Communications Associate

Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts

The Eliot School inspires lifelong learning in craft and creativity for all.

Job Description

THE ELIOT SCHOOL OF FINE & APPLIED ARTS
 
The Eliot School inspires lifelong learning in craft and creativity for all. Our programs cultivate welcoming environments where people convene across a continuum of age, economic means and backgrounds to build skills, craftsmanship, and community. We sustain connections to communities in Greater Boston and beyond.
Classes for all ages take place in our schoolhouse and annex, and, for youth, in schools and community centers throughout Boston. Our focus is on manual arts, including woodworking/ furniture, sewing/fashion/fiber arts, drawing/painting, book arts/mixed media. Other programs include creative youth development, annual artist’s residency, talks, a summer concert series, and other events.
 
The organization is undergoing a period of transition, with its long-time Executive Director ending their tenure at the close of 2023. A new Executive Director will shape the organization’s next phase.
 
The Eliot School staff and board has made explicit commitments to racial equity. More than half of our students are young people of color in Boston’s public schools and community centers. We aim for our staff and board to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We are actively taking a thought-leadership role to interrogate racial inequity driven by foundational, structural, and historical issues in the fields of craft and art education. We believe that imagination and artmaking can support questioning, engagement, and recognition of one’s power to shape one’s world. As we rebuild from the pandemic, we remain committed to our mission – the mandate to serve all.
 
The Eliot School seeks to contribute to a more just and equal world. As we design our programs and spaces to pursue equity, we are currently asking ourselves: How do all parts of our school enact our mission to inspire lifelong learning in craft and creativity for all? This position works with organizational leadership to develop and implement long-term vision and present-day program implementation based on a commitment to racial equity.  
 
Communications Associate
The Communications Associate is an enthusiastic team player who reports to and provides communications support to the Director of Development & Communications. The Associate collaborates with other staff members to play a key role in the success of the school’s year-round development, communications, and marketing efforts. The Associate supports communications and development operations; maintains and implements the communications calendar, including social media, a monthly e-newsletter, website updates, and external advertisements; and supports communications, outreach, and fundraising campaigns. This position provides many opportunities for networking, skill-building, and professional development.
 
Duties/Responsibilities: 
  • Support development and communications plans and strategies.

Social Media: 
  • Manage content for social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn); regularly auditing analytics; and collaborating with Director of Development & Communications in updating social media schedules and strategies.
  • Create and manage content to enhance social media presence strategically, grow base of supporters, and ensure brand consistency across social media channels.
  • Help moderate comment threads on active posts and respond to messages promptly when necessary.
  • Manage ad generation, data tracking, and algorithm navigation.

Print Media:
  • Create marketing collateral for programs and events.
  • Create compelling graphics (for emails, flyers, social media, etc.) using tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and Canva.
  • Apply brand guidelines and style guide formats to all visual materials.
  • Manage the ordering of stationery items, name tags, business cards, graphic collateral, as needed.

Website:
  • Manage and execute new content, new pages, images, and updates when applicable.
  • Audit and track website analytics.
  • Collaborating with the Director of Development & Communications, create and maintain plans to keep website fresh and up to date.
  • Coordinate with vendors around back-end capacity, SEO, etc.

Advertising and Promotions:
  • Work with Director of Development & Communications to streamline messaging across multiple platforms and outlets.
  • Work with Director of Development & Communications to segment and identify target audiences for email communications.
  • Maintain and update segmented list of advertising resources to be targeted for various initiatives.
  • Draft press releases and co-coordinate earned media engagement.
  • Grow and maintain stakeholder e-lists across databases.
  • Maintain photo archives.
  • Track and monitor all mention of the organization in the media and maintain a library of press coverage. 
  • Work with the Director of Development & Communications to manage photography for events, publications, and promotion.

Brand and Marketing:
  • Maintain brand consistency across the organization; support staff’s use of branded materials.
  • Serve as point of contact with graphic and web designers.
  • Working with the Director of Development & Communications, produce materials and publications to advertise the organization’s work to the general public, supporters, and funders (including annual report, brochures, press packets, postcards, swag, etc.).

Other Responsibilities:
  • Participate in team and all-staff meetings and contribute to overall positive organizational culture.
  • Other duties as assigned.
 
Physical Requirements: 
  • Must be able to lift 50 pounds at times.
  • Must be able to travel.
  • Prolonged periods of standing, walking, and ability to maneuver over uneven terrain during photo shoots and events.
  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
  • Must be able to climb stairs.
 
Other duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
 
In-Office, Remote and Hybrid Work Arrangements Policy
Based on the essential functions of this position, a remote/in-person hybrid work arrangement is available. 
 
Qualifications & Skills
We hope for a combination of the following. Candidates need not fulfill every item, but we will weigh all these factors in our hiring decision.

EXPERIENCE
  • 1+ years of experience in communications, marketing, journalism, or related field.
  • Experience with any of the following tools and systems strongly preferred: 
  • Social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer, Later, etc.)
  • Content management systems (e.g., Salesforce, Wordpress, Filemaker, etc.)
  • Email marketing programs (e.g., Constant Contact, MailChimp, Messages/eNotify, etc.)
  • Design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, etc.)
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft Office
  • Intermediate or advanced level skills in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. 
  • Demonstrated success developing engaging social media content.
  • Excellent writer with skills in copy, marketing, blog, social media, and press release writing styles.
  • Superb editing and proofreading skills.
  • Experience managing and prioritizing numerous projects in a deadline-oriented environment.
  • Keen aesthetic sensibilities, with the ability to maintain brand integrity across design projects.
  • Experience with photography and/or video a plus.
 
ATTRIBUTES
  • Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and reliably.
  • Positive outlook and problem-solving attitude.
  • Demonstrated experience with racial equity transformation in organizations or community efforts.
  • Strong commitment to the Eliot School’s mission of inspiring lifelong learning in craft and creativity for all. 
  • Excellent attention to detail, creativity, and resourcefulness.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Masterful at prioritizing tasks and projects as well as time management. Ability to handle multiple priorities at the same time.
  • A proactive approach and outcome-focused mindset, flexible, and focused on solutions.
  • Comfort with technology, eagerness to learn, and ability to adapt to new software and systems.
  • The highest ethical standards and discretion.
  • Professional, mature individual who enjoys working in a small shop environment. 
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with different personality types. 
  • Fast learner who is comfortable learning new technology.  
  • Ability to keep pace and be flexible with the changing needs within the department and/or organization. 
  • Self-starter dedicated to lifelong professional development.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bilingual fluency a plus: Spanish, Mandarin, etc.
  • Some evening and weekend work required, balanced by comp time.
 
Salary & Benefits:

Salary commensurate with experience, $45,000 - $50,000 full-time. Health insurance; employer match for 401K retirement plan; family & medical leave; professional development allowance; discount on Eliot School classes. This full-time position offers the option to construct a flexible schedule. It requires some evening and weekend hours depending on programs.

To Apply:

To support our equitable hiring practice, please fill out this survey and follow the code instructions. This is designed to ensure a fair playing field for all candidates:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/35C7NWJ 
 
Send resume and cover letter to Angela Lett, Director of Development & Communications at 
development@eliotschool.org with “Communications Associate” in the subject line. 
 
Please, no phone calls.