Communication Specialist

Company Overview: Founded in 2002, by the United Ways of New Jersey, NJ 211 is a nonprofit created to help people find community resources that address the basic needs of life – food, shelter, health care and more. NJ 211 is mission-driven and works tirelessly, 24/7, to answer the call for help via phone, text, chat and through our online social service directory. The goal is to empower people with referrals, information and hope to address their needs. With an annual budget of $9M from government and charitable dollars, NJ 211 has become a trusted resource that residents, professionals and state officials turn to times of personal crisis and statewide disasters. With national accreditation from Inform USA, NJ 211 utilizes best practices in delivering information and referral services. NJ 211 is a friendly, fast-paced and demanding work environment. Our professional office offers a comfortable work atmosphere, conveniently located near Route 287and Route 10. We value a life-work balance and provide four weeks PTO, flex time and hybrid schedules. Individuals with a passion for excellence and helping others will thrive at NJ 211.

 Position Overview: The Communication Specialist will develop and nurture relationships between the organization, customers and the public. Working closely with the Communication Manager, this position is responsible for creating content for a variety of business needs in both print and digital media. This includes website/social media content, marketing materials, newsletters and internal communication. The Communication Specialist coordinates outreach activities and represents the NJ 211 at various events such as conferences, fairs and other public awareness events. 

Responsibilities:  Undertake daily administrative tasks to ensure the functionality and coordination of the department’s activities; 

 Conduct research on new topics to update website’s content; updating annually and as needed; 

 Write content for organizational newsletter articles, press releases, website and new program sheets; 

 Assist in maintaining the digital communications channels including website, text and social media; 

 Fulfill requests for promotional marketing materials; 

 Coordinate outreach events with internal staff; attend events as needed; 

 Prepare and deliver informational presentations;  Coordinate and implement an active social media calendar on social media platforms including the creation and posting of all online content’  Assist with internal communication channels such as the office bulletin board, slides for floor monitor, flyers, staff kudos and staff announcements; 

 Communicate directly with partners as needed;  Update spreadsheets, databases and inventories with statistical, financial and nonfinancial information for reporting and analyzing purposes;  Assist with curating, scheduling, and deploying SMS text via text platform;  

Other duties as assigned. Qualifications:  Associate or bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Marketing is strongly preferred  Exceptional writing and public speaking skills to represent the organization across various platforms  Experience with Constant Contact, Online analytics and Google AdWords preferred  Excellent working knowledge of MS Office and graphic design software such as Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud  

Fluent in social media including FB, Twitter and Instagram  Strong knowledge of marketing principles, market research techniques and databases  Graphic design experience with a creative eye for layout  Strong ability to multi-task and adhere to deadlines  Well-organized with a customer-oriented approach  

A valid driver’s license is needed to attend outreach events. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions 

 Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.  

The ability to lift promotional materials. Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times. 

NJ 211 is a disaster response organization working in partnership with the state emergency operation center.

 This requires all staff to be available during times of emergency, to work beyond normal hours and/or flexible hours to meet needs. 

FSLA: Non-Exempt. This position is eligible for overtime. This position is hybrid and requires some days in the office. 

The salary for the Communication Specialist is $21.00 to $25.00 an hour. Temporary staff must be with the organization for six months in order to be considered for regular full time employment within the organization. 

NJ 211 does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services and is an equal access/equal opportunity employer.