Communications and Marketing Coordinator

The Chesapeake Bay Trust (the Bay Trust) seeks an energetic Communications and Marketing Coordinator to play a critical role in accomplishing the Bay Trust’s evolving communications, marketing, branding, and fundraising goals.  The winning candidate will leverage skills in marketing, community engagement, and sales to lead the on-the-ground implementation of strategies.

 

The Bay Trust’s primary mission is to empower community-based groups who aim to improve their communities and natural resources, mainly through the strategy of grant-making.  As our population’s environmental stewardship ethic has expanded, their desire for grants has increased.  Unfortunately, on average, the Trust can only support about a third of the requests received.  The Bay Trust resources these grant awards through sales of the Chesapeake Bay vehicle license plates; a voluntary donation option on the state income form; voluntary donations made associated with fishing, hunting, and boating licenses/registrations; restricted partnerships with other entities who engage the Trust to distribute their funds; individual donations.  The Bay Trust believes that the larger the number of people in key audiences who know about the Trust, the more likely our goals to increase our grant-making will be realized.    

 

The Communications and Marketing Coordinator will therefore implement strategies to increase unrestricted revenue through the streams named above, support restricted funding partnerships, strengthen the Bay Trust brand, and play a key role on a 35+-person staff.  The person in this position reports to the Communications and Marketing Manager. 

 

About the Bay Trust

The Chesapeake Bay Trust seeks to engage and empower a diversity of groups to take actions that enrich the natural resources and local communities of the Chesapeake Bay region. The Trust is a nonprofit grant-making organization established by the Maryland state government in 1985. The Trust currently makes 400+ grants and other awards per year ranging from $100 to ~$400,000 for projects in the K-12 environmental education, on-the-ground restoration, science, capacity building, and community engagement realms. In the past 15 years, the Trust has increased its grant-making fourfold through various revenue streams under the purview of four Trust departments, with annual awards of approximately $20-30 million.  

Primary Responsibilities:

Marketing (50%):

  • Support strategic efforts to elevate organizational brand awareness among key constituencies.
  • Implement marketing tactics for key revenue streams:
    • Chesapeake Bay License Plate (the “Bay Plate”)
      • Dealerships, Tag and Title Agents, and MVAs: Cultivate new and maintain existing relationships with approximately 130 automobile dealerships, tag and title agencies, and Maryland Motor Vehicle administration (MVA) branches across Maryland who have the highest potential for Bay Plate purchases by customers. Make visits annually (25-30 hours/week for six weeks each spring). Manage annual sales contest, including its promotion and recognition of winners. Maintain a robust database of dealer and plate data. Coordinate, distribute, and at times design new Bay Plate marketing materials. Initially, follow an existing protocol; eventually, as the Coordinator gains experience, take ownership of strategy.
      • Implement Bay Plate marketing tactics via paid and owned channels, including social media and email content.
      • Manage the “Plate Perks” program as a marketing tool for Bay Plate owners.
      • Support and propose additional marketing strategies to increase new and renewal Bay Plate sales.
    • Chesapeake and Endangered Species Tax Check-off
      • Cultivate new and maintain existing relationships with CPAs across Maryland. Engage with regular emails, calls, visits, and offers of promotional materials.
      • Implement Tax Checkoff marketing tactics via paid and owned channels, including social media and email content.
      • Support partnership with Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
    • Voluntary donation line on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources boating, fishing, and hunting license/registration portal
      • Cultivate new and maintain existing relationships with marinas, boat dealers, outdoor recreation businesses/clubs/associations, and other middle messengers to promote the revenue stream. Engage with regular emails, calls, visits, and offers of promotional materials.
      • Support partnership with Maryland Department of Natural Resources service centers.
      • Implement Electronic Licensing marketing tactics via paid and owned channels, including social media and email content.
    • The Bay Trust’s merchandise program (shopchesapeakebaytrust.org)
      • Maintain and serve as primary contact for the merchandise shop. Design, propose, and coordinate new inventory according to strategy and calendar. Support customer service requests.
      • Implement merchandise marketing tactics via owned channels, including social media and email content.

Public Relations and Special Events (20%):

  • Special Events: Support the Bay Trust’s annual Treasure the Chesapeake Gala, quarterly speaker series, and other events. As the Coordinator grows in the role, he/she/they will independently “own” more of these events’ promotion and logistics.
  • Legislative Outreach: support the engagement of Maryland General Assembly members through an annual Legislative Reception and quarterly correspondence about relevant grants and press.
  • Community Engagement: Lead the Bay Trust’s evolving efforts to engage key constituencies. Duties may include managing a new volunteer/ambassador program and representing the Bay Trust at community events, among others.
  • Media Relations: Write and/or support media advisories and press releases; coordinate responses to press inquiries, coordinate promotion and logistics for 3-5 annual press events, and other opportunities as they arise.

 

Storytelling and Content Curation/Creation (20%):

  • Execute social media campaigns and posts with brand-aligned messaging that engage and interact with key audiences. Partner with Communications and Marketing Manager to refine social engagement strategies. Track metrics and stay on top of trends.
  • Lead, support, and/or advise on messaging for other communications vehicles, including but not limited to: the Annual Report, mass email campaigns and newsletters, blogs, website content, correspondence and collateral for legislators and donors, communications assets for grant programs and funding partnerships, and more.
  • Serve as primary lead for organizational website; partner with Manager on execution of 2024-25 website redesign.

 

Collaboration, Coordination, and Learning (10%):

  • Work closely with programmatic staff to support their communications, funding partner cultivation, and content creation needs.
  • Support departmental activities to engage donors, funders, legislators, and other key audiences, primarily by attending Bay Trust and external events.
  • Pursue professional development opportunities.

 

 

Qualifications:

Required

  • Two years or more of experience in marketing and/or communications.
  • A track record of excellent writing and editing skills.
  • Demonstrated experience in graphic design (Canva and Adobe Creative Suite) OR demonstrated ability to quickly learn new programs
  • Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of programs.
  • A personal vehicle and valid driver’s license are required to facilitate site visits and event travel.

 

Preferred

  • Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or related field.
  • Demonstrated project management experience, including successfully managing multiple projects with competing priorities.
  • Proficiency in some or all of the following: WordPress, Canva, Raiser’s Edge, Mailchimp, Google Adwords, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, and Shopify.

 

Ideal Personal Profile:

The ideal candidate for this position is a person:

  • who has high integrity, energy, and enthusiasm and who is self-directed, motivated, and resourceful.
  • who has a strong ability to build relationships and demonstrate tact, diplomacy, and initiative when working with others.
  • who displays discretion and sound judgment when dealing with confidential and sensitive material and who maintains standards of professional competence and adherence to a professional code of conduct.
  • who has strong writing, organizational, and time management skills.
  • who has excellent attention to detail. The right candidate must be exceptionally thorough and detail-orientated with the ability to analyze data, research information, problem-solve and coordinate projects.
  • who is committed to the Bay Trust’s growth, sustainability, and organizational goals (please refer to the Bay Trust’s strategic plan at cbtrust.org).

 

Salary: 

The range for this position is $50,000 – $57,500, commensurate with experience.  The Bay Trust also offers potential for merit-based bonuses, an excellent benefits package, professional development opportunities, and opportunities for advancement.

 

Position Location and Travel

This full-time salary position (40 hours per week) requires at least one day per week at the Bay Trust offices in Annapolis, Maryland, when not on travel or off-site at meetings; the rest can be remote.  Additional travel (mostly but not exclusively within Maryland) will be required, especially among Maryland car dealerships.  Some evening and occasional weekend hours will be required for events.

 

Application Instructions and Deadline:                               

The position will remain open until filled.  Please submit your resume and cover letter.  In your cover letter, please address your ability, based on your skills and experience, to accomplish the specific duties of the position as outlined above. Your cover letter is the most important piece of your application: In your cover letter, please address your ability to accomplish the duties of the position as listed above. Please do not simply list your previous experience. Your cover letter should describe what makes you a strong match specifically for this position, and why this position is a match for you.

 

The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, or disability in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.   We encourage applications from people of color.  Applicants must have a residential address in Maryland, Virginia,  Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or Washington, D.C and must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The Trust does not participate in programs that require sponsorship for work visas.