of contract writers, designers, and project managers who will help keep communication fresh, dynamic, nimble, and fully aligned with CCAC's visual identity guidelines and key messaging.
* Preparing CCAC's top leaders to be effective communicators with cascading key messages for sharing with their internal teams and external constituents, with particular emphasis on and attention toward donors, prospective donors, and engaged public audiences.
* Maintaining a relationship with the Chief Communications Officer for the Archdiocese of Chicago to assure that all external communications messaging -- both proactive and reactive -- aligns and synchronizes, as needed.
* Partnering closely with:
o President and CEO to identify key themes, language, and vehicles for communicating at local, regional and, as appropriate, national levels to articulate and amplify CCAC's purpose, goals and impact to funders, donors, parishes, board members, mission engagement partners, service peers and partners, and the broader CCUSA network;
o Both Institutional Advancement VPs to produce best-in-class donor messaging and drive measurable results in social media and print campaign-based fundraising to support $40-50 million in annual fundraising;
o Leaders in People and Culture; Government, Corporate, and Foundation Relations; Mission Engagement, and Client and Community Impact to support messaging and enacting Charities' broader communications strategy in support of all of our most critical stakeholder relationships;
o Chief of Staff to build strong management of communications and messaging aligned with the President / CEO's priorities.

About CCAC
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago (CCAC) was founded more than a century ago to meet human need through the Mission of Charity. Partnering with mission-driven people and organizations across Cook and Lake Counties, CCAC improves lives and nourishes spirits; strengthens and empowers people, families, and communities; and commits to being present through the eyes of faith. As the largest human services provider in the region, CCAC serves thousands daily--regardless of their faith, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum Experience:

3-5 years