The Marketing and Communications Manager plays a key leadership role on MCC Canada’s national Communications and Donor Relations (CDR) team. This individual is responsible for planning, leading, and executing annual communications and marketing strategies to deepen engagement with constituents, supporters and new audiences. This position manages a national team of creatives and collaborates across diverse networks and departments to develop compelling content and campaigns across multiple platforms. This role requires strong leadership, creative vision, excellent project management skills and a deep alignment with MCC’s Christian and Anabaptist foundations.
 

All MCC workers are expected to exhibit a commitment to: a personal Christian faith and discipleship; active participation in a Christian church or Christian community; and nonviolent peacemaking. MCC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to employment equity. MCC values diversity and invites all qualified candidates to apply.

Essential:

• Minimum 5-7 years of experience working in marketing and communications
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a supervisory or team leadership role
• Post-secondary education in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or a related field
• A good understanding of various communication platforms and how to use them successfully to drive engagement and action
• Proven track record developing and leading communications plans that increase engagement and drive mission impact
• Highly organized, with project management skills and the ability to meet deadlines under pressure
• Excellent writing, proofreading and copy-editing skills with a keen eye for detail, tone, and voice
• A commitment to both accuracy and innovation
• Demonstrated knowledge of emerging marketing and communications tools and trends for nonprofits.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships across departments, teams and external contractors to achieve shared goals
• Proven ability to drive brand relevance and consistency, including effectively educating team members on adherence to brand standards and guidelines
• A commitment to ethical storytelling
• Completion of police record check

Preferred:

• Understanding of MCC’s constituency, including Anabaptist values, church networks, and supporters
• Experience working in a faith-based or nonprofit organization
• Experience presenting to and working with senior leadership
• Experience producing multimedia content (podcasts, video, digital storytelling)
• Demonstrated success in marketing or communications initiatives that significantly grew audience engagement or brand visibility
• Experience with crisis communications or disaster response messaging
• Experience managing marketing budgets and working with external vendors
• Familiarity with branding and communications in international development or humanitarian aid contexts

 

Major Responsibilities:
60% Team leadership, oversight and management
20% Writing and editing
20% Administration

Duties
Team leadership, oversight and management 60%

• With support from the MCC Canada Senior Director of Communications and Donor Relations, and in collaboration with other CDR team members, strategically plan initiatives and build annual communications and marketing plans to effectively message the work of MCC, build understanding and drive engagement among MCC’s various audiences.
• Lead and motivate a national communications and marketing team, ensuring effective collaboration and communication between team members.
• Facilitate the Canadian Marketing and Communications Round Table, ensuring effective collaboration between the national and provincial offices. 
• In collaboration with MCC U.S. colleagues, oversee the strategic planning of international content gathering, including determining key messages, prioritizing content needs and working with IP staff to plan trips and hiring contractors (writers, photographers, videographers) as necessary
• Collaborate with other MCC Canada departments (including domestic program and the Peace & Justice Office) to create appropriate content.
• Align marketing efforts with strategic goals set by senior leadership
• In collaboration with the MCC Thrift Network, oversee marketing and communications initiatives for MCC Thrift to build brand awareness.
• Monitor results, data and best practices to advance MCC’s communications and marketing effectiveness.
• Lead MCC’s disaster communications team, overseeing the production of all necessary communications content (including fact sheets, stories, website copy, posters, videos, etc.) during a disaster appeal, ensuring maximum audience engagement.
• Liaise with freelance photographers, writers, graphic designers and external service providers (such as marketing firms) and other companies as needed.

Writing and editing 20%

• Serve as head producer of MCC’s Relief, Development and Podcast, planning annual episode schedules, and measuring and monitoring engagement to ensure effectiveness and growth.
• Oversee the production and approval of stories and other content for use on all MCC platforms, including stories, brochures, news releases, donor relations materials, marketing copy, advertising, and disaster updates and releases.
• Ensure materials align with MCC’s brand standards and guidelines, offering training for other staff as needed.

Administration 20%

• Develop and monitor budgets to support annual plans.
• Occasional travel may be required
• Other duties as assigned
• Ensure that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is exemplified in the performance of all job responsibilities and through personal example.
• Participate in regular staff meetings, spending time in devotions and prayer with all in attendance in local MCC setting.
• Model nonviolent peacemaking through daily interactions with staff and the public.
• Participate in a local church and gatherings, being willing to use their gifts within the local faith community.

Contact/Relationships:

• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Communications and Donor Relations, as well as other Communications and Donor Relations (CDR) team members to plan marketing initiatives and manage an annual communications production calendar
• Collaborate with CDR teams from MCC Canada, MCC U.S. and MCC provincial offices to develop materials to reach current donors and new audiences, resulting in greater awareness of and engagement with the work of MCC
• Collaborate with staff from other departments, as well as International Program staff, to develop communications and marketing campaign materials
• Work closely with vendors and third-party service providers.

Supervision:

• Provide supervision and leadership to the MCC Canada Graphic Designer, Multimedia Producer, Communications Specialist and Marketing Coordinator positions, coordinating the national communications and marketing initiatives

Complexity/Competencies:

• Able to articulate and synthesize information, work within MCC’s structural complexities, and develop engaging content about MCC on a variety of platforms
• Able to think strategically, using available data, best practices and emerging trends in marketing and communications
• Able to manage relationships with multiple contractors, ensuring their materials are delivered on time and adhere to MCC’s vision and values.
• Able to prioritize workflow to maximize efficiency and productivity
• Able to think and plan under high pressure while leading with composure and confidence, especially during a disaster

Independent Action:

• Exercises some autonomy in setting priorities and allocating resources in line with MCC’s mission and values.
• Must be able to work independently and in a team setting, while also initiating delivery of the agreed strategic plan for Communications and Donor Relations (CDR)
• Self-starter who can collaborate while completing projects on time
• Pays attention to details and accuracy
• Ability to develop timelines and set deadlines

Initiative and Ingenuity:

• The position requires a self-motivated, dependable, flexible, gracious personality
• Thinking creatively, outside of the box, and examining problems from many angles are required skills
• Effective leader who can motivate and manage a team of creatives
• Innovative and creative thinking within the framework of MCC’s vision and values

Communication/Interpersonal Skills:

• Possess excellent professional writing, editing, communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to build trust with multiple, complex networks across the MCC system, requiring clear communication and effective collaboration skills
• Demonstrates strong intercultural competencies, with the ability to work comfortably and sensitively in cross-cultural situations
• Able to understand and develop materials for a wide variety of audiences

Mental/Physical/Visual Demand:

• Multi-tasking, deadline pressure, collaborating with multiple groups
• Works well with content vetting expectations
• Able to produce content quickly during international disaster situations
• Possesses strong critical-thinking and decision-making skills in stressful situations
• Ability to sit in front of a computer for long periods of time
• Some travel may be required to locations of higher security risk

End Result:

• This position will strategically manage and monitor communications and marketing initiatives for MCC Canada to deepen and broaden audience engagement with MCC. This person will manage and inspire a team of content creators, providing creative and editorial direction.