Individual Philanthropy Communications Manager

Communications & Engagement Washington, DC, United States

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This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in our office in Washington DC. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

About the Program:
 
Now is the time to move from commitments to action on climate change—WRI is at the forefront of this urgent transition. WRI has the knowledge, convening power and tools to drive change and its Individual Philanthropy Sector builds relationships with Individuals and Family Foundations to help the Institute deliver results and bring about a more equitable and sustainable world. The Individual Philanthropy Sector is part of WRI’s broader Global Development Program, which coordinates all fundraising for WRI. In this capacity, the Individual Philanthropy Team is part of a growing and evolving Individual Philanthropy programs organized around principal gifts ($500,000+), major gifts ($10,000+), mid-level gifts ($1,000-$9,999), and annual fund gifts (<$1,000). 

Job Highlight:

The Individual Communications Manager will support the Individual Philanthropy Sector as they engage with Individuals, Family Foundations and Family Offices. In this role, you will be responsible for developing persuasive content that articulates the impact of philanthropy and our organizational goals to engage donors and prospects. You will harness storytelling to enhance donor understanding and will support and craft messages that connect emotionally and intellectually with global audiences. The Individual Communications Manager is a content creator with the ability to capture and translate a wide array of voices into personal but unified messages. They are a strong writer and editor and are committed to using communication as a tool to impact change and drive philanthropy. Your daily work will be to develop assets and tell stories that inform, inspire, and distill complex topics into compelling narratives for a non-expert audience. You will use storytelling strategies to write, edit and contribute to the design of a variety of materials including donor reports, newsletters, email appeals, fact sheets, annual reports, acknowledgement letters, talking points, run of show, and other collateral. You will support on special projects such as the Year in Review and the organization’s annual report. You will also focus on creative ways to bring donors and prospects closer to WRI and use data to inform communications strategies. You will work in coordination with your counterparts across the Global Development department, the Executive Office, the Communications department, and WRI priority country and program offices to plan, facilitate and execute on all manner of donor communications. You will be supported by the Individual Philanthropy and Communications teams. You will report to the Senior Manager for Operations & Strategy, Individual Philanthropy.

What will you do:

Content Creation (80% time):
 
  • Produce a series of bespoke impact and insight pieces for the individual donor and family foundation audience 
  • Research, write, and edit materials in support of WRI philanthropy and engagement priorities, including funding proposals, impact reports and stories, stewardship pieces, campaign materials, annual giving appeals, digital content, presentations, donor profiles, solicitation and stewardship letters, speeches, and other donor communication materials as needed 
  • Create compelling, human-centered stories to support fundraising for WRI’s Campaign for People, Nature and Climate. This may include converting existing videos into inspiring written stories, sourcing stories from program newsletters, and working with country programs to develop stories that can be used for a broad set of donors 
  • Work with the Executive Office to draft emails, letters and acknowledgements on behalf of WRI’s President for individual and family foundation donors and prospects 
  • Repurpose WRI program products for individual donors and prospects 
  • Write and edit marketing copy for priority events and initiatives. This involves writing scripts for leadership members for key engagement and philanthropic events, as well as run-of-show and background materials for staff and board members. This may also include creating materials for donor trips.
  • Develop individualized communications at the major gift and annual giving levels, inspiring continued or new philanthropy efforts, including individual proposals and reports, PowerPoint presentations, marketing emails or periodic printed pieces for larger audiences 
  • Provide editorial review of fundraiser appeals and newsletters to streamline and ensure they reflect WRI’s voice and brand 
  • Collaborate with team members to develop and maintain a suite of communications materials across the Individual pipeline 
  • Work with the Senior Manager of Communications to conceptualize and communicate effective donor messages which support WRI’s campaign and individual philanthropy fundraising efforts 
Strategic Communications & Administration (20% time):
 
  • In coordination with the Senior Manager of Communications, manage the internal Campaign for People, Nature and Climate communications strategy; develop clear and effective ways to ensure all WRI staff are receiving timely and accurate information about the Campaign 
  • In collaboration with other team members, develop and manage a calendar of forward-looking donor communications to ensure a pipeline of relevant and timely content for key donor audiences 
  • Collaborate with Senior Manager of Operations and Strategy to establish benchmarks, KPIs, and reporting processes to measure the results of donor communications; utilize data to inform communications strategies for different parts of the pipeline 
  • Support the maintenance and development of a content library and a campaign photo library  
What will you need:

  • Education: Bachelor’s degree required; preferably in Communications, Marketing, Journalism or another related field  
  • Experience: You have 5+ years of full-time work experience  
  • Experience or knowledge of donor relations and have successfully developed and executed successful stewardship strategies leading to the effective cultivation and solicitation of donors 
  • Experience distilling research, analysis, and other complex concepts into meaningful messaging for donors and other nontechnical or non-expert audiences 
  • Experience identifying, crafting, and leveraging organizational stories in the multi-media space in a way that educates, cultivates, and motivates audiences to respond with action 
  • Experience handling multiple projects, setting priorities, and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced and complex environment 
  • Experience with both collaborative and independent work 
  • Experience with and knowledge of Microsoft Office 365, Asana, Ortto or other project management and email marketing tools 
  • Basic design skills in Microsoft products, InDesign, Canva or similar programs 
  • Languages: Proficiency in verbal and written English
Potential Salary: US salary range is between 84,000 and 92,000 USD. Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.
 
How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of September 16, 2024. We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter.
 
You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.
 
What we offer:
 
  • Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
  • The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities. 
  • A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
  • The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
  • Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
  • Generous leave days that increase with tenure
  • Medical Coverage, Dental Coverage, Vision Coverage, retirement plan access and employer contribution, Paid Time Off
 
About Us:
 
Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.
 
The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.
 
Our mission and values:
 
WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.
 
Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence and Respect.
 
Our culture:
 
WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment; we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.
 
Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.

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