DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Job Description

Job Description

Description :

• Texas Baptists is a convention of more than 5,300 Baptist churches. Active membership at a church supportive of Texas Baptists is a condition of employment. Texas Baptists makes all employment decisions based on its religious mission, purpose, and beliefs while otherwise complying with all federal, state, and local employment laws. The BGCT is dedicated to fair hiring practices and only relies on lawful exemptions to employment laws to the extent necessary to protect its religious mission, purpose, and beliefs.

BASIC FUNCTION :

The Director of Communications leads the Communications Department to develop, execute, and continuously evaluate a strategic communications plan to inform and inspire Texas Baptists churches, ministry partners, and ministry staff towards the greatest possible cooperative missions and ministry. The director ensures the Texas Baptists story is clear and compelling, and is effectively communicated to member constituents, the public, and members of the media. As a Leadership Team member, the director is the primary point of contact for communications issues and maintains relationships with outside communications providers.

Requirements :

RESPONSIBILITIES / TASKS :

NOTE : Some descriptions may have more specific duties and / or goals and objectives attached to this form. Such attachments normally reflect unique aspects of specific locations, shifts, departments, etc.

1. Lead in developing, executing, and evaluating effective and appropriate strategic communications and marketing plans for the Texas Baptists in alignment with the established goals and objectives of the Texas Baptists Executive Leadership Team, Leadership Team, and Executive Board.

2. Direct the work of the Communications Department by establishing effective plans of action, appropriately budgeting to execute those plans, supervising the ongoing work, and evaluating that work on a regular basis.

3. Monitor expenditures of the Communications Department within the framework established by the Texas Baptists Finance and Accounting Office and within the budget adopted by the Texas Baptists.

4. Relate to the Executive Leadership Team, Leadership Team, and Committee on Annual Meeting in executing the Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in accordance with committee desires and convention policies. Work with the Director of Conferences and Events Planning in executing all aspects of the Annual Meeting that relate to communications and marketing functions.

5. Assist the Executive Director in his relations with member constituents, the public, and members of the media by informing him of timely issues, connecting him with appropriate representatives, and suggesting appropriate talking points.

6. Assist Texas Baptists officers and other elected convention leaders in their public and media relations.

7. Function as a public and media spokesperson for the Texas Baptists and assist others on the Texas Baptists staff in being spokespersons on specific issues for which they have expertise and by which the mission of the convention is advanced.

8. Serve on the Texas Baptists Leadership Team. Attend meetings, participate in projects, and provide reports as required.

9. Assist the Executive Leadership Team and Leadership Team in communicating with the Texas Baptists staff and with other communications needs that may arise.

10. Monitor and evaluate emerging media and changes in the media / communications / marketing environment effectively. Develop an evaluation process to determine the most strategic uses of media that are best for Texas Baptists; report to the Executive Leadership Team, Leadership Team, and Executive Board on media evaluations as appropriate.

11. Assign the following functions to appropriate staff members and provide appropriate resources and support to accomplish these tasks :

12. Provide leadership in the Texas Baptists relationships with other communications providers for services such as marketing and public relations, and evaluate those relationships on an ongoing basis.

13. Provide counsel to the various Texas Baptists ministries regarding communications needs.

14. Conduct research to determine the most effective methods and messages to be used in Texas Baptists communications and marketing efforts.

15. Learn and maintain current working knowledge of the Texas Baptists as an organization, including but not limited to the Texas Baptists budget, processes, policies, and personnel involved in meetings and events.

16. Develop and maintain an effective relationship with the Executive Director and Senior Director of Resource Development. Maintain communication with the Executive Director and Senior Director of Resource Development in order to keep them informed of concerns, ideas, suggestions, and other matters of interest.

17. Facilitate communication between the Executive Director and Executive Leadership Team and external constituents or groups as required. Work with the Executive Director and Senior Director of Resource Development to plan and coordinate speaking engagements, meetings, and travel as required.

18. Research issues and information and provide reports as requested by the Executive Director and Senior Director of Resource Development. Ensure the Senior Director of Resource Development is informed of work in your area through memos, reviews, presentations, and reports.

19. Attend meetings and / or travel with the Executive Director, Executive Leadership Team, and Senior Director of Resource Development as requested. Represent them at meetings as requested when they cannot attend. Prepare briefings from meetings for them as required.

20. Source, interview, and hire staff for the area of responsibility. Provide direction and supervision of direct reports; provide professional growth and development; develop and communicate goals and objectives; monitor, evaluate, and provide constructive feedback and direction to direct reports; conduct annual performance and ongoing evaluation.

21. Attend meetings and participate in training as required.

22. Maintain compliance with The Baptist General Convention of Texas policies and procedures. Maintain compliance with all state and federal laws and regulatory requirements.

23. Perform other duties as required.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES :

NOTE : These requirements represent minimum levels in order to perform the job on a satisfactory basis. Candidates must have the ability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job.

1. In-depth understanding of a comprehensive field of knowledge, generally acquired through a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in related fields, plus at least 5 years of related work experience.

2. Active membership in a church supportive of Texas Baptists during employment.

3. Commitment to Christian principles and teachings both professionally and personally, actively walking with God each day and growing in Christlikeness, with an understanding and commitment to Baptist history, heritage, and distinctives.

4. Ability to think critically, synthesize, strategize, and execute amidst high complexity, and clearly articulate and carry out novel courses of action under pressure.

5. Ability to effectively and persuasively express thinking through speaking and writing.

6. Ability to conceptualize an organizational approach to meeting strategic needs for Kingdom and organizational impact.

7. Ability to evaluate situations and develop detailed processes for handling a wide range of organizational assignments.

8. Experience in working with financial budgets and understanding of financial statements. Requires the ability to prepare and manage a budget successfully.

9. Knowledge of team building principles and ability to facilitate teams of people.

10. Ability to relate positively, influentially, and sensitively to a broad spectrum of persons in a variety of multi-tiered relationships and settings to include but not limited to clergy, laity, the media, institutional staff / faculty, various Baptist organizations, board and committee members, Baptists of Texas and beyond.

11. Ability to provide strategic and logistical planning and facilitate meetings, conferences, workshops, and retreats as required.

12. Ability to think strategically.

13. Ability to work in and promote a multicultural organization.

14. Commitment to provide quality internal and external customer service, including needs assessment, meeting standards, and evaluation of satisfaction.

15. Excellent, professional written and oral communication skills.

16. Ability to effectively manage personnel; requires administrative skills to include, but not limited to, staff selection, development, motivation, scheduling, and evaluation.

17. Excellent listening skills, interpersonal skills, and relationship-building skills.

18. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Requires the ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

19. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Use logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

20. High level of skill in interpersonal communication.

21. Working knowledge of laws relating to communications and personnel issues.

22. Proficient ability to speak, read, and write English.

23. Ability to travel as required to various geographic locations and some individual and multiple overnight stays.

24. Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with staff, elected convention leaders, churches, committees, organizations, etc.

25. Excellent organizational skills; proficient ability to multitask.

26. Professionalism in the workplace to include professional and accurate communication with others.

27. Proficient working knowledge and ability to use various office software, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Google applications (mail, docs, etc).

28. Ability to use up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and / or up to 20 pounds of force frequently and / or 10 pounds continuously to move objects.

29. Ability to work in areas such as preparing and reading data and figures, reports; requires visual inspection involving small details. Although important, depth perception and field of vision (peripheral) are not as critical as the ability to distinguish small details and markings very near to the observer.

30. Ability to grasp, push, pull, carry, or otherwise manipulate objects; ability to perform tasks requiring action of muscles or groups of muscles and foot and / or hand-eye coordination.