Brand and Communication Strategist

Hammer & NER; Wayzata (MN); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401(k) plan

Paid Time Off

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Wellness Program

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Hammer & NER seeks a Brand & Communications Strategist to bring the organization's mission to life through clear, compelling communications. You will develop content, manage channels and execute integrated communications that engage employees, families, donors, partners, and the broader community.

You will steward evolving brand strategy and translate it into experiences and messaging across the organization.

Qualifications

• Experience in communications, marketing or brand management.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• Experience managing digital communications, including social media, website and email.
• Experience developing and executing content plans, editorial calendars and integrated communications projects.
• Strong project management skills with multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate across teams and levels of leadership.

Responsibilities

• Brand management: steward the Hammer & NER brand and ensure consistent messaging across channels.
• Content strategy and storytelling: develop editorial calendars and create compelling content about people served, staff and partnerships.
• Internal and external communications: plan and distribute newsletters, leadership messages and community updates.
• Digital channels and technology: manage social media, website and email communications; optimize content.
• Sponsorships and community visibility: oversee sponsorships and partnerships for alignment with priorities.
• Project management and collaboration: lead multiple communications projects, coordinate with vendors and teams, track outcomes.

Skills

Brand management

Content strategy

Storytelling & writing

Digital communications

Project management

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

Description

Department: Community Engagement

Grade Range/Job Status: Full Time-Exempt-Salaried

Reporting Relationship: Chief Engagement & Philanthropy Officer

Supervisory Responsibilities: NA

Typical Schedule: Primarily M-F Days. Hybrid work available. Must occasionally be willing and able to work flexible hours/days, including evenings and weekends, reflective of the dynamic schedule of the organization.

Position Summary

The Brand & Communications Strategist brings Hammer & NER’s mission, story and brand to life through clear, compelling and consistent communications. The role is responsible for developing content, managing communications channels and executing integrated communications that engage employees, families, donors, partners and the broader community. Stewards the development and implementation of Hammer & NER’s evolving brand, translating brand strategy into meaningful experiences and communications across the organization. Leads content strategy and production, supports executive communications, manages sponsorships and ensures the organization’s digital channels and regular communications reflect our mission, values and priorities. All employees are expected to center, model and champion the Hammer/NER’s core values of Person-Centered, Relational, Opportunistic, and Stewardship in order to provide people with intellectual and other disabilities with the opportunity to live life to its fullest.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

1. Brand Management

• Steward the development and evolution of the Hammer & NER brand, coordinating internal stakeholders, external partners and creative resources to bring the brand to life.


• Lead day-to-day brand implementation, ensuring consistent messaging, visual identity and voice across communications, materials and experiences.


• Develop and maintain brand guidelines, messaging resources, templates and tools that help teams communicate consistently.


• Identify opportunities to strengthen brand awareness, understanding and connection among employees, families, donors, community partners and other audiences.


• Manage brand-related projects, timelines, deliverables and approvals, ensuring work is aligned with organizational priorities and reflects the experiences of the people we support.

2. Content Strategy and Storytelling

• Lead the organization’s content strategy, developing an editorial calendar that aligns communications with organizational priorities, audience needs and key moments throughout the year.


• Create, edit and manage compelling content that brings the mission to life, including stories about people supported, employees, families, community partnerships and organizational impact.


• Partner with leaders and teams across the organization to identify stories, gather information and develop content that builds understanding, connection and trust.


• Ensure content reflects Hammer & NER’s voice, values and commitment to person-centered, respectful storytelling.

3. Internal and External Communications

• Plan, write and distribute regular internal communications newsletters, leadership messages and other recurring communications.


• Develop external communications that strengthen awareness, credibility and understanding of the organization, including news updates, community announcements, organizational milestones and impact stories.


• Support communications related to organizational change, strategic initiatives and emerging issues, ensuring messages are timely, coordinated and appropriate for each audience.

4. Digital Channels and Communications Technology

• Manage and continually improve the organization’s digital communications channels, including social media, website and email communications.


• Develop and execute channel-specific content plans, ensuring content is relevant, accessible, engaging and aligned with broader communications priorities.


• Maintain website content and coordinate updates, improvements and ongoing optimization.


• Manage email communications, including audience segmentation, content development, scheduling and performance reporting.


• Evaluate and use communications technology to improve workflows, audience engagement and the effectiveness of communications.


• Monitor channel performance and use data, audience insights and emerging opportunities to refine content and strengthen results.

5. Sponsorships and Community Visibility

• Manage organizational sponsorships and related partnerships, coordinating opportunities, deliverables, timelines and fulfillment.


• Ensure Hammer & NER receives the intended visibility and engagement value from sponsorships to organizational priorities.

6. Project Management and Collaboration

• Manage multiple communications projects from initial planning through execution, balancing timelines, resources, approvals and competing priorities.


• Build strong working relationships with leaders and teams across the organization to understand needs, align messaging and deliver effective communications.


• Coordinate external vendors, creative partners and other resources as needed.


• Establish practical processes, standards and tools that support efficient, high-quality communications.


• Track project outcomes and communications performance, sharing insights and recommendations to improve future work.

Essential Knowledge and Qualifications

• Intermediate to advanced demonstrated experience in communications, marketing, content development or brand management or related field preferably in the nonprofit space. Formal, informal, and cross-disciplinary experiences will be considered.


• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills, with the ability to adapt messaging for different audiences and channels.


• Demonstrated experience managing digital communications, including social media, website and email.


• Experience developing and executing content plans, editorial calendars and integrated communications projects.


• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines and stakeholders.


• Sound judgment, attention to detail and the ability to handle confidential or sensitive information appropriately.


• Ability to work independently, exercise initiative and collaborate effectively across teams and levels of leadership.


• Physical demands include frequent use of a telephone, frequent use of repetitive motion activities including typing on a computer keyboard and the ability to work for 6-8 hours at a time at a desk and computer. Ability to lift and carry items weighting up to 25 pounds.


• Experience, ability, and commitment to working with individuals and teams that are mixed across lines of difference such as race, gender-identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, age, class, and immigrant status.


• Must be willing and able to work flexible hours/days, including occasional evenings and weekends, reflective of the dynamic schedule of the organization.


• The following, while not required, is preferred:


• Experience supporting brand development, rebranding or brand implementation.


• Experience managing sponsorships, community partnerships or brand activation.


• Familiarity with email marketing, website content management systems, social media management tools and communications analytics.


• Experience developing accessible, inclusive and person-centered communications.

This job description assigns essential functions. It does not restrict the tasks an individual in this position might be asked to perform or all qualifications that may be required currently or in the future.

Benefits

• 401 (k)


• Paid Time Off


• Health Insurance (30 hours and above)


• Dental Insurance (30 hours and above)


• Vision Insurance (20 hours and above)


• Life Insurance


• Paid Training


• Disability Insurance


• Wellness Program


• Employee Assistance Program


• Parental Leave


• Health Savings Account


• Flexible Savings Account


• Access to Employee Success Coach who assists employees within their first year of employment.

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