DIRECTOR of COMMUNICATIONS

WHO WE ARE:

The mission of Maryland Family Network (MFN) is to ensure that very young children have strong families, quality early learning environments, and a champion for their interests. We work in collaboration with public and private funders, community-based organizations, parents, and other individuals and agencies to support those who care for young children as families strive to reach their goals. Through two-generation programs that support parents to become economically self-sufficient, raise healthy, successful children, and find quality child care; through regional services that help child care professionals improve their practice; and through public policy advocacy of programs and policies that benefit families with young children, MFN strives to ensure that all Maryland children are cared for by adults who are skilled to raise them in environments that are conducive to growth and development.

POSITION PURPOSE:

The purpose of the Director of Communications position is to lead Maryland Family Network’s public presence, marketing support, and storytelling. Reporting to the Chief Impact Officer, the Director acts as both a lead planner and a hands-on executer. This role is essential to MFN’s continued growth as a $40M non-profit organization. The Director ensures our voice is clear and effective across our traditional advocacy work, our large-scale program operations, and the communications needed to support our newer consulting services and membership networks.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for media, proactively pitching MFN experts and managing all press inquiries and relationships
• Develop and execute comprehensive communications and advocacy strategies to advance organizational priorities and influence key stakeholders 
• Translate complex policy, legislative, and programmatic information into clear, persuasive, and audience-appropriate messaging
• Lead advocacy campaigns designed to drive engagement, mobilize action, and support policy objectives 
• Oversee the creation, editing, and distribution of high-quality communications materials, including press releases, reports, speeches, and digital content
• Transform program data and technical information into compelling narratives that highlight impact and support outreach and fundraising 
• Ensure consistency of brand voice, tone, and messaging across all communications channels and organizational departments
• Manage the flow of content organization-wide, maintaining strong editorial standards and ensuring timely delivery to intended audiences 
• Collaborate with program teams to stay informed on initiatives and refine communications strategies based on program insights and outcomes
• Lead communications planning and promotion for events, including development of digital campaigns, social media, email communications, and web content
• Coordinate photography, videography, and content capture to support visual storytelling and document organizational impact 
• Support organizational leadership in promoting consulting services, membership networks, and key initiatives through targeted communications efforts
• Develop and manage the communications department’s work plans and budget
• Oversee external vendors and contractors to ensure high-quality deliverables
• Hire, train, and mentor communications staff, fostering a high-performing team environment

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Perform other duties as assigned in support of organizational communications, special projects, and cross-department initiatives
• Provide communications support for emerging priorities, time-sensitive opportunities, and external events as needed

SUPERVISORY/MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Evaluating employee performance / corrective action
• Hiring and termination
• Scheduling or assigning work
• Training (new hire training / day-to-day training/mentoring)

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum seven (7) years of experience in communications, marketing, or public relations, with demonstrated success using communications strategies to achieve organizational goals and reach target audiences
• Experience working in a growing organization, ideally one that has scaled significantly in the $20M–$50M range
• Experience managing outside vendors and supporting or supervising junior staff members
• Experience writing, editing, and delivering communications for multiple audiences, including public-facing, policy, leadership, and member communications

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS, and LICENSURE:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, English, or a related field required; equivalent professional experience may be considered
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required for local and statewide travel.

MINIMUM TECHNICAL SKILLS and EXPERIENCE: 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Forms, and PowerPoint
• Experience using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other online meeting platforms
• Familiarity with CRM or database platforms, email marketing tools such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact, website management systems such as WordPress, and social media analytics tools
• Experience managing digital content across web, email, and social platforms
• Familiarity with basic event photography and visual content capture for digital and social media use

IDEAL SOFT SKILLS:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to articulate ideas clearly across government advocacy, community programs, and business-focused services, with confidence engaging stakeholders in public-facing environments
• Proven ability to take rough drafts from across the organization and refine them into polished, professional final products
• A rare ability to see the "big picture" while still being willing to do the daily work of writing and editing
• Ability to work closely with senior leaders to turn organizational goals into clear communication tasks
• Comfortable working within a dynamic, evolving organization, with the ability to adapt communications strategies and approaches in response to changing business needs often influenced by external factors beyond the organization’s control

ESSENTIAL LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish preferred.