About Urban Institute:

At the Urban Institute, we believe in the power of evidence to improve lives and strengthen communities. As a nonprofit focusing on social and economic policy, our researchers and policy entrepreneurs open minds, shape decisions, and identify transformative solutions to the most pressing issues of our time.

Our Mission

To open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions through economic and social policy research.

Our Values

Collaboration, Equity, Inclusivity, Independence, and Integrity

For more information on the Urban Institute, please visit https://www.urban.org.

The Opportunity:

Central to Urban’s mission is fostering a truly inclusive community that ensures ongoing relevance to a changing world. The Office of Communications for the Urban Institute seeks a Senior Communications Manager who will position Urban’s families and financial well-being research for visibility, engagement, and impact among target changemaker audiences. They will work in partnership with communications and research leadership to 1) articulate big picture strategies for Urban’s practice areas researching early care and education, child welfare, and financial well-being for individuals and families, 2) design communications strategies for these practice areas that help drive population-level impact, and 3) lead communications strategies for smaller projects within these practice areas. They will shape and deploy robust external visibility and engagement campaigns that position Urban as a leading source for changemakers seeking actionable data and evidence for policy solutions that advance equity. They will engage with, cultivate, and grow diverse stakeholder audiences and help maximize opportunities for Urban’s research to impact policy and practice.

This position reports to the Director of Communications with a dotted line to the Research Division Vice President.

What You’ll Do:

Communications Strategy and Management:

• Develop and implement an overarching communication strategy to promote Urban’s families and financial well-being research division.
• Lead and execute visibility, engagement, and impact campaigns across channels that advance project, practice area, division, and organizational goals and priorities.
• Manage and guide cross-functional teams in the execution of these campaigns, ensuring tasks are integrated and connected.
• Oversee an editorial calendar of news hooks, product releases, events, and other opportunities for impact.
• Prepare environmental scans to inform communications strategy and monitor the landscape for opportunities and threats.

Media Strategy:

• Closely monitor the news and lead earned media strategies that promote Urban voices and expertise and inform policy conversations on children, families, and financial well-being in real time.
• Cultivate relationships with beat reporters, producers, and editors and identify areas for collaboration and partnership.
• Oversee, in partnership with Urban’s media team, the crafting of media pitches and other timely communications for journalists and other influential voices in the space.
• Prepare Urban spokespeople for interviews and other public engagements, in partnership with the media team.

Messaging and Content Creation:

• Draft messaging materials for families and financial well-being communications campaigns that align with and advance Urban’s mission.
• Translate technical material into timely, accessible, and actionable messages for priority changemaker audiences.
• Oversee the creation of content for various channels, including media pitches, news releases, op-eds, blog posts, website copy, newsletter blurbs, social media posts, and internal communications materials.
• Oversee and maintain the families and financial well-being portfolio’s presence on urban.org, in partnership with Urban’s website production team.

Cross-functional Collaboration and Internal Communications:

• Work in collaboration with staff across communications team functional areas (editorial services, email marketing, events, etc.) and research practice areas, as well as government affairs, development, and policy impact teams to ensure communications strategies are robust, relevant, meet Urban’s high standards, and advance its mission.
• Serve as the division’s lead communications strategist and represent its interests to internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with and provide back-up to the director of communications and other members of the strategic communications team.
• Deploy internal communication strategies to keep leadership and other stakeholders informed of priority work efforts, major wins, and challenges.

Brand and Reputation Management:

• Work closely with Urban’s brand and design teams to ensure that infographic messaging and visual identity across all communication channels meets Urban’s high standards.
• Identify and flag reputational risks related to Urban’s families and financial well-being portfolio and lead the development of crisis and controversy response plans, as needed.

Measurement and Reporting:

• In collaboration with Urban’s brand and audience engagement team, monitor, assess, and track the performance of communications strategies, identifying KPI’s from the outset and using them to make improvements and guide future strategic communications planning.
• Seek and capture audience feedback that informs the design and substance of subsequent communications efforts.
• Oversee the compilation of analytics reports specific to the families and financial well-being portfolio and contribute to broader institute-wide reports.

Communications Infrastructure and Capacity Building:

• Ensure the division has adequate communications infrastructure to execute the communications strategy.
• Work with research colleagues to strengthen their strategic communications skills by leading media training and other knowledge-building opportunities.

Who You Are:

The successful candidate will:

• Possess the knowledge and skills usually associated with a bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, political science, public policy, or a related field and five to seven years of communications or public affairs experience, showing increasing responsibility.
• Have led or significantly contributed to the execution of the communications strategy for an organization, preferably with a focus on social and economic policy.
• Demonstrate flexibility open-mindedness, and the ability to adapt to change.
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills and a proven track record leading teams in the completion of an objective, including the ability to measure success.
• Follow policy news cycles closely and bring good news judgment.
• Have excellent writing and analytical skills.
• Be able to form relationships with and earn trust of a range of internal and external stakeholders and manage collaborations involving multiple, varying perspectives.
• Exhibit relevant experience with/or demonstrated interest in families and financial well-being-related policy issues
• Have experience interpreting data and translating complicated research for broad audiences.
• Display an aptitude for digital platforms and databases, such as content management systems (Drupal), project management applications (AirTable), constituent relationship management (Salesforce), media monitoring tools (Meltwater/Cision), and other digital platforms
• Show proficiency in MS Office, Word, and Excel.
• Be entrepreneurial, collaborative, audience-oriented, and metrics-driven.

Additional application guidance:

• Applicants should include a cover letter, writing sample(s), and a resume in their application package.

What You’ll Experience:

No matter your role with Urban, you will contribute to meaningful work that makes a difference for people and communities nationwide. And whether you call the Washington, DC area or elsewhere home, you can expect to be part of a welcoming and hybrid workplace. We are committed to cultivating a community and working in a manner defined by collaboration, equity, inclusivity, independence, and integrity.

Urban’s greatest asset is our people.

The target salary range for this position is Min $85,000 – Max $115,000. Salary offered is commensurate with experience and considers internal equity. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Salaries are just one component of Urban Institute’s total compensation package. Urban is committed to supporting our staff’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being through a robust benefits package for yourself, eligible dependents, and domestic partners. It includes generous paid time off, including nine federal holidays, medical (including prescription), dental and vision insurance, and transit benefits. Urban is unique in that we offer 403(b) retirement plan participation immediately after you’re hired and a generous employer contribution after six months of service and 500 hours, with immediate vesting. You’ll also have access to a health advocate, personal finance coaching, an Employee Assistance Program, and educational assistance for undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the people assigned. This posting is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Urban management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

The Urban Institute is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender or gender identity, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, veteran status, pregnancy or family responsibilities, matriculation, disability, political affiliation, or any other protected status under applicable law. The Urban Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Minorities/Women/Disabilities/Veterans.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you have a physical and/or mental disability and are interested in applying for employment and need special accommodations to use our website to apply for a position, please contact Human Resources at urbancareers@urban.org. Reasonable accommodation requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

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