Public Relations and Communications Manager

NCCER is seeking an accomplished Communications Manager to lead the organization’s public relations, earned media, institutional storytelling and editorial communications.

This position will serve as NCCER’s primary communications expert and will be highly accountable for strengthening the organization’s visibility, reputation and voice across the construction, education and workforce-development industries.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and editor who also understands how to create news. This person should be able to recognize compelling stories within NCCER’s programs, research, partnerships and organizational initiatives; develop strong angles; identify the right journalists and outlets; and proactively pitch stories that generate meaningful earned-media coverage.

The Communications Manager will also provide editorial leadership for NCCER’s highest-profile institutional content, including the Annual Report and other major publications, ensuring that content representing the organization is accurate, compelling, well written and publication-ready.

In addition, this position will serve as Marketing’s primary communications partner to NCCER’s Philanthropy team and will lead NCCER’s developing influencer and creator marketing strategy, including management of external agencies as the program scales.

This is a hands-on manager role. Success requires both strategic communications judgment and the willingness and ability to personally write, edit, pitch, counsel and execute.

Primary Responsibilities:

Public Relations and Earned Media

• Develop and execute NCCER’s public relations and earned-media strategy to increase awareness of the organization, its mission, programs, expertise and impact.
• Proactively identify newsworthy stories, trends, research, initiatives, partnerships and organizational developments that can generate earned-media opportunities.
• Develop compelling story angles and personally pitch relevant journalists, editors, publications, podcasts and other media outlets.
• Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with construction, education, workforce-development, business and trade media.
• Serve as NCCER’s primary point of contact for incoming media inquiries and external interview requests.
• Coordinate interviews with NCCER executives and subject-matter experts and provide appropriate media preparation, messaging and supporting materials.
• Draft, edit and coordinate the distribution of press releases and major organizational announcements.
• Identify opportunities to position NCCER executives and subject-matter experts as authoritative industry voices.
• Develop contributed articles, bylines, op-eds, talking points and other thought-leadership materials as needed.
• Monitor earned-media coverage, evaluate the quality and impact of placements and regularly report results and opportunities.

Corporate Reputation and Crisis Communications

• Monitor issues and developments that could affect NCCER’s reputation or public positioning.
• Develop crisis and issues communications plans in partnership with the Director of Marketing, executive leadership and other appropriate internal stakeholders.
• Draft statements, talking points, FAQs and other responsive communications as situations require.
• Provide communications counsel to leadership during sensitive or high-visibility situations.
• Help ensure NCCER communicates clearly, consistently and credibly with external audiences.

Editorial Leadership and Major Institutional Content

• Serve as the primary editorial authority for high-visibility content representing NCCER as an organization.
• Write, edit and substantially improve content to ensure clarity, accuracy, consistency, appropriate tone and adherence to AP style.
• Lead the editorial development and production of NCCER’s Annual Report, including narrative development, interviews, writing and editing, fact-checking, internal reviews and coordination with creative resources.
• Lead or provide editorial oversight for other major organizational reports, research publications, thought-leadership pieces and flagship content.
• Develop and manage NCCER’s communications and editorial calendar in coordination with other Marketing team members.
• Conduct interviews with executives, subject-matter experts, customers, partners and other stakeholders to develop articles, features, impact stories and other content.
• Ensure major communications are appropriately reviewed and ready for publication without becoming an unnecessary approval step for routine marketing content.

Philanthropy and Research Communications Partnership

• Serve as Marketing’s primary communications partner and point of contact for NCCER’s Philanthropy and Research departments.
• Develop a strong understanding of Philanthropy’s priorities, initiatives, audiences and annual goals.
• Work collaboratively with the Research team to identify stories and communications opportunities around case studies, fact sheets and the underlying research that can expand awareness and reach.
• Identify earned-media, thought-leadership, content and influencer opportunities that elevate NCCER’s philanthropic impact.
• Provide strategic communications and editorial counsel for major philanthropy-related messages and materials as needed.
• Help integrate important philanthropy stories and initiatives into NCCER’s broader communications and editorial calendar.
• Lead the creation of Research social media tool kits meant to make it easy for partners to effectively share research content
• Partner with Social, Growth Marketing, Creative and Website resources to amplify priority research and philanthropy stories and initiatives when appropriate.
• Respect and preserve Philanthropy’s ownership of donor relationships and subject-matter expertise while adding communications strategy, reach and editorial support.

Organizational Storytelling and Thought Leadership

• Develop a strong understanding of NCCER’s programs, research, audiences, industry relationships and organizational priorities.
• Build relationships across NCCER to uncover stories that may not naturally surface through traditional marketing requests.
• Partner with Marketing managers responsible for Business and Industry, Education and Social Programs, Growth Marketing and other functions to identify communications opportunities.
• Translate complex industry, education and workforce-development topics into clear and engaging stories for external audiences.
• Identify opportunities to connect NCCER expertise and data to timely industry conversations.
• Develop case studies, success stories and other institutional storytelling as appropriate.

Agency, Vendor and Resource Management

• Manage communications, public relations and influencer agencies or consultants as assigned.
• Develop effective agency briefs establish expectations and ensure deliverables meet NCCER’s strategic and quality standards.
• Manage applicable communications projects and vendor budgets efficiently.
• Evaluate agency performance and recommend changes or additional resources when necessary.
• As the communications function grows, provide direction and supervision to a Communications Coordinator or other communications resources.
• Delegate production and coordination work appropriately while retaining accountability for communications quality and results.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Social Media specialist to coordinate earned-media stories, major announcements and institutional content across NCCER’s organic social channels.
• Collaborate with the Lifecycle and Account-Based Marketing Manager when major institutional messaging intersects with lifecycle or account-specific campaigns while preserving that role’s ownership of routine nurture and customer-journey communications.
• Partner with the Website Experience Manager to publish and optimize news, institutional content, major reports and other communications on NCCER.org.
• Partner with Marketing Operations and Branding and NCCER’s Creative Leads to ensure major communications are visually and verbally consistent with NCCER’s brand.
• Work with Marketing’s Business and Industry and Education and Social Programs leaders to identify newsworthy initiatives and subject-matter expertise within their assigned portfolios.
• Maintain productive relationships with executives, department leaders and subject-matter experts throughout NCCER.
• Support other departments within NCCER through appropriate meetings, communications planning and collaboration.
• Maintain an informed understanding of construction, education, workforce-development and related industry trends.