VolunteerMatch

VolunteerMatch Communications Associate

This position is based in San Francisco, CA.

Hire Date: December, 2008

The core work of the Associate will be to support the Communication Department's efforts in the areas of public relations, member communications, community outreach and support, marketing and member acquisition, and product development. In short, the Associate will contribute to our efforts to effectively communicate the value of our brand, position our services, and respond to the complex needs of a wide variety of audiences to understand and connect with what we do at VolunteerMatch.

The Associate will join the Communications Director and Communications Intern in rounding out the staffing for the Communications Department.

Media Relations

Expand our ability to be a resource for media professionals and to generate coverage of our mission and services:

• Draft press releases as needed.
• Review interview requests from journalist services.
• Monitor media landscape and Webosphere for opportunities to add value to conversations about volunteering and service.
• Develop relationships and coordinate campaigns within the blogging community.

Member Communications

Expand our ability to reach and respond to the needs of the VolunteerMatch community:

• Coordinate monthly newsletter calendar and editorial process.
• Write and edit monthly Volunteer and Nonprofit Spotlights.
• Write and edit editorial submissions to newsletter and blog series.
• Coordinate blog contributions.
• Coordinate member email campaigns to increase engagement and use of system.
• Manage newsletter archive.
• Coordinate user submitted media contests and promotions (videos and photos).

Public Outreach

Ensure our presence in the marketplace and make it easy for people to find VolunteerMatch:

• Work closely with Director to expand and improve on Google AdWords campaigns.
• Support direct mail campaigns and email campaigns for user acquisition.
• Coordinate and enhance our social networking presences at sites including YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Delicious, GreatNonprofits, Good2Gether, etc.
• Maintain file on competitor marketing and membership initiatives, including Idealist, United Way, and Truist.
• Research media buy and promotional partnership opportunities.
• Coordinate Communications Department presence at conferences and events.
• Manage day-to-day coordination of promotional partnership requests.

Product Support

Support our efforts to provide world-class customer support:

• Help Community Support staff maintain write and edit Help topics and IS templates.
• Coordinate updates to expanded Learning Center articles, user guides, best practices, and Web events.
• Support Communications-related product improvements via JIRA.

Brand Management

Support efforts to ensure that all external messages are aligned with core messaging:

• Work closely with Director to ensure that all external messages and relationships are aligned with core messaging.
• Work with Director to maintain house style guide and educate staff on usage.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will have strongly developed communications skills, some professional experience in a multi-faceted communications, PR, marketing, or editorial environment, and an interest in supporting the work of a mission-driven organization.

• At least 2 years experience in a communications, PR, marketing, or editorial role.
• Ability to effectively communicate in a variety of media including print, Web, in-person and phone.
• Strong understanding of the fundamentals of editing, including familiarity with AP Style.
• Clips or samples that demonstrate a sharp and lively writing ability and attention to the interplay of text and imagery.
• Technical proficiency with Web services, Web tools, and standard workplace technology. HTML and graphic design skills are highly recommended.
• Desire to know or experience in working with nonprofit organizations.
• Interest in social activism, advocacy, online organizing
• Energetic, engaged in extra-curricular activities that demonstrate leadership and ability to work independently.
• Use of email systems, social networking, computer skills, understanding of customer relationship management systems or databases such as Salesforce, Vertical Response, or custom content management systems are a bonus.
• Communications, marketing, English, or nonprofit management background preferred.
• Women, disabled, and people of color strongly encouraged to apply./li>

Education

Undergraduate degree is required

To Apply:

Email your resume, cover letter and salary requirements to jobs@volunteermatch.org with "Communications Associate" in the subject line. Important: please include a cover letter, as this helps us better understand your specific interest in the position and VolunteerMatch. Also, please no phone calls.

Applications Engineer

This position is based in San Francisco, CA.

Responsibilities:

Design and develop application-specific web features and interfaces in consultation with senior-level engineers. Specific responsibilities include:

• Writing code in Java
• Writing interfaces in HTML
• Writing SQL queries to retrieve and update data
• Using and maintaining a Linux desktop environment for desktop work
• Interacting in a professional and timely manner with internal clients
• Developing interfaces with best-practices for web-advertising
• Bringing a desire to use the Internet to promote volunteering social change

Salary:

$66,810 per year; full-time

Professional Exp.:

One (1) year of experience in the job offered.

Special Skills:

Professional and/or academic experience must include: Java; application and supporting programs in Java; writing SQL DDL and DML queries; basic data normalization issues and query efficiency; Linux/Unix, including command line and normally available programs; knowledge of software engineering principles including design patterns and unit testing; ability to understand xml schemas and different parsing mechanisms; and web advertising best practices.

Education:

Bachelor's degree, or foreign equivalent, in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field.

Benefits

VolunteerMatch is committed to building a team of first-class individuals. We are looking for enthusiastic members possessing three key elements: knowledge, experience, and passion. The position is full-time and will include a generous health and dental package as well as a 401(k) retirement plan.

Salary will be based on experience and qualifications.

Company Overview

VolunteerMatch (www.volunteermatch.org) is a software company whose mission is to help everyone find a great place to volunteer. We offer a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer, and corporate leaders committed to civic engagement. We have been fulfilling and expanding our social mission, as a leading national nonprofit, for 10 years.

VolunteerMatch develops the leading software solution for corporate Employee Volunteer Programs, service and volunteering Cause Marketing campaigns and the preferred Volunteer Recruitment Platform for national nonprofit organizations.

VolunteerMatch was first to deploy such tools, we have the largest base of established clients. Because of the outstanding service levels we provide, as well as our product quality, every client is referenceable. Current VolunteerMatch clients include Merrill Lynch, Johnson & Johnson, HP, MySpace, Google, General Mills, Target, REI, American Red Cross, Habitat, Girl Scouts, UC Berkeley, and nearly 70 more.