Brand and Communication Strategist

Websitecommerce; Wayzata (MN); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Paid Time Off

Health Insurance (30+ hours)

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Paid Training

Disability Insurance

Wellness Program

Employee Assistance Program

Parental Leave

Health Savings Account

Flexible Savings Account

Job summary

Hammer & NER is seeking a Brand & Communications Strategist to bring its mission to life through clear, compelling branding and content across channels. You will lead content strategy, manage communications channels, and translate brand strategy into meaningful experiences for employees, families, donors and partners.

The role requires developing and executing editorial calendars, coordinating with leaders, and ensuring our voice reflects person-centered values.

Qualifications

• Intermediate to advanced demonstrated experience in communications, marketing, content development or brand management in nonprofit space.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day brand implementation with consistent messaging, voice and visual identity across materials.
• Develop and maintain brand guidelines, messaging resources, templates and tools.
• Create, edit and manage compelling content about people supported, employees and partnerships.
• Plan, write and distribute internal newsletters and leadership messages.
• Develop external communications like news updates and impact stories.

Skills

Brand management

Writing & storytelling

Content strategy

Digital communications

Project management

Tools

Social media tools

Website CMS

Email marketing tools

Job 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

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.