Communications & Development Manager
Job Title: Communications & Development Manager
Reports to: Executive Director
Location: On-site
Status: Full-time, Non-exempt
Salary: $65,000 – $70,000
Projected start date: August 11, 2025
About the Role
The Communications & Development Manager plays an essential role in advancing Key to Change’s mission by supporting fundraising initiatives and executing effective, values-driven communications. In this role, you will oversee the development and distribution of all communications and marketing efforts, including the organization’s website, social media, email newsletters, and various campaigns and initiatives. This critical role will work with a highly motivated and collaborative small team to expand student enrollment, increase donations, and drive brand awareness. A strong sense of visual aesthetics and attention to detail are essential.
Additionally, this role will engage donors who give less than $1,000 annually, manage annual giving campaigns, and manage the organization’s CRM and digital platforms. Working collaboratively with staff, volunteers, and contractors, the Communications and Development Manager will ensure that all external communications reflect the clarity, transparency, and inclusivity that define our work.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of development and communications, is detail-oriented, customer service focused, and believes deeply in the power of world-class music instruction to change lives in underserved communities.
About the organization
Key to Change’s mission is to inspire underserved youth through world-class music instruction and to support their development as self-aware leaders. As a non-profit music education organization, Key to Change is committed to empowering young people, cultivating meaningful relationships, providing an accessible range of violin and viola lessons, and demonstrating accountability and excellence in all facets of organizational operations.
Key Responsibilities
Donor Communications and Engagement (50%)
- Manage the logistics and execution of annual fund appeals and donor campaigns, including timelines, print and digital mailings and donor list segmentation.
- Create and distribute email communications in Mailchimp and Salesforce, supporting donor engagement through list segmentation, timely messaging, and engaging storytelling.
- Track campaign performance and provide post-campaign analysis to inform future strategies
- Engage with donors (who donate less than $1,000 annually) to cultivate ongoing relationships and deepen donor engagement through phone calls, text messages, emails, and social media interactions.
- Oversee the donor CRM (Salesforce): enter gifts, track interactions, run reports, and ensure data integrity.
- Monitor donor trends, lapsed donors, and other opportunities for re-engagement or uplifting donors
- Prepare and send routine donor acknowledgments, thank-you cards, and campaign updates.
- Stay current on relevant tools and technologies to streamline gift acceptance, processing and acknowledgement.
- Attend weekly staff meetings and monthly development committee meetings.
External Communications (50%)
- Lead digital communications efforts, including social media, email campaigns, digital ads, and content development for Key to Change’s website and public calendar.
- Design and produce materials such as newsletters, annual reports, concert promotions, welcome packets, and fundraising appeals.
- Design and deliver social media content, email newsletters, e-blasts, and printed materials using Canva, Mailchimp, Salesforce and other tools.
- Produce annual reports (digital and print), brochures, welcome packets, and other key publications.
- Organize the visual assets, including student photos, videos, testimonials, etc.
- Collaborate with the Creative Content Manager on storyboards, creative concepts, and logistics.
- Write, proof, and publish content and copy across social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn).
- Build relationships with influencers, respond to user comments, and interact with other accounts.
- Maintain branding standards and consistency in all materials.
- Ensure that all communications reflect Key to Change’s values of clarity, transparency, and inclusion, and are aligned with the organization’s strategic goals.
- Coordinate the online and print marketing of group classes, concerts, and programs.
Key Competencies and Values
At Key to Change, we believe how we work is as important as what we do. We value a shared approach to work that fosters accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. The ideal candidate for this role embodies the following:
- Accountability: You take ownership of your responsibilities and consistently deliver high-quality work. You manage your time effectively, meet deadlines, and communicate when challenges arise.
- Collaboration: You thrive in team settings and value diverse perspectives. You approach projects with a collaborative spirit and seek to lift others up in service of shared goals.
- Innovation & Adaptability: You are open to change and eager to find new ways of working that create impact. You welcome creative challenges and are persistent with solving problems.
- Learning Mindset: You seek feedback, are curious about improving your work, and embrace opportunities for growth for yourself and the organization.
- Community Orientation: You believe in the power of music to transform lives and are committed to an inclusive, equitable experience for all students, families, and donors.
Qualifications
Required:
- 2+ years of nonprofit fundraising, development operations, donor communications, donor relations, or related experience
- Experience managing social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) for an organization, including scheduling content, writing captions, and engaging with audiences.
- Strong storytelling and content creation skills and able to translate mission, impact, and programs into compelling copy and visuals for a variety of channels (email, social, print, and web).
- Basic graphic design proficiency, particularly using tools like Canva, Adobe Express, or equivalent, to create branded visuals for social media, print, and web.
- Exceptional written and verbal communications skills
- Strong interpersonal and customer-service skills, works well with people of diverse backgrounds
- Skilled with a donor CRM (Salesforce preferred) and comfort with data/reporting tools, donor segmentation
- Email marketing experience, including writing, designing, segmenting, and analyzing campaigns (preferably using Mailchimp or similar platforms)
- Understanding of marketing analytics, such as interpreting email open rates, social media engagement, and website traffic to inform strategy and improve performance
- Familiarity with brand management, tone-of-voice consistency, and visual identity standards in written and visual communications.
- Comfort navigating content calendars, managing deadlines for publications, and balancing multiple communication priorities simultaneously.
- High attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and able to manage multiple projects with minimal oversight
- Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment
- Interest in learning and improving systems and technologies
- Demonstrated integrity when handling confidential or sensitive information
- A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
Preferred:
- Knowledge of classical music and music education
- Comfort with prospect research and moves management
- Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from donors, volunteers, managers, parents, students, and the general public
- Experience supporting annual giving campaigns or fundraising events
- Graphic design skills or willingness to learn them
- Proficiency with Google Workspace
Work Environment and Conditions
This is a full-time (40 hours a week) non-exempt position, which includes working occasional evening and weekend hours. Applicants will need to have flexibility in work hours. The Key to Change team works in our Renton office for in-person work and events. This position is great for someone who is looking to grow professionally in a mission-based organization.
Candidates will work on-site in a professional office setting. Approximately 80% of the role involves working at a desk using a computer; the remaining 20% may include moving around the office, attending meetings, or supporting events. Occasional standing for extended periods may be required.
Technology Use: Regular use of computers, telephones, printers, and other office equipment is required. Candidates should be comfortable reading printed materials and digital screens.
Accessibility: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role. However, there is no elevator in our building.
Compensation
Salary is between $65,000 – $70,000. Generous benefits, including health and dental insurance, a retirement plan and PTO package, including vacation time and sick leave.
To Apply
Key to Change recognizes that an individual’s lived experience is a valued skill set. In addition, we recognize that data demonstrates that women and candidates of color more frequently do not apply to a job because they don’t feel they meet all of the qualifications. Our job descriptions are intended to represent an overview of the position, and are not a mandatory, comprehensive list. If you feel passionate about our mission and values, and believe you have the skills to contribute to the growth of Key to Change, we want to hear from you. Key to Change is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to workforce diversity. LGBTQIA, Black, Indigenous, and people of color and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Your application should include:
- A cover letter, including the responses to the following questions:
- What does it mean to you to have a commitment to diversity and equity and how can you contribute that to Key to Change?
- Draft a personal email to a prospective donor soliciting a gift for an end of the year campaign.
- Resume
- Work samples, including social media posts, designed materials, and longer-form writing (such as a blog post or fundraising appeal letter)
To apply, please submit your materials no later than July 9, 2025. No incomplete applications will be considered.
