Clemmons Family Farm: Media and Communications Director

Company: Clemmons Family Farm

Annual Salary: $60,000

Location: Charlotte, Vermont

Description

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Clemmons Family Farm is seeking a Media & Communications Director to join our team of dynamic, innovative, fun-loving, hard-working, high-caliber people who are ready for heavy-lifting and multi-tasking in a rapidly-growing start-up organization that is building on a proud 60-year legacy of work in African-American/African diaspora arts, culture, farming and community-building.

Review the position description below and if you are interested, send an expression of interest and resume to:

Clemmons Family Farm, Inc.

contact@clemmonsfamilyfarm.org

This position is open until filled.

Job Opening: Director of Media and Communications

Introduction:

Clemmons Family Farm, Inc. (CFF) is an African-American led 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Vermont. We are seeking exceptional candidates for a Director of Media and Communications to support our mission-driven programs in community wellness, artist empowerment, arts and culture, K12 education, agriculture and conservation, and historic preservation.

This full-time position reports directly to the Executive Director and is part of a team of dynamic, innovative, high-caliber professionals in a rapidly-growing start-up organization that is building on a proud 60-year legacy of work in African-American/African diaspora arts, culture, farming and community-building.

The candidate must be fully committed to championing the organization and its work under its three-part mission (Preserve-Empower-Build):

(1) the preservation and stewardship of the historic Clemmons farm (only 0.4% of all farms in the nation remain Black-owned and the Clemmons farm is one of just 18 such farms in the state of Vermont);

(2) empowering and advocating for Vermont's Black/African-American artists and culture bearers to thrive in a safe and equitable creative economy; and

(3) building a loving and supportive multicultural community in a state that is currently tied with Maine as the whitest in the nation (94.5% of the population is white, while Black residents comprise just 1.3% of Vermont's population).

Position summary:

The Director of Media and Communications

(DCM) oversees CFF's public-facing, mission-driven media and

communications. The DCM leads the design and supports the content development for Clemmons Family Farm's communications platforms, including our social media (FB, Instagram), newsletter, donor reports, annual reports, webpages, Eventbrite, and other public-facing communications. This position also engages with the members of the Vermont African-American/ African Diaspora Artists Network (VAAADAN) to facilitate positive and empowering relationships between CFF and the Network, and to foster strong, mutually supportive collaborations among members.

Duties:

COMMUNITY-BUILDING COMMUNICATIONS (40%)

• Communications guidance and strategy:

Review, update, and ensure consistent use of CFF's communications guidelines and strategy.

• CFF Newsletter: Once a month, solicit and incorporate staff contributions and feedback to generate a professionally formatted newsletter and distribute via CFF listservs, CFF website, and social media.

Coordinate with President & Executive Director and other

CFF staff about any key events, upcoming deadlines, announcements etc.

• CFF Social Media: Generate 5-10 social media posts that advance the mission and visibility of CFF's work per week to each of CFF's platforms. Prompt CFF staff as needed to share photos and information to feature in social media posts. Follow all VAAADAN members on social media, as well as CFF's allied organizations. Engage with community and network posts and send gratitude messages for online fundraisers.

• CFF Public Calendar: Manage CFF's public calendar and ensure our major community events are announced and appear on the calendar.

• Graphic Design: Design CFF's educational and promotional materials, working closely With other CFF team members who will provide the content.

• Press release: In consultation with the President and Executive Director, issue press releases and serve as point of contact for press inquiries.

• Communications Audit: Lead and implement an annual audit of all CFF communication platforms in collaboration with other CFF staff. Audit will include establishing an annual social media calendar, soliciting feedback annually from staff on social media, and establishing annual goals to track our progress in improved communications and engagement with the community.

VERMONT AFRICAN-AMERICAN/AFRICAN DIASPORA ARTISTS NETWORK (VAAADAN) COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH (20%).

• Communications: Maintain regular communications with VAAADAN members through CFF's listserve, social media, and digital applications

• Outreach: and a new digital platform facilitating VAAADAN members' networking and empowerment, including Calls to Artists, news and information, professional development opportunities, grants, and paid opportunities. Work closely with CFF staff.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS/OUTREACH (20%.

• Receiving/Responding to General

Mail: Open/sort and respond to electronic inquiries, voice mails, and DMs from the public on CFF's general contact emails, leave-a-message phone, and social media.

• Outreach: Work in close collaboration with other CFF team members to plan and lead community outreach through relationship building, setting up and managing information and display tables at large events organized by other organizations

EVENT MANAGEMENT, DOCUMENTATION & REPORTING (20%)

Event management:

• Working in close collaboration with CFF team members, plan, coordinate, and manage CFF's special events (heritage celebrations, on-farm community events, conferences, partner and community meetings)

• Design/prepare CFF signage and materials for events

Documentation:

• Capture images and video of CFF's events and programs for use on social media, website, newsletter, Eventbrite page, and other public-facing platforms.

Reporting:

•Work in close collaboration with the President to develop and issue end-of-year annual highlights letter and mailing to Clemmons Family Farm's extended community including writing, editing and creating graphics.

•Support the compilation, writing, and design of CFF's annual report and its distribution to funders and key partners.

•Support preparation of foundation reports when design and graphic content are needed.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Outstanding writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.

• Demonstrated proficiency in creative design using Adobe Illustrator, Canva, and other design software

• Experience creating engaging content on social media platforms including instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

• Experience in creating engaging newsletters using an email marketing platform (i.e. Mailchimp, Bloomerang CRM, Constant Contact, etc).

• Experience with Hootsuite or another social media management platform preferred.

• Experience in development of messages for regular media (e.g., press releases, statements)

• Demonstrated experience in event management

• Knack for storytelling and an ability to analyze what goes well with an audience and what doesn't.

• High attention to detail and a keen eye for design,

• Able to work collaboratively with people from diverse backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, and religion.

• Life experience living and working in communities of color, including fluency in Black/African American and African Diaspora cultural reference points.

• Emotional maturity, treats others with kindness, respect, and compassion.

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Media and Communications or a related field

• Minimum of three years prior professional experience working in media and communications.

Location:

• This position is hybrid:

• On-farm events and occasional in-person/on-location programs require physical presence in Charlotte or elsewhere in Vermont.

• Most day-to-day communications may be done remotely.

Compensation:

• $60,000/year full-time salary

• $500 per year as an annual educational benefit that may be applied for professional development courses, subscriptions or memberships provided that these are relevant to the position, and approved in writing in advance by the President. The educational benefit must be used within a

12-month period of employment and cannot be rolled over to a subsequent year.

• Up to 26 days (208 hours) annually of accrued paid time off ("PTO"), which can be used for any purpose, including sick leave, vacation days, or personal days.

• Paid holiday leave during US government holidays when US government offices are closed

• Employer contribution to your health insurance monthly premium.

How to Apply

Position opened until filled

Email resume and cover letter to: contact@clemmonsfamilyfarm.org and put “Media and Communications Director position” in the subject line.

Short-listed candidates will be requested to share contact information for three professional references and participate in one or more interviews with the CFF team members.