Advocacy Communications Manager

Newsletter Jobs; Bellevue (WA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) match

Generous vacation & holidays

On-site gym

Free parking

Paid time off between Christmas and NY

Office snacks

Job summary

MBAKS in Bellevue, WA is seeking an Advocacy Communications Manager to lead member-focused communications and advance housing advocacy priorities. You will craft messaging for policymakers, members, and the public across newsletters, websites, social media, and events, ensuring clarity and impact.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in communications or related field, at least five years of communications experience, and at least three years of managerial experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, public affairs or related field.
• Minimum five years of experience in Communications or a related field.
• Minimum three years of experience managing a team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic, member-focused communications that advance MBAKS advocacy priorities.
• Contribute to a culture of excellence within the team.
• Provide coaching and mentorship to direct reports and collaborate with staff on projects.
• Develop and maintain processes and tools to support stakeholder needs and timely deliverables.

Skills

Team leadership

Public policy fluency

Excellent communicator

Adaptable

Detail-oriented

Collaborative

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, public affairs or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe Creative Suite

Squarespace

HTML/CSS basics

MailChimp

HubSpot

Figma

Smartsheet

monday.com

Job description

Job Title: Advocacy Communications Manager (must currently reside in Seattle / Bellevue area)

Department: Communications

Reports To: Director of Government Affairs

Location: Bellevue, WA

FLSA Status: Full-time in-office, Exempt/Salary

Compensation: Base salary of $100,000 - $110,000 DOE

Are you the right fit?

Would it excite you to have a pivotal role in communicating to our community what is necessary to overcome our housing shortage and make home more attainable to everyone?If yes, please keep reading.

About Us

Everyone deserves a place to call home. Not just an address or somewhere to take shelter, but a little slice of the universe that’s all your own. A place where you can plant roots and grow. Where you have a voice. Where you make memories. Where you always belong. A house is a structure with four walls and a roof—but a home is wherever you can be you. That place might look a little different to everyone, but the feeling of safety and comfort it provides is universal. And to us, that’s a feeling no one should live without.

Since 1909, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties has been making home happen. We live in one of the best places in the world, and as representatives of our region’s housing industry, it’s our duty to keep it that way—by making housing available and attainable to everyone. That’s why we support those who provide the Puget Sound region with places people can call home.

We’ve been the voice for builders for more than 100 years, helping to shape our community for the greater good. We devote years to creating legislation that promotes a free market where housing supply can keep up with regional demands. We collaborate with our communities to develop land in ways that serve everyone, balancing environmental preservation with housing provision. And we’re continuously building a home of our own, where our members can connect, learn from each other, and succeed. Together, we’re determined to provide our region with attainable housing—today, tomorrow, and for the next 100 years.

There’s a reason people say home is where the heart is—because home is where everything begins. It’s integral to human success, to creating connected communities, and to building a better tomorrow. That’s why, as the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, we don’t just make housing happen—we make home happen.

What it Takes to Succeed

Here are the skills and traits you’ll need to be successful in our organization.

• A team player -- You define personal success by the success of the association and your teammates in addition to the excellence of your own work.
• Courageous – You are always willing to try something new, whether that is a new responsibility or a new way of approaching an existing one.
• Self-motivated but also collaborative – You take full ownership of your work statement but also enjoy working with a team.
• Highly adaptive and resilient – When necessary, you are happy to iterate, react to changes in requirements, and learn for next time.
• Organized and detail-oriented – You have a knack for record-keeping and multi-tasking and have strong proofreading and copyediting skills.
• An excellent communicator – You write and speak effectively at varying levels of technical detail depending on what is most effective with any given audience.
• Skilled & experienced but also humble – You are confident in what you bring to the team while recognizing that your opinion isn’t the only one that matters.
• A good coach – If you are managing people, you are comfortable both praising excellence and identifying areas for improvement.

Position Overview

The Advocacy Communications Manager has an overarching primary objective: to ensure members, policymakers, and broader community understand MBAKS’ advocacy priorities and how to make home more attainable for all.

To accomplish that objective, the Advocacy Communications Manager has four primary responsibilities:

1. Develop and execute strategic, member-focused communications that advance the priorities of the homebuilding industry and demonstrate the value of MBAKS advocacy.

2. Contribute to a culture of excellence within the team to advance the priorities and objectives of the association.

3. Provide coaching, feedback, challenging tasks, cross-training opportunities, mentoring, and soft-skills consultation to any direct reports. And as you collaborate with staff on projects, help them understand the “why” in addition to the “what” of your recommendations.

4. Develop and / or maintain processes, tools and behaviors that support the needs of the association’s stakeholders. Focus on effective project management and timeliness and quality of deliverables while being approachable, flexible and professional.

The Advocacy Communications Manager currently oversees one other staff member and works closely with internal stakeholders to create and distribute a wide variety of impactful communication pieces in support of the Association’s programs, products and experiences, primarily those relating to its advocacy efforts.

The position communicates with a wide variety of audiences, including homebuilders and remodelers, industry professionals and suppliers, elected officials, and the general public, across websites, targeted emails, a weekly e-newsletter, social media, advertising, presentations, and digital and physical collateral for events.

The Advocacy Communications Manager needs to understand the unique voice and branding elements for each of those audiences and be adept at both overseeing and executing the full production process for all forms of communication. Success in this role requires strong writing and storytelling, public policy fluency, visual communication skills, and the ability to connect MBAKS advocacy work to practical impacts on members and housing.

Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, public affairs or a related field

Experience: Minimum five years of experience in Communications or a related field

Management Experience: Minimum three years of experience managing a team

Technical Skills:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite or its programs (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Acrobat, Premier Pro)

Preferred Technical Skills:

• Experienced with website (Squarespace) and email design using CSS & HTML
• Experienced with MailChimp and with data hygiene for contact databases
• Experienced with Firey Print Suite, HubSpot, Figma, mainstream social media platforms, social media management tools, and file sharing platforms
• Experienced with project management tools (Smartsheet, monday.com, etc.)

Department and Company Support:

• Highly collaborative, with the ability to work across departments and contribute to the development of communication strategies.
• Active participation in all- team activities.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods during the workday, with occasional movement between tasks.
• Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, operating office equipment, and handling documents.
• Visual acuity for reading and reviewing printed and digital materials, as well as using computers or other office technology.
• Ability to speak and hear clearly in order to communicate effectively with team members, clients, and external partners.
• Occasional lifting of office materials or equipment (up to 25 pounds), such as file boxes, office supplies, or promotional materials.
• Ability to travel locally for meetings or events, as needed (if applicable).
• Use of office equipment, including computers, printers, telephones, and other office machinery, requiring manual dexterity and coordination.

Mental Requirements:

• Strong cognitive skills for problem-solving, critical thinking, and troubleshooting.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, adjusting priorities based on shifting deadlines and organizational needs.
• High attention to detail, ensuring the accuracy and quality of work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and work efficiently under pressure.
• Ability to remain focused on tasks for extended periods, with minimal distractions in an office environment.
• Adaptability to changing work environments, technologies, and organizational processes.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, demonstrating a team-oriented mindset.

Employee Benefits

• Purpose-driven work where we believe everybody deserves a place to call home.
• Awesome coworkers, which sometimes include our dogs.
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment with a supportive team culture.
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage.
• Most employees have private offices.
• 401(k) plan with 4% employer match.
• Generous vacation, sick leave, personal days, and holidays.
• Heart safe workplace.
• On-site gym, mediocre but functional locker rooms included.
• Free parking with EV charging stations.
• Maternity and paternity leave benefit.
• Office snacks. Frankly, probably too many.
• Employee assistance program (EAP).
• Team outings and events that are more fun than a barrel of monkeys
• Paid week off between Christmas and New Year’s.
• A culture where we take our cause, but not ourselves, seriously.

Equal Opportunity Employer

MBAKS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you believe you need an accommodation during the application process, we encourage you to contact the Director of Human Resources at [e-mail]