Job Description

Overview

Since 1972, Covenant House has served and advocated for youth and young families experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, and exploitation. Our overarching goal is to end homelessness among youth and young families by helping them achieve housing stability, heal from trauma, tap into their innate resilience, and hone their interests and skills to forge new pathways to independence. This work is carried out across Covenant House sites in 34 cities in the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

About the Role

The AVP, Brand and Communications is responsible for the planning and implementation of integrated and effective media, public relations, and external communications strategies that support organizational objectives, enhance Covenant House’s reputation, position Covenant House as a collaborative partner, and strengthen Covenant House’s position as a leader in the movement to end youth homelessness.

In this role, you will report directly to the SVP, Brand and Communications, and will be supported cross-functionally by a team of five. You will own the building and maintaining of relationships with media outlets and stakeholders to secure positive media coverage. This includes leading the creation of media lists, press releases, and advisories for all key moments and events and establishing a timeline for outreach and engagement. You will also cultivate and steward media partners similar to how we manage donor relations. You will have the opportunity to support the creation and execution of a new brand ambassador program that formalizes our partnerships with influencers and other talent. You will measure success by reviewing and refining existing public relations KPIs and establish a cadence to analyze and report on the effectiveness of our public relations efforts to inform improvement of strategies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the organization’s public relations efforts to ensure that all media and editorial communications are consistent and in line with current goals and objectives and our brand standards and guidelines

• Build relationships with media outlets and journalists to secure positive media coverage and establish a rapport that identifies Covenant House as a valuable media partner for youth homelessness and other intersecting issues

• Relentlessly promote the mission and the many voices of the Covenant House community across all media with the goal of raising awareness, loyalty, and funds

• Position Covenant House as the movement leader by growing a speakers bureau of experts, leaders, individuals with lived experience, and influencers to represent our work in public-facing communications

• Research and prepare press releases, media advisories, and background statements for media for all key moments and events

• Produce and update talking points and briefs for leaders and influencers aligned with Covenant House

• Work across all departments at Covenant House International and Covenant House sites to gather information about key moments and establish a content calendar for newsjacking to boost visibility and engagement

• Arrange interviews with the media and prep and/or accompany talent, staff, youth, and alumni during interviews

• Accompany media during visits to Covenant House or events; arrange private or red-carpet interviews, as requested

• Monitor media coverage and other external factors to identify potential risks and opportunities

• Identify issues and topics for which Covenant House can differentiate itself and include in media pitches

• Respond to media calls as an agency spokesperson, as needed

• Create quarterly memos and status reports to public relations stakeholders with a goal of demonstrating current and future impact

• Manage and mitigate potential crises or negative publicity and initiate the crisis communications protocol, as needed

Required Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of fundamental public relations principles, procedures, and applications

• Experience managing and maintaining strong interdepartmental relationships

• Proven knowledge of public relations strategy, preferably within the nonprofit sector

• Experience with online media relations tools, such as Meltwater

• Expertise in tracking and analysis of public relations efforts

• Ability to work effectively with key stakeholders, including executives, donors, volunteers, government officials, influencers, and brand ambassadors

• Must be available as emergency contact after business hours and on holidays and weekends, as required

Required Qualifications

• Ten-plus (10+) years of corporate, agency, or nonprofit public relations experience in a New York City-based organization

• Prior experience in journalism or related media field

• Superior written and oral communication skills

• Prior experience working on a cross-functional team

• Knowledge and experience of the importance of brand to an organization

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Qualifications

• Spanish-language skills are not required but are desirable due to our work with Covenant House sites in Latin America

• Existing relationships with media partners is a plus

Travel Requirements

• This position is 100% remote, but requires attendance at special events and media moments in New York City approximately one to two times per month
• This position may cover a high-profile media moment outside of NYC
• Ability to travel once per year to New York City in January for our two annual in-person traditions: our Staff Day of Renewal and our Holiday Celebration

Our Community

Our critical mission demands that we have all voices at the table. A team of diverse people, perspectives, and experiences is smarter, stronger, and more effective for our young people. At Covenant House, every team member is valued, respected, heard, and supported, and we welcome honest and courageous self-reflection on any aspects of our work that are based on biased or outdated viewpoints. We deliberately create opportunities for our staff to grow and thrive.

Covenant House International is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind: CHI is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at CHI are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, family or parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. CHI will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and encourages all qualified applicants to apply.

If you have a disability or medical condition and need a reasonable accommodation, such as an ASL interpreter or a different interview format, or if you have physical accessibility needs, let us know. Contact us at 1-800-388-3888, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern Time or email us at chipeopleandculture@covenanthouse.org.

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