Managing Director of Communications & Brand

Originally founded in 1991 as Harlem RBI, DREAM has grown to annually serve more than 2,500 youth across East Harlem and the South Bronx through a network of seven PreK-12, extended-day, extended-year DREAM Charter Schools and community sports-based youth development programs. Through our commitment to rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, deep family and community engagement, and health and wellness, we create lifelong learners who are equipped to fulfill their vision of success in and out of the classroom. We dream big, as well, with an aggressive five-year plan to expand to serve 3,500 students across seven schools—growing our organization’s impact and leveling the playing field for all children. To learn more, visit wearedream.org.
Reporting directly to the Chief of Staff, the Managing Director of Communication and Brand will be responsible for stewarding DREAM’s brand both within the organization and to external stakeholders in order to advance DREAM’s mission to level the playing field for all children to recognize their potential and realize their dreams. Through a strong understanding of our critical work, key issues, and objectives across the organization, the Managing Director of Communication and Brand will support and amplify organizational strategy and work collaboratively across teams at an exciting time of organizational growth.
Strong candidates will demonstrate a commitment to the mission, culture, and values of DREAM, bringing substantial expertise in all areas of responsibility. Candidates must also value DREAM’s comprehensive approach to education and desire to make a lasting impact in underserved communities as part of a growing organization.

Responsibilities

• Communications and Brand Leadership
• In collaboration with DREAM leaders, define and lead the planning, development, and execution of DREAM’s overall brand vision and communications strategy to expand our community and audiences, enhance our reputation and brand, and diversify and grow our sources of support;
• Communicate and consistently reinforce DREAM’s core values (maxims), value proposition, mission, and vision, among our staff, families, and external stakeholders;
• Lead and develop a Communications and Brand team that executes DREAM’s communication strategy in support of achieving organizational priorities and high priority initiatives;
• Lead with a data-driven approach to ensure attainment of annual goals and objectives for Communications-led initiatives;
• Develop and lead DREAM’s internal communications infrastructure, creating content, managing platforms, and supporting events and experiences that allow us to share leadership’s vision while fostering information-sharing, connection, engagement, and a collective identity among our internal community members;
• Drive audience engagement through original content storytelling across digital, video, social, and traditional media;
• Oversee DREAM’s public relations efforts, including managing external PR agencies, publicizing DREAM events and noteworthy news, optimizing our institutional positioning for awards, researching media outlets, and maintaining the press database;
• Oversee the preparation of organizational-wide communications materials, including messaging and talking points, Annual Reports, press releases, op-eds, blog posts, program brochures, and recruitment materials;
• Manage external relationships, including those with creative agencies, independent contractors, and software developers.


• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Collaborate with key organizational leaders to execute strategy for donor communications, brand management, internal communications, family communications, crisis and change communications, and staff and student recruitment marketing;
• Implement a communications strategy to complement DREAM’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work;
• Be a lead ambassador for the brand throughout DREAM, ensuring the organization maintains brand alignment in campaigns, partnerships, and events. Create processes and guidelines that ensure consistency of tone, voice, and style across all institutional platforms;
• Identify and capitalize on thought leadership opportunities to amplify the voices of our leaders and increase mindshare of DREAM in the Education, Social Emotional Development (SEL), Youth Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and nonprofit management spaces;
• In partnership with executive office, develop and execute DREAM’s crisis communications process and protocols;
• Collaborate with student re