Careers

This position reports to the State Outreach and Engagement Director. Applicants from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse environment to continue to build a strong and equitable prenatal-to-3 system of care. This position can be performed remotely, and hybrid remote-work opportunities are available.

The Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center aims to be the go-to resource for actionable evidence for state policy leaders as they develop and implement the most effective policies that ensure children get off to a strong start and thrive. We seek an energetic and experienced person to develop and implement marketing and communication strategies to strengthen and grow the network of internal and external audiences for the Policy Impact Center.

Duties and Responsibilities

Project management and leadership:

• Direct and manage all internal and external communication efforts
• Develop and manage content calendars based on communication goals, and event and campaign production timelines for the Policy and Research teams
• Track and monitor relevant analytics to improve communication effectiveness and efficiency
• Provide on-going mentoring and feedback to staff and support the professional growth and career development of staff
• Develop materials to educate staff across the organization on communication practices

Marketing and strategy:

• Develop and implement marketing and communication strategies to meet organizational goals, in partnership with the Policy and Research Teams and in consultation with the Leadership Team
• Work with staff to develop original content and opportunities to meet communication goals and to translate complex research findings to policy action
• Seek and implement innovative strategies and improvements in use of communication channels and features: branding, website, social media (all), mass email, public relations
• Ensure that efforts are coordinated and messaging is consistent across channels.
• Advise and train faculty, staff, and students as needed on communication issues
• Build employee advocacy and participation in communication efforts across all teams

Writing and graphic design:

• Develop voice and branding/visual style for all external communications to meet strategic goals and reach intended audiences
• Create informative and interesting press releases, press kits, newsletters, and related marketing materials.
• Ensure all external pieces are consistent in voice, including the adaptation/translation of research reports, briefs, and other publications for marketing purposes and the writing of original content
• Ensure all external pieces are consistent in branding/visual style, including the design of primary branding pieces (report/brief/working papers templates, presentation template, leave behinds, posters, letterhead, promotional pieces); materials for special events; external publications (reports, briefs, website publications, visualizations, etc.); and project graphic design needs (custom art, surveys, etc.)
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of five years of related experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education

Required:

• Experience developing and implementing a communications strategy
• Experience synthesizing complex concepts clearly and concisely and communicating sensitive topics effectively
• Ability to discern and justify the appropriate messages for different lengths and formats

• Excellent project management and organizational skills, strong problem-solving abilities, tenacity about details and organization
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent proofing and editing abilities with strong attention to detail
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with others in a team environment
• Able to come up to speed on new topics quickly, multi-task effectively, and produce high-quality work under time constraints; flexible and able to adapt to changing timelines and circumstances when needed
• Experience providing supervision and guidance to other staff
• Demonstrated understanding and support for key concepts in diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment

Preferred:

• Work experience or deep understanding of public policy-making and policy issues that impact families throughout early childhood, prenatal-to-3 period or early childhood.
• Keen ability to differentiate between advocacy and being a resource for evidence-based research

Other:

• All applicants should provide a cover letter

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.

Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.

Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.