Communications Manager

Are you looking for a pivotal role which will shape the future of a CIC and Charity working on key challenges in housing, education and employment? Are you excited to take on a strategic post which will demonstrably improve the charity’s work with its service users, supporters and other key stakeholders? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Kineara is looking for an experienced Communications Manager who can grow our fundraising potential and engage key stakeholders across the sector, while shaping and delivering communications and outreach campaigns that demonstrate our social value proposition and grow our support base. They will play a key role in helping Kineara grow our communications channels, increase audience engagement, expand our fundraising potential through data-driven campaigns and powerful storytelling; and build strategic relationships with existing and potential funders.

You will work closely with project managers and the Senior Leadership Team to shape communications around our key delivery areas including identifying how support services can reduce barriers to secure housing, work and school; prevent evictions and homelessness; and improve health and wellbeing of people facing challenges. You’ll use this understanding and data to shape impact storytelling and communications with existing and new stakeholders. You will feel real ownership over your work and need to be self-starting, flexible and hungry to grow within an already impactful charity with a strong social mission and vision. You will be keen to understand how our work makes a difference to people and use our impact to demonstrate our social value.

This role crosscuts a range of key specialisations, so you may have experience working in communications and be keen to widen your skillset; you may have a background in impact evaluation, you may have experience in curating digital content for charities; or you may have worked in fundraising or development for a non-profit. We are keen to invite candidates with a range of experience from a variety of non-profit roles and are especially interested to meet candidates who have been part of, or are ready to be part of, the strategic growth of a social organisation.

Why us, now? Kineara is going through exciting changes as we rapidly expand our service user base and are opening up new avenues of finance, engagement and growth. Our most recent projects have put us at the forefront of innovative ways of delivering support to private renters or those living in temporary accommodation, working in partnership with housing services, private landlords, local authorities, solicitors and health services to envision secure housing for all. We are also a team with lived experience and are a culturally diverse, spirited and mission-focused team that takes care of each other.

Why you? You are motivated by seeing people who have experienced marginalisation or vulnerability thrive and you have the drive to grow the reach of our organisation so that more people in need can access our support. You have a wide skillset and open attitude, ready to learn what you don’t already know and confident to lead on your projects but understand the value of listening, collaboration and working towards joint and shared ambitions.

• Communications & PR

• Develop, contribute to and implement impact-driven and strategic communications campaigns that build Kineara’s presence across its wide audiences and expand its fundraising potential.
• Manage digital content strategy for Kineara, including producing short form video content, promotional videos, infographics, interviews, thought leadership, impact storytelling, case studies etc. to grow Kineara’s digital and social media footprint.
• Work collaboratively with practitioners and the housing projects manager to regularly develop and publish information sheets, resources and content on Kineara’s website.
• Plan and manage campaigns and petitions that influence policy and shape key decisions affecting our client group.
• Ensure consistent implementation of Kineara’s brand messaging across all organisational engagements, campaigns, and materials, in alignment with Kineara’s identity, mission, vision, and core values.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, and media outlets to proactively promote Kineara’s work, including identifying relevant media opportunities, pitching compelling stories, responding to media inquiries.
• Work closely with IT and business managers to ensure smooth running of internal communications.
• Maintain and expand Kineara’s website and its functionality to meet the growing needs of the organisation.
• Develop positive relationships with a range of stakeholders providing funding to charities, including in the third sector, public sector, and the business sector, to raise awareness and promote our work.
• Contribute to grant and tender applications, and manage and coordinate work of external consultants supporting grant writing process where applicable.
• Manage and administer online fundraising platforms, and develop accessible, persuasive campaigns for public donations.

• Work closely with Operations Manager and practitioners to embed outcomes, utilise and optimise frameworks for monitoring and evaluate Kineara’s projects; and produce yearly evaluations and Impact Report of Kineara’s services.
• Utilise CRM software such as Advice Pro to generate data-driven impact analysis and develop evidence-based communications materials for donors, funders and stakeholders.
• Use learning from impact analysis to share with team and deliver impact-driven communications and to share our social value to funders and other stakeholders.

• Contribute to development of business plans and strategic decision-making, working with the CEO, Finance Lead and Operations Lead (SLT).

With a strong alignment with Kineara’s values, you will be:

• An outstanding communicator who can engage, inspire and support colleagues, donors, trustees, volunteers and other stakeholders.
• Confident in promoting thought leadership to share our knowledge to develop external alliances and discuss topical issues online.
• Passionate about addressing poverty and inequality, and commitment to equality and diversity.
• A self-starter and a team player, with a flair for building relationships.
• A creative communicator with a strong awareness of current and emerging trends in the charity communications sector, who proactively develops innovative and effective ways to communicate charitable causes, drive engagement, and inspire support.
• Adept at big picture thinking and project management, but also be able to engage with the detail to ensure projects are successfully completed.
• Comfortable with and skilled at change management and relish the strengths and challenges of a small and dynamic team in an evolving organisation.
• Analytical and reflective, but with excellent time management and ability to work under pressure.

We’d like to see a strong track record that is relevant to each of the key components of the role, although we recognise that you may have stronger experience in one or more areas. You will be able to demonstrate that you could deliver in:

• Planning, executing, achieving targets to grow income streams, including donor prospect research, developing new donor relationships, and grant writing.
• Working on effective online or offline fundraising campaigns that influence a range of stakeholders, with a reflective, creative and innovative approach.
• Using impact and outcomes to engage and promote services to funders, partners and other stakeholders.
• Developing brands and brand awareness in line with organisational objectives.
• Creating communications plans in support of strategic objectives, and executing these to a high standard, reflecting and improving these to achieve greater impact.
• Familiarity with social media channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook and solid experience of content creation and website management.
• Creating and executing community, outreach and fundraising events.
• Strong IT skills and familiarity with CRM databases, MS Office, Word Press.
• Ability to put together and manage project budgets.
• Creating, developing and adapting outcomes tools such as survey, questionnaires, and focus groups.
• Planning, creating and executing evaluations of projects, including creating surveys, events, questionnaires and feedback tools.
• Managing communications/fundraising officers and external consultants.

To apply for the role, please click on the apply button and send an up-to-date CV and a cover letter (up to two pages). Please provide concrete examples and experience where possible, however we are open to hearing how you might develop or demonstrate these abilities or attributes if you have not yet had many years of experience in the field. You can also include:

• Why you wish to apply for this role.
• Your relevant experience, knowledge and skills, based on the person specification above.
• What other qualities you have that you could bring to the role.

Please note we will be shortlisting candidates as we receive applications and reserve the right to close the advert before deadline date if the right candidate comes along.