Full Time Communications Jobs in Rutherford, NJ (NOW HIRING)

With community residents leading the way, the mission of Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) is to build a strong, sustainable Cypress Hills/East New York, where youth and adults achieve educational and economic success, secure healthy and affordable housing, and develop leadership skills to transform their lives and community. We actively promote policies that advance racial equity.

The organization has an opening for one (1) full-time Communications and Grant Associate in the Fund Development department. This position is a non-exempt role. We seek a Communications and Grant Associate to conduct a range of fundraising and communication activities for CHLDC. CHLDC is a not for-profit community development organization and settlement house located in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. The agency's current budget is over $26 million and we serve over 20,000 residents a year from 21 service locations. The position requires close collaboration with the Director of Fund Development & Strategic Initiatives and the Executive Director.

Principal Duties:

Fundraising Responsibilities

Work with team to advance the agency's fundraising plan, including but not limited to:

• Develop foundation/corporate proposals and government Request for Proposal submissions in partnership with senior staff, program directors and the Fund Development department.
• Write proposals and reports.
• Research government and foundation funding prospects.
• Assist with individual giving appeals and donor cultivation.
• Write and coordinate appeal letters.
• Coordinate annual fundraising events, including event logistics and working with a team of volunteers.
• Provide support to staff fundraising committee, Junior Board and College Success Partners.
• Assist with a capital campaign.
• Other duties as assigned.

Communications Responsibilities

• Manage and draft weekly email newsletters using Constant Contact.
• Develop, schedule, and publish content for CHLDC's social media channels in line with our communications calendar and organizational priorities.
• Maintain and update the CHLDC website, including event pages, news, and program content (primarily through Wix).
• Support digital storytelling by collecting and organizing photos, quotes, and program highlights from staff and community partners.
• Assist in coordinating communications campaigns for fundraising, advocacy, and events.
• Monitor performance of email and social content; share key insights to inform future strategy.
• Ensure branding and messaging consistency across digital platforms.
• Collaborate with the Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing to execute and refine digital outreach strategies that support development goals.

Position Requirements:

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in communications, urban studies, social work, or related field.
• 2-4 years of relevant experience.
• Excellent writing skills. This includes ability to write for different audiences and versatility across multiple platforms (i.e. newsletter or foundation proposal).
• Highly computer literate with social media savvy.
• Must possess strong teamwork, communication (verbal and written), and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple deadlines.
• Willingness to take initiative and think creatively as we explore new fundraising strategies and tactics.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred.
• Must have flexible schedule
• Demonstrated ability to engage staff on a regular basis with consistent follow up, as necessary.
• Demonstrated commitment to leadership development, community building, and community organizing as strategies for social justice and social change.

Preferred:

• Experience with community based organizations.
• Experience with foundation or government grant-writing and reporting.
• Experience with individual giving, crowdfunding campaigns, and/or other online fundraising activities.
• Experience using Constant Contact.
• Experience using a donor data based as well as wealth engine.
• Intermediate to advanced HTML and CSS knowledge, comfort working on the back end of websites, email systems, and other platforms to manipulate HTML/CSS code.
• Experience with Adobe Creative cloud preferred.
• Bilingual in Spanish is a plus.

Supervision:

• Reports directly to the Director of Fund Development and Strategic Initiatives, who provides primary supervision and oversight.
• The role also involves regular collaboration with the Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing to ensure alignment with the organization's messaging, branding, and outreach strategies.

Compensation:

• 55,000-$60,000, dependent upon experience.
• We also offer a very competitive benefits package.

To Apply:

• Send resume, cover letter, and two (2) brief professional writing samples (1-3 pages total) and sample communication materials to Tania Rivera, Director of Fund Development and Strategic Initiatives at: taniar@cypresshills.org.
• Cover letter should describe relevant experience and interest in this position. Writing samples should demonstrate versatility across mediums (such as, for example, a sample proposal and a sample blog or social media post or website copy).

CYPRESS HILLS LOCAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER AND IS COMMITTED TO WORKPLACE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We promote recognition and respect for individual and cultural differences, and we work to make our employees feel valued and appreciated, whatever their race, gender, background, or sexual orientation.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a pleasant working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with experience.

EOE Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans