Director of Marketing and Communications

North Suburban Synagogue Beth El is a Conservative, egalitarian Synagogue located on the North Shore of the greater Chicago area, and the spiritual home to 1000+ families. We are a dynamic congregation with an extensive variety of services and programs to meet the interests and needs our members. We come together to pray, to study, and to create and enjoy our warm community.

Our Congregation is seeking a Marketing and Communications Director to manage a high volume of digital, print, internal and external communications, and to help articulate and implement an ongoing communications strategy for the Synagogue. We seek to align our messaging, sustain a consistent brand, and provide easy access to all communications. This full-time position reports to the Executive Director and works in close collaboration with the Clergy and the Executive Committee and in concert with of the Board of Directors, the Lay Leadership, and Synagogue Staff. The Director also will meet regularly with the Communication Committee consisting of lay leaders, to fulfill and sustain the communication objectives, measure results, set a course for continued communication improvement and lend support as needed.

The Marketing and Communications Director is responsible for managing our Synagogue’s internal and external communications, including the website, Shabbat bulletin, weekly and event emails, flyers, social media, news releases and special projects as assigned.  The Director will supervise a marketing assistant. Together they will ensure that our Synagogue’s overall message and brand is maintained, and all communications are delivered to our targeted audiences in a timely, efficient manner.

The list below provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the Marketing and Communications Director but is not all inclusive.     

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR’S PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS

• Supervise and manage the NSSBE WordPress website
• Oversee technology integration into the website and other outlets
• Review, strengthen, and maintain Internal Communication processes and branding standards
• Work with staff, clergy, and lay leadership to strategize and develop their individual marketing initiatives to ensure they reflect our Synagogue’s overall goals and strategic plan
• Supervise outside design resources, including photography
• Oversee the proofreading of all communication materials
• Supervise the design, editing, proofreading, and production of the weekly Shabbat Bulletin (Shabbat pamphlet), the weekly email and event blast, and the digital screens in public areas of the Synagogue
• Design, edit, and produce the collateral material: A quarterly newsletter that showcases our Synagogue’s departments and programs; the Development Office’s initiatives, Synagogue Departments’ programs, and affiliates’ programs and events (flyers, posters, ads, brochures and e-mails)
• Plan and manage a social media strategy (including Facebook, YouTube, and other social networks) designed to support membership recruitment, school enrollment, increase engagement, and maximize fundraising
• Create and submit news releases and features as necessary
• Serve as the staff liaison to the Communications Committee
• Coordinate with the Communications Committee to set and sustain a course for continued communication improvement
• Manage the Marketing and Communications budget
• Attend weekly staff meetings
• Analyze and report on digital marketing analytics
• Attend relevant conferences and seminars for further growth and knowledge of communications information and technology advances

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in Communications/Journalism/Marketing preferred

• 5 or more years of experience in a marketing/communications related position; non-profit experience is strongly preferred
• Exceptional writing, verbal, proofreading, and editing skills
• Competency in all Microsoft Office Suite programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)
• Experience with all social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) Constant Contact, WordPress, Adobe Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with emphasis on accuracy and quality
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment
• Able to work effectively with a team and with lay leaders
• Solid design skills, digital photography/video skills (shooting/editing) a plus
• Photo editing and Adobe skills also a plus
• Knowledge of the Jewish Community preferred