The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas, established in 1885, consists of 16 branches and 2 destination camps - all dedicated to building healthy, confident, connected, and secure children, adults, families and communities.

We are currently seeking a dynamic Communications Specialist with a passion for engaging donors and supporting the organization’s mission through impactful communication strategies. The ideal candidate will excel in creating compelling content, managing a communications plan that integrates with the overall goals of the organization, and ensuring seamless communication between internal teams and external partners. This role will also play a key part in stakeholder communications, storytelling efforts, blog creation, and supporting donor stewardship initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Content Creation and Storytelling

• Support the organization’s storytelling efforts by crafting compelling narratives about the YMCA’s mission, programs, and the people it serves.
• Write and edit blog posts, articles, and features for various platforms, highlighting the impact of the YMCA’s work.
• Social Media Management: Curate, Create, and schedule content for social media platforms, fostering community engagement and encouraging sharing to broaden reach.
• Maintains an editorial/content calendar and posting schedules for all social media channels

Email Creation and Management

• Utilize marketing platforms for email marketing, including design, scheduling, and reporting of email campaigns. Constant Contact experience preferred.
• Develop engaging and on-brand email content for various audiences, including members, donors, and the community.
• Ensure emails are optimized for readability, mobile responsiveness, and deliverability.
• Analyze and optimize email and web content performance to improve engagement and outcomes.

Special Event Support

• Provide communications support for special events, community engagement activities, and donor recognition events.
• Assist in creating event materials such as invitations, follow up thank yous, promotional emails, event programs, and signage.
• Capture photos and videos at events to be used in future communications and marketing materials.
• Coordinate event-related communications to ensure successful execution and promotion.
• Draft event recaps and success stories to share with stakeholders, highlighting the impact of the event and thanking participants.
• Capture photos and videos at events to be used in future communications and marketing materials.

Donor Engagement and Stewardship

• Develop personalized communication plans for donors and prospects, ensuring timely follow-ups and acknowledgment of contributions.
• Develop and execute donor communication strategies that integrate into the overall communications strategy for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas.
• Create tailored email campaigns, newsletters, and updates to keep donors informed and connected to the YMCA’s impact.
• Collaborate with the Development team to ensure donors receive personalized communication that strengthens their connection to the mission.
• Creating and distributing personalized thank-yous and milestone acknowledgments
• Create tailored email campaigns, newsletters, and updates to keep donors informed and connected to the YMCA’s impact.
• Developing impact reports that show the tangible outcomes of donor support, such as success stories and program highlights.

External Agencies

• Serve as a point of contact for third-party agencies, including PR and marketing agencies, ensuring smooth collaboration on marketing initiatives and creative projects.
• Coordinate with external partners to ensure brand consistency and timely delivery of materials.
  
  

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field.
• 2-3 years of experience in communications, marketing, or donor relations, preferably in a nonprofit environment.
• Proficiency in marketing and communications software (e.g., Constant Contact, CMS platforms).
• Strong writing and editing skills with a focus on storytelling and engaging content.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines, with strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Experience working with external agencies or vendors
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with photography and videography for capturing events, stories, interview, and program highlights.
• Familiarity with donor stewardship and nonprofit communications
• Proficiency in graphic design tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva) to support branding, social media graphics, and donor materials.
• Demonstrated ability to create visually compelling content that complements storytelling and brand messaging.
• Basic video editing skills to support the production of short video segments for web and social media use.
• Ability to manage website content updates through the content management system (CMS) Drupal, ensuring information is current and reflective of ongoing initiatives.