Director of Marketing & Communications

JOB SUMMARY & KEY PRIORITIES

The Director of Marketing & Communications will bring consistent, positive attention to Active Minds as the premier national nonprofit in youth and young adult mental health mobilization and activation, executing strategically sound marketing and communication campaigns and addressing our variety of needs and audiences effectively. They will strive to achieve the key goal of making Active Minds a household name for young adult mental health, sustaining that identity with our target population (young adults ages 14-25) as well as nurturing broader awareness with a wider audience, including parents, school administrators, corporate culture-setting teams, prospective strategic partners, and more. This position will be a vibrant and engaging face of the organization, able to interact and engage comfortably with CEOs and CMOs, media, celebrities, and more. The Director of Marketing & Communications reports to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). 

ABOUT ACTIVE MINDS

Active Minds is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization mobilizing youth and young adults to change the culture around mental health. Through our presence in more than 1,000 high schools, colleges, and communities, and with a wide-reaching public audience, Active Minds is creating communities of support and saving lives. Founded in 2003 by Alison Malmon after the tragic suicide of her brother, Brian, Active Minds is dedicated to supporting a new generation in ending the silence, helping to make mental health as highly valued as physical health. We approach our work with a racial equity lens and are committed to the continued process of being and becoming a more antiracist and inclusive organization. Through our many programs, we are changing social norms and behaviors related to mental health across the country.

KEY RESULTS

Strategy Development, Research, and Execution (60%)

• In partnership with the CMO, achieve the Marketing and Communications goals outlined  in the 2023-2028 Active Minds Strategic Plan
• Enthusiastically leverage and engage in external partnerships to maximize Active Minds’ brand awareness and engagement, in close collaboration with the CMO.
• Participate in the development of strategically-sound campaigns focused on priority needs and key calendar moments, including Suicide Prevention Month, World Mental Health Day, Mental Health Awareness Month, Mental Health Action Day, our annual mental health conference, Back to School, and more. 
• Cohesively manage 3 direct reports, ensuring they weave sound and breakthrough marketing campaigns across our sectors: Senior Manager of Communications, Senior Manager of Public Relations, and Marketing Manager.
• Work collaboratively with Programs team members to identify thoughtful and appropriate means of engaging programmatic partners in widespread marketing campaigns and support the Program’s needs effectively.
• Bring thought-leadership to the continued growth and enhancement of the annual Active Minds National Conference, helping to maintain its reputation as the leading conference addressing young adult mental health.
• Partner with CMO to communicate decisions on MarComm’s role in inter-team collaborations and organization-wide MarComm support of campaigns, programs, events, and initiatives
• Project manage key campaigns and initiatives (including drafting, directing, and overseeing) the implementation of strategy briefs for key campaigns, projects, events, etc., with the support of 11 person Marketing & Communications team. 
• Consistently monitor social media channels to collaborate effectively across the MarComm team for communications, marketing, and digital strategy alignment.
• Serve as MarComm lead to our annual national mental health conference (with logistical support from team project manager)
• Connect regularly with peers across the organization to identify challenges, needs, and victories and address opportunities for collaboration
• Develop content in support of high-stakes Active Minds partnered campaigns with the content-development team (i.e. web content, social copy, newsletter content, etc.)
• Lead the Sr. Communications Manager and Sr. Manager of Public Relations to elevate opportunities to leverage campaigns, programs, initiatives, events and other timely content to be pitched to media and to seek coverage
• Serve as administrator of a thorough and comprehensive MarComm calendar for the team (including marketing, communications, public relations and digital)
• Contribute to the strategic direction of corporate partnerships

Administrative and Team Support (15%)

• Compile all MarComm content for biweekly Staff Notes
• Develop agenda for weekly team meeting with input from team members
• Provide accountability for the execution of the comprehensive MarComm calendar
• Provide thought partnership to MarComm team members
• Back up CMO during travel, PTO, or other absence

Team Management (15%)

• Manage the Senior Communications Manager, Senior Manager of Public Relations, and the Marketing Manager.
• Provide leadership support across the team as necessary
• Lead MarComm team meetings as assigned 
• Participate in monthly MarComm leads meeting to discuss, set, and act on priorities
• Provide coaching support as assigned

Additional Responsibilities (10%)

• Serve as a MarComm representative in meetings and events when CMO is 1) not available 2) not the appropriate representative and keep CMO fully up to speed 
• Participate fully in Active Minds’ Anti-Racism and Inclusion plan, including serving on internal committees and continuing personal growth and knowledge gaining. 
• Actively participate as a member of the Active Minds Leadership Team
• Other duties as assigned.

ABOUT YOU 

• Aggressive go-getter, with a big-thinker and friend-raising personality.
• Passion for changing the culture around mental health nationwide.
• Belief that equity and social justice are important and driven to hear, reflect, and act on this belief.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate new concepts and visions for programs or content that will measurably change the culture around mental health.
• Exemplary relationship building and customer service skills.
• Able to prioritize tasks, organize time effectively, and respond to changing deadlines; must have ability to manage multiple tasks at a given time.

You need to have:

• Proven marketing, communications and public relations expertise with extensive success in developing and implementing strategy
• 8-10 years related experience in and leading a marketing, communications, and public relations team, or a high level of transferable experience.
• Fully digital literate, including Microsoft & Google products, and online meeting tools.
• Experience with Salesforce and other databases is a plus.

OUR CULTURE

Active Minds is a place where every employee matters. We value diverse perspectives, radical authenticity, and a community-driven approach. We dream big, offering flexibility to staff while we work to achieve our mission. As such, we are proud to offer competitive salaries and benefits and an environment that is friendly to remote working and life/work balance.

Active Minds is an equal-opportunity employer that works to advance racial equity and social justice in an increasingly multicultural and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background, intersectional identities, and lived experiences. We make a particular effort to recruit people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, and people with other marginalized identities. Active Minds encourages all to apply for our open positions as we depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission.

COMPENSATION

This position offers an initial salary range of $100,000-$114,000 along with robust benefits. The starting pay for this position is equal to others at the same level throughout the organization. Candidates whose experience meets both the minimum and preferred qualifications may be considered for a starting salary that exceeds the current amount. The role sits within Active Minds Level 5 salary band, and as such, has the potential to grow to $142,000 over time. FLSA Status: Exempt.

Active Minds has an industry-leading and competitive benefits package that includes Health, Vision and Dental Insurance, Paid Vacation and Sick Leave, Paid Holidays, Company Wide Mental Health Days, 401(k) Matching, HSA and FSA Options, Life Insurance, Short Term and Long Term Disability, Fully Paid Parental Leave, Wellness Reimbursement Program, and Professional Development Stipends.

Active Minds recruits, hires, trains, compensates, and promotes our staff regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

​​ACTIVE MINDS RECRUITING PROTOCOLS

• Active Minds will never ask an applicant to send – and Active Minds will never send an applicant - a check or any payment or item of value (such as a gift card) in connection with the interview process or job onboarding process.
• Active Minds will never ask for personal information about an applicant (such as their Social Security number or banking information) until the job onboarding process;
• Active Minds will never extend a job offer without first conducting multiple rounds of video interviews. The Active Minds interview/hiring process will always include at least 3 virtual interviews.
• All legitimate Active Minds job offers are extended verbally by the HR/People & Culture Team. 
• If you are expecting an email from Active Minds, please always verify that the sending domain in the email is activeminds.org and NOT any variation of it.

For further information on how to protect yourself from employment scams, please review these “Consumer Advice” guidelines.