Communication and Marketing Associate (two openings)

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Communication and Marketing Associate (two openings)

AMERICORPS Volunteer In Service To America (VISTA) Program

Community Action Association of Pennsylvania (CAAP)

Project Description

If you are interested in becoming very well versed on issues surrounding poverty, developing a strong understanding of how community level advocacy and public engagement works, and honing your analytical capabilities and computer design skillsets, consider applying for CAAP’s Communication and Marketing Associate position. Through funding and support from the AMERICORPS VISTA Program, this position will help CAAP and its 41 Community Action Agencies improve the lives of people who struggle with issues created by poverty.

Overview

This project will help empower 41 Pennsylvania Community Action Agencies to change their communities’ dialogue about poverty. Two fulltime Communication and Marketing Associates will accomplish this task by developing a set of Public Engagement Toolkits that provide the resources needed to accomplish this goal. Once the toolkits are developed, the VISTAs will assist CAAP’s Communications Director in training the member agencies on how to best utilize, implement, and update the Public Engagement Toolkits. CAAP believes these toolkits will strengthen our 41 agencies’ community partnerships, increase participation in their poverty fighting programs, soften and inform the public’s general opinion about the challenges our low-income families face, and reduce the number of Pennsylvanians living below the federal poverty level. This is an ambitious project, and CAAP needs two ambitious VISTAs to help us accomplish this important project.

Key Activities

The long-term vision of the CAAP Public Engagement Toolkits is to change Pennsylvania’s community dialogue about poverty to a more inclusive and empathetic perspective. The CAAP VISTA project is intended to kick start this endeavor.

• As a team, two Communication and Marketing Associates will create the initial toolkits. They will set up the structure of the kits and train 41 CAAP agencies on how to utilize and update the kits.
• The Communication and Marketing Associates will reach out to select member agency representatives and solicit their feedback at various stages along the toolkit’s development process.
• The Communication and Marketing Associates will develop the digital content of the Public Engagement Toolkits and secure the toolkits on CAAP’s website. The toolkits will consist of Word and Excel Documents, PDF files, Infographics, PowerPoint Presentations, videos, and more.
• The Communication and Marketing Associates will help determine what metrics and research CAAP will select and utilize to make a compelling case for the reality and challenges low-income families face. They will consolidate the information into easy to use resources for the toolkits.

Qualifications

• College Degree (by June 2017)
• Must be willing to relocate to the Harrisburg, PA area (relocation assistance available through the AMERICORPS VISTA program)
• Should be proficient at writing, researching, and utilizing various software and design programs. The two Associates do not have to be experts in any one design program, and the two Associates do not have to be experts on poverty, but they must possess the willingness to learn and ability to teach themselves when a CAAP staff member is not available. Having an intermediate understanding of Microsoft Office products and proficient writing skills is important.

Benefits of Service

Most people who decide to become an AMERICORPS VISTA do so for two primary reasons. First, they want to accomplish something meaningful and make an impact on their community and the world they live in. Second, VISTAs wish to gain the experience of completing a challenging long-term project.

Other benefits provided by the AMERICORPS VISTA program include: bi-weekly living allowance ($11,676 per year), end-of-service education award or cash stipend, relocation/travel/settling-in allowance, 20-days paid leave, professional development training, healthcare, childcare, life insurance, reduction of education costs, and more. For a full list of benefits and to learn more about the AMERICORPS VISTA Program, visit www.vistacampus.gov/in-service/benefits-service

Application Submission

Please fill out the application and upload your cover letter and resume here: www.thecaap.org/who-we-are/careers.html . Click on the Communication and Marketing Associate job title that is highlighted in green . CAAP aims to fill the two Communication and Marketing Associate positions by the start of summer 2017.