Recognizing that civil society depends on strong communities and healthy families, in 1890 Lucetta Lawson and Sarah Grant responded to the challenge for social justice in Atlanta by organizing and building an orphan’s home for young homeless girls living on the city’s streets. The Leonard Street Orphan’s Home was the cornerstone for Families First and its 100 plus year history of strengthening and preserving families and building healthy communities. By addressing the needs of individuals as well as each individual’s relationship within their family structure, Families First fills a niche in metropolitan Atlanta, evoking our sense that if as caring, cooperative human beings we work together we can make our city, region and nation a better and safer place for all.

Empowering families, children and communities to achieve this possibility and potential is both the history and vision of Families First.

Rooted in a tradition of listening and responding to the changing needs and social problems that confront the family structure, Families First’s impressive list of achievements include establishing Georgia’s first adoption agency, first foster care agency as well as the state’s first family counseling agency. Today, Families First is Georgia’s largest family-serving nonprofit agency, operating 11 programs that touch the lives of more than 38,000 individuals each year.  The organization is guided by the vision of a strong, vibrant, supportive community where all children and families flourish.  The mission of Families First is to ensure the success of children in jeopardy by empowering families, with the ultimate goal of transforming communities. The organization’s services  are structured into three key impact areas:

 

Child and Youth Permanency – Families First offers adoption (special needs, domestic, and international), foster care, permanency cooperatives (also known as residential group homes), mentoring and other services to help ensure long-term stability and a supportive environment for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted;

 

Family Sustainability and Empowerment – Families First works collaboratively with housing developers to offer transitional and permanent supportive housing, support services and training to promote family self-sufficiency;

 

Healthy Families and Relationships – Families First equips parents and families with critical skills for building strong, flourishing family relationships through parent education, concrete support, and affordable behavioral health services.

 

The Marketing Director leads the development and execution of all external and internal marketing and communications strategies to fulfill the business objectives of the agency. 

 

Reporting to the CEO, the Director has responsibility for the successful delivery of programs that favorably position the Families First brand, generate targeted business results, enhance the client experience, and demonstrate stewardship and accountability in managing our resources.

 

The Director of Marketing and Communications serves as a member of the Families First Executive Leadership Team and will work closely with and support the effectiveness of the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Development Officer and The Board of Directors. 

                                                                         

Planning:

• Collaborates with and supports the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Development Officer, the Impact Area Directors and Functional Leaders to understand factors affecting demand generation, service capacity, fundraising and client experience. 
• Publishes and periodically updates an integrated marketing plan identifying goals, strategies, audience segmentation, tactics, measures, expected outcomes and resource requirements.
• Translates these plans into an actionable roadmap for the agency that reflects the needs of each Service and functional area, balanced against overall agency priorities and resources.
• Presents and defends marketing and communications plans and programs, conducting ongoing performance analysis and progress reporting, and making modifications to plan as may be necessary.
• Actively works to build a broad understanding of not only the Agency and the issues addressed by its programs, but also the work of other child and family service organizations, both locally and nationally. 

                   

Communications:

• Responsible for creation and implementation of external and internal marketing and communications programs, serving as the primary liaison between Agency partners and any/all internal or external creative, PR and production resources. 
• Accountable for the quality and effectiveness of the work product, the timeliness of program development, delivery against plan and budget.
• Demonstrates thoughtful integration of communications across technologies and platforms, including traditional, digital and social media.
• Proactively provides innovation across all communication vehicles that the Agency uses (print, broadcast, internet, SEO and social media) and offers competitive insight into our communications and branding strategies.
• Analyzes potential new products/media/initiatives to enhance the marketing and communications of the agency.

• Develops, edits and delivers reports, opinion papers, executive presentations, press releases and other communications assets as required. 
• Reflects maturity and good judgment in managing social media and PR statements/posts, which demonstrate political and practical sensitivity to all stakeholders and Agency interests.
• The Director will regularly communicate with stakeholders on project status, and will apprise them of any issues that threaten delivery dates, budget or outcomes.
• Leads internal communications that inform, align and engage Agency staff of all aspects of Brand, Mission, Strategy and programs.
• Serves as functional liaison to the Marketing & PR Committee of the Board of Directors.  Communicates regularly with Committee Chair(s), plans quarterly committee meetings and provides timely minutes of each meeting.  Draws upon expertise and resources of Committee members.
• Develops, manages and produces materials that create a cohesive image, brand and message for our overall outcomes, even as we promote individual programs, events or initiatives.

                                   

General:

• The Director is expected to embrace and project the mission of the Agency in all work, fostering an environment where all members of the Agency are respected and valued for their knowledge and contribution. 
• Maintains awareness of, and regularly communicates trends and issues in marketing, fundraising, community and business/social factors surrounding Agency services and clients.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to Agency leaders on best practices in marketing communications and PR.  Presents ideas and opinions to executive level management in a clear, compelling and articulate manner.

• Must be a strategic thinker and able to recognize gaps and problems, initiate plans to correct or improve the situation, and make any adjustments necessary to implement the plan.  

• Is able to prioritize and manage multiple, often competing demands from internal partners and Agency leaders.  Balances strategy with a sense of urgency and bias for action.
• Strong quantitative skills, capable of planning and managing a modest budget with timely and accurate reporting.  Demonstrates unusual resourcefulness and stewardship, consistent with the Agency culture.
• A collaborative, hands-on leader, with a “Can Do” attitude and a spirit of determination in fulfilling responsibilities.
• Must be a problem-solver, who consistently offers practical solutions and/or alternatives, rather than just the recognition of the problem alone.
• Demonstrates the ability to recruit, work with and manage outside vendors to fulfill production of communication materials and initiatives.

 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, PR, journalism, communications or related field.
• 7+ years’ experience of progressive responsibility in marketing, communications and/or PR.
  • Nonprofit work experience preferred but not required
  • 3 years’ experience of management/supervisory responsibility
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel)
    • Experience with CRM or marketing automation systems a plus
    • Specific experience desired:
      • Leading a brand development initiative, crafting/articulating a value proposition and successfully executing related communications with clients and/or donors.
      • Developing marketing and/or business strategy, reflecting understanding of revenue generation models in nonprofit organizations, including the role of marketing in fundraising.
      • Managing an active social media program; Establishing and evaluating performance metrics (KPIs); Reporting and taking corrective action to improve performance against goals.
      • Internal communications, management/executive presentations and communications, PR support/media relations (development of press releases, OpEd pieces) and marketing communications collateral of all types.

 

 

Families First provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship status, disability or any other legally protected status. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, training, termination, promotions, or any other condition of employment or career development. 

If you are an individual with a disability and require accommodation to complete any part of the application process, are limited in ability, or unable to access or use the online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact our Helpline at 404-853-2876 or email [email protected] for assistance.

 

Families First is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to Affirmative Action and Workforce Diversity. 

Families First participates in E-Verify.