Marketing and Community Engagement Manager

Who We Are

Solid Ground (SG) is an award-winning nonprofit organization whose proven, holistic approach helps families build the strong foundations they need to emerge from homelessness into a brighter future. Through safe, affordable housing and innovative supportive programming, Solid Ground helps families transition to a higher-level of self-sufficiency and break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for the next generation.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

At the heart of Solid Ground is the belief that housing stability is fundamental to the healthy development of children and to a family’s ability to be contributing members of the community. Solid Ground currently runs eight programs in suburban Ramsey and Washington Counties and housing over 660 individuals annually. Our mission is to prevent and end homelessness for families with children in the communities we serve through housing, resources, and opportunity.

Wages

$32.00 - $34.00 per hour depending on qualifications and level of experience

Benefits

• Paid vacation and sick time
• 12 paid holidays
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and options for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Long-term disability insurance – the employer pays the premiums
• Employer-paid basic life insurance with the option for additional coverage paid by the employee
• Voluntary benefits: Accident, hospital indemnity, critical illness, short-term disability insurance
• Solid Ground sponsors a retirement plan with a 3% employer match plus immediate vesting

Because Solid Ground is a member with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) who partners with St. Mary’s University, Solid Ground employees and their spouses are also eligible for the following benefits at St. Mary’s University:

• Discounted tuition for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate programs
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to advancement (internships, job placement, field practice)

Schedule

This is a regular, full-time, hybrid position that requires the ability to travel within the Twin Cities Metro Community to attend community meetings and events.

Job Summary

Solid Ground is hiring a Marketing and Community Engagement Manager to lead Solid Ground’s external communications, storytelling, marketing, public visibility, and community engagement. They will play a significant role in building awareness and relationships throughout Ramsey and Washington Counties and the greater East Metro, connecting community members with opportunities to support Solid Ground.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the annual marketing and communications plan with the Director of Advancement and organizational leadership, including independently maintaining an organization-wide communications calendar.
• Maintain consistent messaging, voice, branding, and a case for support across fundraising, presentations, outreach, and external communications.
• Work with Program staff and the Grants Manager to gather accurate outcomes, statistics, stories, and program information.
• Manage social media posts and the content calendar, including developing email communications, monthly electronic newsletters, and maintaining and updating website content.
• Create written and visual content for appeals, annual reports, presentations, donor communications, print materials, and digital channels.
• Track and report audience growth, digital engagement, and communications effectiveness; recommend improvements, including location-based marketing such as geofencing when appropriate.
• Protect participant dignity and confidentiality in stories and photographs, and safeguard donor, participant, and financial information in accordance with Solid Ground policies.
• Develop relationships with local media and identify opportunities to increase awareness of Solid Ground’s work throughout the East Metro.
• Prepare press releases, media pitches, talking points, and organizational announcements.
• Develop and carry out a proactive community engagement strategy to expand visibility and relationships throughout Ramsey and Washington Counties.
• Identify and pursue speaking and attendance opportunities with Rotary clubs, Chambers of Commerce, civic and faith organizations, businesses, professional associations, community foundations, employee groups, and other community organizations.
• Deliver presentations and maintain presentation materials at community meetings, events, and networking activities about Solid Ground’s mission, impact, programs, and volunteer opportunities.
• Develop community partnerships and track contacts, organizations reached, attendance, follow-up opportunities, and relationships generated.
• Elevate promising major-donor prospects, corporate partners, significant funders, and influential community connectors to the Director of Advancement for further cultivation.
• Partner with the Director of Advancement on annual appeals, donor stewardship, fundraising campaigns, and sponsorship communications, including sponsor benefits and recognition.
• Develop communications, data, stories, and creative content for the annual gala and other advancement events, programs, and the Capital Campaign.
• Collaborate with the Development Operations & Volunteer Coordinator on distribution lists, mailings, volunteer and event communications, and campaign execution.
• Prepare leadership and program staff with talking points and materials for community, partner, and funder conversations and site visits.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, nonprofit advancement, community engagement, or a related field, or equivalent professional knowledge and experience.
• Previous experience with social media, email marketing, website content, location-based marketing, digital communications, storytelling, and content development.
• Experience in nonprofit, community-based, human services, or mission-driven organizations preferred; familiarity with the East Metro community is highly desirable.
• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, verbal communication, public-speaking, and presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, and comfortability representing an organization at community events and meetings.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to work independently, establish priorities, and manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite, Zoom, and relevant communications platforms.
• The ability to use AI tools, when appropriate, to improve research, drafting, and workflow efficiency while verifying accuracy, protecting confidential information, and retaining responsibility for the final work product.
• The ability to travel within the Twin Cities Metro Community to attend community meetings and events.
• A valid driver’s license, access to reliable transportation, and the ability to meet Solid Ground’s driving record requirements. Please note that if the license was not issued in the state of Minnesota, you have 60 days after becoming a Minnesota resident in which to apply for your Minnesota driver's license or permit.

Diversity and open expression are fundamental to the work of Solid Ground. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment where everyone can belong. Every member of our team enriches our work by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. We welcome everyone to apply, especially those individuals who are underrepresented in our sector: individuals who identify as BIPOC, Indigenous or people of culture, LGBTQI+ and gender fluid or gender nonconforming, individuals with disabilities (both seen and unseen), veterans, people of any age or family status. We value the contributions of a diverse workforce, and we welcome and encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We encourage you to apply even if you feel like you don't fit 100% of the technical requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, disability, age, marital status, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, status with regard to public assistance, criminal history (justice-impacted status), housing or homelessness status, height, or weight.

Our organization has a partnership with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) to provide administrative services including management of the hiring process. If you apply for this position, you may see references to MACC in some online materials.

Solid Ground participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. See E-Verify’s official poster at https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf. See E-Verify’s Right to Work poster at https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf.