Communications Coordinator

**Communications Coordinator**:

- Full-Time, Permanent Position - 37.5 hours per week_

**Who are we?**

Food is not the solution to food insecurity, but people need support today. Knowing this, we collect and distribute more than three million kilograms of food annually to 140 member food banks, meal programs, and shelters across the province. This equates to over $1 million worth of food each month. We also support our member agencies as they build capacity to serve their communities. While we help Nova Scotians meet a very basic need, we're raising awareness of the root causes of food insecurity - things like systemic racism, low wages, inadequate income support, and unaffordable housing. And we're advocating for sustainable, policy-based solutions that will allow everyone to live a life of dignity and leave no one relying on charitable band-aids to address human rights.

**What is a Communications Coordinator?**

The Communications Coordinator creates high-quality, strategic, and engaging written content to support a broad range of communication objectives across the organization. Largely, these objectives include raising awareness and understanding of the prevalence, root causes, and impact of food insecurity; advocating for long-term, policy-based solutions; securing food and financial support from donors; and supporting volunteer engagement activities.

This is a new position, reporting to the Communications Manager, as part of the overall Development and Communications team. The timing of this new position aligns with the need to increase organizational capacity. Early in 2020, just before the pandemic, our Board of Directors identified two strategic goals to complement our existing work, that focus on exploring innovative responses to food insecurity and influencing social policy to address the root causes. It’s been a whirlwind journey, as we work toward these goals, and we’ve only just scratched the surface. As we look to deepen our impact and maintain the trust and support of those who make our work possible, a strong communications program, rooted in exceptional writing strength, is paramount.

**What does a Communications Coordinator do?**
- Develops key messages and compelling written content for a variety of audiences and channels, including but not limited to news releases, op-eds, website, social media, advertisements, donor solicitation and thank you letters, donor impact reports, promotional materials, radio and video scripts, blogs, reports, and presentations
- Collaborates with members of the Development and Communications team, other departments, and occasionally member agencies, around strategy and idea generation to support the advancement of organizational goals (e.g., awareness, advocacy, and fundraising)
- Together with the Communications Manager, ensures a consistent brand voice and tone across all organizational communications
- Develops key messages and talking points to prepare organizational spokespeople for media interviews
- Edits written materials developed by internal colleagues when intended for external audiences
- Seeks out and pitches to Communications team members, stories and content ideas
- Gathers background materials and conducts phone and in-person interviews with colleagues, volunteers, member agencies, and first-voice community members to inform content development
- Drafts timelines and production schedules for larger writing assignments and projects that involve multiple components, such as videos and annual report to our community
- Liaises with printing companies, as needed, to obtain print quotes and proofs
- Seeks out and maintains an awareness of issues relating to food insecurity

**What are we looking for?**
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in public relations, journalism, communications, or a related field
- 1-3 years of experience in a writing role; a combination of education and experience may be considered as an equivalent
- Exceptional writer with proven ability to quickly and consistently produce compelling written materials for defined audiences and established communication objectives
- Works collaboratively with internal colleagues and external parties to achieve organizational goals; seeks organizational input and engagement by valuing others’ ideas and expertise
- Creative and strategic mindset
- Able to multi-task and work in an environment with tight deadlines, shifting priorities, and multiple distractions in an open concept workspace
- Appreciates the unique communication challenges that can arise when raising food and funds while advocating for policy-based solutions to food insecurity; experience in this regard is considered an asset, as is a strong understanding of issues relating to food insecurity
- Curiosity for continuous learning and development
- Centres equity, diversity, and inclusion in their work
- High level of integrity, discretion, and respect for privacy and confidentiality standards
- Proficiency in MS Office