Communications & Engagement, Senior Director

About Our Organizations

Jefferson East, Inc. (JEI), a placed-based, multi-service nonprofit and its real estate development arm, East Jefferson Development Corporation (EJDevCo) create inclusive neighborhoods along the east Jefferson corridor and its neighborhoods. EJDevCo’s goal is to prevent displacement of lower income residents and long-term businesses through direct real estate development as the neighborhoods grow. Revenues from EJDevCo flow back to JEI to support neighborhood programs.

As two organizations, JEI leading neighborhood improvements services and programs, and EJDevCo leading real estate construction projects—both are focused ensuring the neighborhoods develop inclusively. This newly created position will support our shared service operating model between the two organizations. As one of the primary engagement persons for JEI, the Senior Director will also be responsible for performing communications and engagement services around real estate projects for the EJDevCo team. The right candidate will be able to tie JEI & EJDevCo’s needs together by testing innovative engagement strategies and delivering on proven approaches within the neighborhood. 

Who We Are

JEI has been serving five eastside neighborhoods for over thirty years. Our long-term commitment and ongoing work in these neighborhoods has resulted in deeply cultivated and trusting relationships that are nurtured by the entire team.  What we do well is maintain relationships with neighborhood thought leaders, residents and business owners, bring people together quickly, create opportunities and problem solve to address the needs of the community in collaboration with our partners.

This position will enhance and expand on the JEI and EJDevCo teams engagement activities by:

• Increasing our visibility and physical presence in the JEI service area;
• Enhance internal engagement between team members by developing more effective feedback loops, thereby contributing to the development and management of an enhanced engagement strategy.  
• Support resident understanding and informing of EJDevCo’s portfolio of real estate redevelopment projects and our inclusive neighborhood development principles in practice.

 The Senior Director will report to the Chief Operation Officer (COO). The Senior Director position will provide shared communications and marketing services to EJDevCo and support internal team members with engagement activities. The right candidate will have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to maintain effective working relationships with a variety of colleagues, staff, appointed and elected officials, state and county agencies, Detroit residents and business owners.  Also, having experience working in urban communities, preferably in the City of Detroit, is desirable. 

 Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Engagement

• Strategize, design and knit together neighborhood engagement activities between JEI and EJDevCo. 
• Develop an engagement strategy in collaboration with the team; execute and continuously evaluate what is working well and what needs to be adjusted.
• Design engagement strategies and activities around specific neighborhood redevelopment projects with the real estate team (EJDevCo CEO and architect, for example).
• Test and deploy new engagement tools to increase the awareness of neighborhood change, participation opportunities, educate about upcoming real estate projects and evaluate the effectiveness of new engagement tools.
• Extract critical information heard at neighborhood meetings.
• Coordinate and convene JEI’s annual neighborhood district meetings, as set by the board of directors.
• Facilitate and present at neighborhood meetings around design charrettes and special projects

Communications

• Support the development of neighborhood messaging and C-level messaging with JEI and EJDevCo’s CEO, COO and Marketing Manager.
• Manage the Marketing Manager and other communications.
• Manage strategic contractor relationships (PR/Media) in partnership the Marketing Manager.
• Support the marketing manager to engage and respond to residents on social media to dispel myths, provide factual and timely information and reinforce JEI’s core messaging about inclusive neighborhood development.
• Distill complicated financial and real estate messages for our neighborhood audiences.
• Possess baseline knowledge of how all different communication channels are used to facilitate our engagement strategy.
• Ability to empathetically and effectively edit and proofread the work of others.

Fund Development

• Support fund development strategizing with CEOs, COO and team members around critical neighborhood improvement services.
• Ability to articulate and craft saleable programs to funders in support of CEO and COO.
• Support writing grants and reports, as needed.

Our Ideal Candidate

• High energy, charismatic, innovative, creative individual with stellar public speaking skills
• Places value on addressing tough issues. Needs to be comfortable with figuring out and mitigating neighborhood issues instead of suppressing or side-stepping difficult and hard conversations.
• Ability to build systems; taking information learned from the neighborhood, and then operationalize continuous improvements that enhance JEI’s collective engagement
• Ability to keep immediate supervisor and designated others fully and accurately informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems
• Independent thinking—can get things done—yet collaborative team player
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with diverse audiences
• Excellent writing skills
• Thrives in a constantly changing environment, can adapt plans and manage multiple projects
• Quick learner of technology software

Desired Minimum Qualifications

• Experience in engaging a diverse audience; understanding Detroit residents and businesses is helpful
• Masters Degree preferred. Bachelors in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Social Media/Digital Marketing or related field.

Skills & Tools

• Strong computer skills including working knowledge of Google Apps, Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and customer relationship management tools (Salesforce).
• Ability to evaluate, test, pilot and deploy new engagement tools

Compensation and Benefits

• $75,000-80,000, depending on qualifications
• Benefits including 401K, BCBS PPO, Vision, Dental, and Long-term disability
• Flexible work environment
• Generous paid time off, including week off

To Apply

Provide a cover letter, resume and two writing samples by April 15, 2019.  Applications submitted without writing samples will not be considered.