Communications Manager

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (IHMEC) honors Survivors and victims of the Holocaust by teaching universal lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference. The Museum activates this mission through world-class exhibitions, public programming, and educational initiatives to equip audiences with knowledge, skills, and courage to take a stand for humanity. Today, IHMEC is the third largest Holocaust museum in the world and second largest in the country, impacting hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, law enforcement and community members annually. As a world leader in connecting the history and lessons of the Holocaust, we inspire visitors to become Upstanders, who speak out for what’s right – turning powerful lessons of history into positive actions today.

Revenues are derived from major special events, corporate and individual giving, visitor receipts, gift shop revenues, and major grant fundraising – foundation, family, and government.

THE POSITION

Position Title:       Communications Manager

Location:           Skokie, IL

Reports To:          Senior Vice President of Communications, Marketing & Business Development

The Communications Manager will work with the Senior Vice President of Communications, Marketing & Business Development to develop and execute initiatives related to Public Relations, though leadership, marketing, and social media. Responsibilities include developing media strategies and tactics to expand on the Museum’s outreach and digital footprint. They will be responsible for the communication of the Museum’s mission across all traditional media and social platforms to drive awareness, engagement, and visits to the Museum.

SPECIFIC KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Communications Manager’s key responsibilities include:

Public Relations

• Lead development of relationships with local and national journalists and influencers through research, networking and other means to gain coverage.
• Manage creation and reporting of PR opportunities to aid the expansion of Museum coverage.
• Oversee expansion of Museum’s public profile by writing press releases and in-depth pitches tailored to individual reporter beats.
• Direct press coverage through the development of editorial calendars, talking points, and interviews.
• Arrange Museum program postings to event calendars across various media channels.
• Supervise the review and selection of photos for distribution for post-event press coverage.
• Publicize and apply for institutional awards local media to raise visibility of Museum exhibitions, tours, educational programs, and leadership.
• Collect and analyze data on Museum reach and impact in social and traditional media, recommending changes to strategy to maximize results. 
• Pitch ideas for conference presentations and other speaking opportunities on regional, national, and global platforms. 

Social Media

• Execute social marketing at the Museum and expand use of video content to support strategy.
• Produce content, including interviews, videos, blogs, streamed events, and other media to maximize social exposure for Museum events and programs.
• Manage posts capturing Museum activity on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
• Lead engagement and dialogue with visitors who have responded to the Museum’s posts.
• Develop strategic responses to different user activity on social media sites.
• Analyze and report on social media impact and data, recommending any needed changes to strategy.
• Stay up to date on best practices and innovations, trends and updates on different social media platforms.
• Facilitate research on additional platforms for possible digital partnerships as appropriate.

Thought Leadership

• Draft Museum position statements with precision and attention to nuance.
• Draft and develop ideas for op-eds.

Other Duties

• Create Communications updates in collaboration with Senior VP of Communications, Marketing & Business Development for Board of Directors Meetings.
• Help develop and execute marketing strategies to measurably increase interest in Museum’s attendance, memberships, social media engagement, exhibitions, and programming.
• Provide general support for the Communications, Marketing & Business Development department and other Museum initiatives.
• Oversee Museum accounts used for PR measurement and social media, including Meltwater and Buffer.
• Successfully perform other responsibilities as assigned by CEO or Senior VP of Communications, Marketing & Business Development.

THE PERSON

Education | Experience

• A Bachelor’s Degree in a related field required.
• 5 years of PR, thought leadership & social marketing experience required.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with careful attention to detail and nuance.
• Proficiency in use of Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other social tools for engagement and marketing purposes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Candidate must be available evenings and weekends as required to facilitate media engagement or participation in occasional special events.
• Prior experience at a mission-driven nonprofit preferred.
• Prior experience in Museums a plus. 

Knowledge | Skills | Abilities

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with attention to detail. 
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to be creative with posts, images, styles, and content formats.  
• Ability to maintain a can-do attitude with all responsibilities.
• Strong desire to be a leader and key representative of ILHMEC in their work.
• Knowledge of video editing, Adobe InDesign, and Photoshop preferred

OTHER INFORMATION

Salary and Benefits

• Target salary is $70,000.
• Generous benefits, including medical/vision/dental coverage, paid time off, and retirement plan contributions, among other industry-leading benefits. 

Committed to Diversity

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. People of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Physical Requirements

May need to climb up and down stairs; to bend, stoop, and lift or move materials and retrieve files; to pull/push, lift, and carry up to 25 pounds; spend considerable time on feet; and to reach both above and below shoulder height.

Learn More

Visit our website, engage in virtual experiences, and learn more at ilholocaustmuseum.org.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume.