Madison, Wisconsin
Olympia, Washington
Gurugram, India
Chicago, Illinois
Posted: 13-Mar-25
Location: WASHINGTON, D.C.
Type: Full Time
Salary: $80,000-$95,000
Preferred Education:
Communications Manager – Economic Recovery Corps
Reports to: Vice President of Emerging Practices
Classification: Exempt
Location: Remote or DC-based
Salary Range: $80,000 to $95,000
Position Summary
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) seeks a Communications Manager to support its Emerging Practices Division and the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC), a $30 million partnership initiative with the U.S. Economic Development Administration. This position will play an instrumental role in elevating the visibility and impact of ERC, a transformative program designed to promote equitable economic recovery and resilience in underserved communities around the United States.
The Communications Manager will lead the development and execution of an integrated communications and storytelling strategy that demonstrates ERC’s impact, elevating its visibility to support fundraising and partnerships. This role involves designing impactful messaging, managing a comprehensive communications portfolio, and building collaboration across a diverse set of partners and stakeholders to amplify ERC’s mission. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with expertise in public relations, media engagement, donor communications, and digital content creation.
The Communications Manager will report to the Vice President of Emerging Practices but work closely with IEDC’s Director of Marketing and Communications to ensure message consistency and coordinated execution. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced communications leader to shape the narrative of a transformative program, driving visibility and engagement for ERC’s mission to promote equity-driven economic development.
About the Economic Recovery Corps Program
The Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) is a bold new initiative aimed at addressing deep-rooted economic disparities in some of the most economically distressed communities across the United States while cultivating the next generation of economic development innovators. Launched in 2023 by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) and six leading national organizations (NADO, NACo, ICMA, CORI, NLC, and RAIN Catalysts), ERC connects organizations with the talent and capacity needed to advance new ways of doing economic development that promote equity, resilience, and transformative change. Learn more: www.economicrecoverycorps.org.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Communications Leadership
- Develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy to advance ERC’s mission, emphasizing equity-driven economic development.
- Align communications with ERC’s goals of visibility, community engagement, and stakeholder support.
- Oversee the creation of cohesive, multi-channel messaging that resonates with diverse audiences, including donors, government entities, media, and underserved communities.
Media Relations and Public Engagement
- Cultivate relationships with journalists, editors, and influencers to secure earned media coverage in mainstream and technical outlets.
- Draft and pitch press releases, op-eds, and articles, ensuring impactful media engagement.
- Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on media strategies and public statements.
- Represent ERC at events and networking opportunities, ensuring alignment with the program’s branding and messaging.
- Collaborate with IEDC’s Marketing and Communications team on the broader IEDC media relations strategy.
Content Development and Storytelling
- Create compelling content for fundraising campaigns, donor updates, reports, and promotional materials.
- Collaborate with program teams to identify and highlight success stories, case studies, and impactful narratives.
- Manage multimedia content creation, including podcasts, video storytelling, and visual design, to amplify ERC’s reach.
Coalition Management and Vendor Oversight
- Organize communications with and across ERC’s six national partners, fostering collaboration and cohesive messaging to elevate the program’s visibility and impact.
- Oversee contractors in graphic design, photography, video production, and editing, ensuring timely and high-quality deliverables.
- Develop RFPs and manage projects related to ERC’s communication needs.
Digital and Social Media Strategy
- Collaborate with IEDC’s Marketing and Communication team to oversee ERC’s digital presence, including the ERC website, its representation on IEDC’s social media platforms, and a shared digital content calendar.
- Develop strategies to increase engagement and visibility, leveraging analytics to refine approaches.
Stakeholder and Partner Communications
- Provide guidance and support to ERC’s national partners, host organizations and fellows, ensuring their materials align with brand guidelines and messaging standards.
- Facilitate knowledge sharing and best practices among hosts and fellows to enhance communications efforts at the local level.
- Facilitate capacity-building sessions on communications best practices, including writing impactful success stories.
- Produce materials for stakeholder engagement, including newsletters, fact sheets, reports, and tailored toolkits for various audience segments.
- Manage ERC’s Circle.io platform and content to support internal communication and collaboration between IEDC’s ERC team, national partners, fellows and host organizations.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, or related field (Master’s degree preferred).
- Minimum 5 years of experience with progressive responsibilities in strategic communications, public relations, or journalism.
- Proven track record in launching programs and securing media coverage.
- Experience creating donor and stakeholder engagement content.
Skills
- Writing and Editing: Exceptional ability to produce high-quality written content.
- Media Relations: Strong relationships with media outlets and proven ability to secure coverage.
- Visual Storytelling: Proficiency in overseeing graphic design, photography, and video production.
- Digital Expertise: Experience managing websites and social media platforms. Familiarity with WordPress, HubSpot, Canva, Circle.io, and MS Office 365 tools is a plus.
- Project Management: Skilled in managing projects, RFPs, budgets, and deadlines.
- Team Leadership: Ability to build a team and manage external vendors.
Attributes
- Strategic thinker with a creative mindset.
- Data-driven approach to communications.
- Strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to equity and inclusion.
- Passion for economic resilience and addressing systemic inequities.
- A collaborative and innovative mindset.
- Commitment to the mission and values of IEDC.
Job Location
This position is eligible for remote work within the United States. Candidates will be required to travel, as required, for meetings, conferences, or team events. Candidates within commuting distance of Washington, DC are considered local and have the option to work from IEDC’s offices. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
Benefits
IEDC has a generous benefits program that includes health, dental, vision, term life, and disability insurance, plus sick and annual leave, federally recognized holidays, a cell phone benefit, a 401(k) plan, and an annual professional development stipend.
To Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to careers@iedc.org. Applications submitted without cover letters will not be considered.
IEDC seeks to model the diversity of the communities we serve and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer dedicated to fostering a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.
About IEDC
IEDC is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that, for nearly 100 years, has been helping economic developers around the world facilitate economic well-being in their communities. It is the largest organization of its kind supporting this profession.