Associate Director, Digital Marketing and Strategic Communications

Today, more than half of all college students in the U.S. are first-generation—the first in their families to navigate college and forge a career path beyond graduation. But only 21% of first-generation college students graduate within six years.  While there are a multitude of programs for first-generation college students, few offer the deep mentoring relationships and skill-building necessary to graduate and launch successful careers. This is where America Needs You (ANY) comes in. After completing our Fellows Program, 96% of ANY Fellows graduate college and go on to earn a median income significantly higher than their peers. 

ANY is the national nonprofit connecting first-generation college students with transformative mentorship and intensive career development for economic mobility. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in New York City, ANY expanded to New Jersey in 2012, Illinois in 2015, and our operation continues to grow. In 2021, ANY launched FirstGenU, a flexible digital career development program designed to help first-generation college students across the country launch great careers. Visit americaneedsyou.org to learn more about our programs and their impact. 

We are seeking an Associate Director, Digital Marketing and Strategic Communications. This Associate Director will drive digital content production, engage and grow digital audiences, and manage ANY’s social media and web presence. A passionate communicator, the incumbent will craft compelling messages, produce creative and impactful images and videos, drive audience engagement and development across digital channels, and tell ANY’s impact story to various audiences. This unique role will also support a major brand refresh and the development of a new communications strategy and new digital platforms as ANY steps into a new strategic direction. Reporting directly to the Chief Communications and Engagement Officer and collaborating with external partners, this role also works closely with the program team, development team, local sites, students, and mentors to produce impactful and streamlined communications products. 

Digital Marketing and Communications

• Website content: Collaborate with regional and national staff to regularly update all components of the website, ensuring accuracy, brand fidelity, and alignment with brand narrative. Ensure that web components, such as the Volunteer Portal and Events Calendar are accurate, compelling, and easy to navigate. 

• Web development: Design and develop intuitive web pages and components through WordPress that showcase our mission, build audiences, and deepen digital engagement.

• Email marketing: Collaborate with regional and national staff to develop and execute engaging strategic emails and newsletters, drafting and editing copy and building visual components. Track distribution and engagement data and iterate for deeper email engagement.

Social Content Creation & Strategy

• Lead daily social media operations by collaborating with colleagues across the organization, populating the editorial calendar, drafting high-quality messages and images, and collaborating with CCEO to execute posts. 

• Contribute to and execute a social media strategy aligned with brand and audience engagement goals. 

• Create engaging, tailored content across platforms with expertise in LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. 

• Pitch and execute collaborative content and external social events, such as live conversations, co-posts, and interviews featuring ANY experts with external partners. Support covering live speaking engagements, workshops, career days, and other events for social media.
• Work directly with Fellows and mentors to craft student-centered stories and capture impact. Cultivate an affirming and positive space on social media where first-generation college students can tell their own stories and share their perspectives.

Communications Operations and Strategy 

• Editorial Planning: Maintain and project manage the organization’s editorial calendar, tracking deliverables through project management tools.

• Content Distribution Management: Collaborate with regional sites and national staff to refine and maintain distribution lists, using Salesforce and email marketing platforms. 

• Donor Communications: Work with the development team to craft bespoke communications highlighting our mission and impact to deepen donor relationships.

• Future planning: Thought-partner with CCEO and vendors to plan and support a reenvisioning of our brand. Coordinate vendor engagement and project manage timelines and deliverables. 

• Collaborate on narrative playbooks and internal operational tools for a streamlined communications shop.

• Support operations and collaterals for all events, including our annual Gala and spring fundraising events. 

Communications Analytics

• Provide regular reports on KPIs, including engagement and reach.

• Stay informed on digital channel and platform changes and adjust accordingly. 

• Streamline and optimize current social platforms, develop buildout of new ones. 

• Grow our social media audience, reach, and engagement metrics. 

• Strong alignment with ANY’s mission, vision, and values

• Bachelor’s degree and legal work authorization 

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in a strategic communications role 

• Deep familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, video editing tools, WordPress, Salesforce, and email marketing tools 

• Expertise and fluency in social media platforms, strategies, and analytics. Experience in paid social is desired.

• Project management, editorial calendar management, and event management experience highly desired 

• Ability to wear many communications hats across functions, experience working on small teams or in growing organizations is beneficial

• High degree of initiative and ability to take ownership over workstreams 

• Proven track record of engaging and growing social media audiences 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 

• Strong interpersonal skills, solutions-oriented team player, flexible thinker, and ability to deliver on editorial deadline 
• This position is hybrid and based in the New York City area.
• This role requires flexibility and availability to support events and programs that occasionally fall on evening or weekend hours.

We offer a warm, collaborative work environment with a rich culture of support and feedback, a generous benefits package (health/dental insurance, 403(b), FSA, three weeks’ vacation, etc.), and connections to an expansive professional network.

Application instruction: 

• Please apply here and include a cover letter.  

• The salary for this position is in the range of 72,000- 80,000