Marketing Manager, Communications (NYC)

Who we are:

The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit criminal justice organization that strives to build just government institutions and safe communities free from the scourge of racism, white supremacy, profit, and inequity that is pervasive in this country’s legal systems. We are an “inside” lane organization that drives change at scale with ambitious public sector leaders who share our commitment to building anti-racist, reparative systems that deliver justice. We leverage our access to government to transform these systems and work collaboratively with stakeholders across many movements—including advocacy, grassroots, and grassroots organizations. Our role is to pilot solutions that are transformative and achievable, harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice, and use advocacy and communications to change narratives and norms.

Vera has a staff of almost 300 people and offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.

Who you are:

The External Affairs team is responsible for overseeing marketing and communications strategies, identifying, attracting, planning, promoting, and managing projects, events, and other opportunities to showcase Vera’s mission and work. This includes: driving social impact for Vera through cause marketing efforts, philanthropy, and volunteerism; executing integrated marketing strategies; producing written content and briefings for Vera’s President, and managing relationships with cultural influencers to engage them in publicly supporting Vera’s mission.

Reporting to the Director of External Affairs, the Marketing Manager will lead, develop, and implement integrated marketing strategy to elevate Vera’s brand and support Vera’s mission. This includes working with Vera’s digital team and developing a marketing strategy with measurable results across Vera’s digital communications channels, such as social media, email, and paid media; developing and launching mass market advertising and creative campaigns to grow brand awareness for Vera and increase unrestricted giving; and building new marketing channels for Vera, such as merchandise and influencer outreach. You will join a team of communications professionals including digital, editorial, and visual content creators, and media and messaging, social media, and government and public affairs experts. The team works closely across all units at Vera.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Develop and implement an integrated marketing strategy with specific and measurable objectives for building Vera’s brand and supporting Vera’s programmatic and communications work.

• Conduct analyses of Vera’s brand, using quantitative and qualitative tools and techniques, to inform Vera’s integrated marketing strategy.
• Plan and coordinate marketing campaigns to support the acquisition of new supporters, growth of Vera’s brand awareness, and expansion of Vera’s fundraising efforts.
• Develop external brand and marketing materials, such as brochures, brand kits, and one-pagers, to support Vera’s broader marketing objectives and as needed to market to key audiences.
• In concert with creative team, digital team, and external affairs director, contribute to the development of creative campaigns, such as online videos and other marketing tactics.

Develop strategies to expand marketing channels and manage day to day operations as needed.

• Develop and launch Vera’s online merchandise store, coordinating with communications, creative, finance, and operations teams within Vera to ensure brand-compliance, continued growth, and efficient operations.
• In coordination with digital and development teams, establish paid media and advertising strategies on emerging marketing channels, including social media, gaming, and others where key target audiences are present.

Lead special projects as needed, which cut across teams and functions within communications.

What qualifications do you need?

Required:

• A passion for social justice. You are aligned with Vera’s mission and vision to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems.
• A deep knowledge of and passion for marketing. You know what the leaders in the field are doing and have a perspective for how Vera can add our voice and our presence to the landscape.
• Demonstrated experience creating and implementing creative marketing campaigns from conception to execution. You are detail-oriented and organized, but you can see the big picture.
• You are an effective team player and project manager. You can work with people from various functions and of varying levels of experience, guiding projects toward successful outcomes by keeping the big picture in mind.
• You have keen time management and multitasking skills, including the ability to take initiative, prioritize tasks and duties, pay close attention to detail, and work independently while meeting specific deadlines.
• Exceptional digital communications skills. You can distill complex, technical subject matter into accessible and concise explanations.
• At least 4-6 years of experience in marketing, with at least 2 years in an agency setting or working in a non-profit, political, or advocacy setting.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree preferred.

List of required software applications:

• Microsoft Office Suite

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $83,400 – $87,600. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute’s total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff—both personally and professionally—is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time and remote work schedules. To learn more about Vera’s benefits offerings,  click here.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People Resources / Marketing Manager, Communications
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.

Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.  All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status. 

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission. 

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org