Outward Bound California seeks an mission-driven marketing and communications specialist who will coordinate and create content for fundraising, outreach, scholarship programs and job recruitment. As a member of the 6 person Advancement Team, the Marketing Coordinator is responsible for growing our online audience through email and social media, PR and media coverage, content creation, writing for multiple audiences with a heavy emphasis on donor communications. They will report to the Donor Engagement Manager.
You will join a strong external facing team with a track record of growing revenue each year and making deep connections with stakeholders. You will also be our liaison with the National Marketing team for national brand and fee-based program promotion and collaborate with marketing staff at 10 other Outward Bound schools across the country. We are committed to communication strategies that empower our students and communities, build equity, belonging and remove barriers to accessing our programs. We hope you join us in these efforts!
Who We Are
Outward Bound California (OBCA) is part of a national network of experiential and outdoor education programs, with a 50 year history in the US, serving over 40,000 students annually. OBCA uses unique experiences in natural settings to create social-emotional learning opportunities for our students to tap into their inherent potential as compassionate leaders and active participants in their communities.
We work with students on a range of programs, from 1-day experiences on our San Francisco Challenge Course to multi-day rock climbing, backpacking and mountaineering courses ranging from 7 to 65 days long. We work with students aged 12+, including adults, educators and veterans. OBCA is deeply committed to opening up access for students and schools that have traditionally been excluded from outdoor spaces and programs and we do this through over 40 effective community partnerships. As a non-profit, more than 2/3 of our students receive partial or full scholarships to go on a course with us in the High Sierra, Southern California and in the Bay Area.
Equity and Inclusion Statement:
We believe that all people should have safe access to the outdoors and culturally relevant and responsive educational programming. OBCA is also striving to create an equitable and inclusive internal culture where all staff members feel represented and honored for their identities and lived experiences. We examine how power, bias, race and other aspects of identity impact our organization. We work to build a culture where we are always learning and improving toward a vision for equity and belonging for all staff. We are looking for team members who can actively join us in this process. We are also committed to reflecting the diverse communities with whom we work and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ identifying folks, and women to apply.
Who You Are
Outward Bound California does not expect every applicant to have every skill and qualification listed here, and we are committed to the professional development of our employees. A strong candidate who is interested in growing and learning in this role will possess at least 75% of the following qualifications. If this is you, then we strongly encourage you to submit an application for consideration.
Knowledge & Skills
Passionate about OBCA’s mission and translating program outcomes and student stories into compelling digital and print content
Driven to bring Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice into communication best practices, and into your daily work
Self-starter who is solution-focused and flexible - sense of humor a must!
Comfortable giving and receiving positive and constructive feedback
Independent worker and cooperative team member
High attention to detail and committed to data/contact list integrity
Skills and Experience
Excellent written and verbal communicator/editor on multiple platforms, to varied audiences and in the organizational voice
Ability to prioritize tasks and work on multiple projects simultaneously with input from multiple colleagues
Knowledgeable of emerging communication strategies, especially email campaigns, social media, and online advertising
Demonstrated audience growth and effective tracking of marketing metrics
Experienced in, or possess a strong interest and willingness to learn, website management and content creation
Have a keen eye for design and audience-focused collateral creation
Advanced user of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, & PowerPoint) and/or G Suite (Gmail, Docs, Drive and Calendar)
Possess 2+ years of experience in communications and/or marketing, preferably in a nonprofit organization or educational setting
Physical & Workstyle Requirements
Enthusiastic about taking occasional field visits to the High Sierra, Joshua Tree, Southern California and throughout the Bay Area to gather content and a deeper understanding of our programs. We are able to accommodate differing physical abilities on these trips. Personal vehicle required for those living outside the Bay Area
Available for some weekend and evening responsibilities
Comfortable sitting or standing at a desk on the phone or computer for much of the time
OBCA requires all staff to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines as defined by the CDC
Bonus if you…
Alumnus of Outward Bound or other outdoor experiential ed experience
Have graphic design skills, including photo editing and infographic design
Have proficiency in Salesforce, Hootsuite and MailChimp or other CRM integration/management
Responsibilities
Partner with Advancement Team to execute the annual Fundraising and Communications Plan
Coordinate communications, branding and marketing strategy to advance OBCA in the areas of community relations, development, enrollment and outreach
Stay on top of best practices, current events, and new resources that can inform our current strategy
Content Management
Coordinate content, production and publication for digital, print, and social media
Collaborate with all departments to ensure consistency of messaging, brand voice, and visual identity
Write clear, concise and compelling content in brand voice for press releases, blogs, events, e-newsletters, websites, social media, and other materials as needed
Generate digital and social content that engages various audiences for a broader and more connected community
Curate, interview, and gather student and staff stories for external use
Marketing/PR
Manage ongoing website edits and report monthly online traffic to Advancement Team
Partner with departments to create email marketing campaigns using MailChimp for programs, fundraising, or event purposes—track and report on results
Organize and tag photo library in Flickr for easy access by organization at large
Support online ad campaigns, retargeting and audience building
Production of flyers, business cards, and other collateral as needed
Support media relations, including developing press releases, pitching stories, and responding to media inquiries
Identify, recruit, and manage external contractors, such as photographers, videographers, graphic designers, printers, etc.
As an outdoor education organization staff are required to respond when there are incidents in the field - this can be after regular work hours including weekends. Crisis communications, PR and press management are examples of where this role supports an incident.
Events
Support major fundraising, alumni, and community events to announce and recruit participants/attendees
Onsite social media, documenting and photographer/videographer management
Other event responsibilities as needed
Administration (10%)
Oversee and stay within the marketing budget quarterly
Ensure data integrity in our audience lists in partnership with the Development Coordinator and Program Teams
Other activities as assigned
Benefits, Compensation and Location
Compensation
This position is Full-Time, Salaried, and Exempt with a starting range of $50,000-$58,000
Benefits
A competitive benefits package, including comprehensive health insurance with generous employer contribution, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), four weeks of Paid Time Off (PTO) and 10 paid holidays, and 401(k) plan enrollment
Highly energetic, flexible, and supportive work environment at a mission-driven organization
Opportunity to attend Outward Bound adult course
Opportunities for professional development
ProDeal, an opportunity to purchase outdoor gear at a discounted price
Location
This is currently a mostly remote position with monthly team meetings in the Bay Area. We ask that candidates live in California and within easy driving distance to San Francisco or Los Angeles Areas.
Outward Bound California is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. Outward Bound California also promotes respect for all people, and will not tolerate harassment based on any of these characteristics.
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