Marketing & Communications Associate, MPC - Chicago, IL

 Department

Marketing & Communications

Employment Type

Full-Time

Minimum Experience

Experienced

Compensation

$61,800 - $64,000

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About MPC  

Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) is dedicated to shaping a better, bolder, more equitable future for everyone. Our vision is focused on creating a Chicago region where every community is valued, every person has a voice, and every neighborhood thrives. Since 1934, MPC has operated as an independent, nonpartisan organization serving metropolitan Chicago’s communities and residents to change perceptions, reimagine conversations, and defy the status quo. Through thoughtful collaboration with local communities, businesses, and governments, MPC is a bold change-maker, addressing the region’s toughest planning and development challenges. We believe that strong partnerships rooted in respect and trust are critical to creative and effective problem-solving. 

  

Application Deadline | February 17, 2025, at 8:00 AM 

 

Position Summary: 

 

MPC seeks a creative and detail-oriented Marketing & Communications Associate with strong digital media, design, and project management skills. This role supports multi-channel marketing efforts, driving audience engagement and organizational growth through compelling content and innovative design solutions. The Associate will play a critical role in executing marketing strategies, maintaining digital platforms, and creating visually engaging materials to ensure brand consistency and expand MPC’s reach. 

 

Supervisor: Director of Marketing & Communications 

 

Core Duties: 

 

• Content Creation and Design 

• Design and produce visually engaging marketing materials, including social media graphics, event flyers, infographics, and email templates, following established brand guidelines. 

• Support the development of digital newsletters, email campaigns, and website content, ensuring consistent quality and tone. 

• Digital Marketing and Social Media Management 

• Manage day-to-day social media operations, including scheduling posts, monitoring engagement, and analyzing performance metrics to inform improvements. 

• Develop and execute digital marketing campaigns to drive awareness and engagement, including SEO and accessibility optimization. 

• Website Maintenance 

• Update and maintain the MPC website through WordPress, including creating new pages and optimizing existing content for performance and accessibility. 

• Event Support 

• Assist in planning and executing in-person and virtual events, focusing on materials production, event promotion, and logistical coordination. 

• Media Support 

• Compile media lists, track media coverage, and support the Manager in responding to media inquiries and outreach efforts. 

• Data and Analytics 

• Generate monthly analytics reports for digital campaigns, social media, and website performance, providing actionable insights to the Manager. 

• Oversee and manage MPC list serve, ensuring it is current and accurate. 

 

Qualifications: 

• Must embrace the mission and vision of MPC. 

• 2-3 years of professional experience in marketing, communications, public relations, graphic design, or a related field. 

• Proficiency in graphic design software (Adobe Suite and Canva) and digital marketing tools (social media platforms, email marketing software like MailChimp). 

• Experience using WordPress or similar CMS platforms. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). 

• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively. 

• Analytical mindset with the ability to use data to drive decisions. 

• Demonstrated success working independently and on a collaborative team. 

• Excellent organizational and project management skills (Asana). 

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines. 

 

Nice to Haves: 

• Experience supporting political or advocacy campaigns. 

• Demonstrated experience coaching and mentoring colleagues on Marketing and Communications best practices and process. 

• Experience coordinating and scheduling video or photoshoots. 

 

Application Deadline | February 17, 2025, at 8:00 AM 

 

How to apply:  

Please submit the following materials:  

   

1) A cover letter articulating your specific interest in the role and what you will bring to it 

2) Your résumé or CV  

  

Compensation and Benefits:    

Salary Range: $61,800- $64,000 

 

For the 2025 Benefit year, Metropolitan Planning Council’s robust and competitive compensation package for new full-time employees includes covering approximately 80% of the employee premium for health benefits, 100% of the employee premium for dental benefits, and Disability and Life insurance.  Additionally, MPC provides all full-time employees with a hybrid work environment, parental leave, up to five weeks of accrued vacation, transit benefits, a professional development stipend, and access to an onsite fitness center, among other benefits. 

Learn more/APPLY here!

Communications Specialist (Communications & Outreach) - Village of Schaumburg

Title: Communications Specialist (Communications & Outreach)

Type: In Person / Full Time

Location: Schaumburg, IL

Pay: $83,774.00 - $93,199.00 annually dependent on qualifications. 

JOB SUMMARY: 

This position is responsible for developing and executing public relations and public information programs to communicate information about the village’s services, initiatives, and concerns to the public. The position will work in communications, public relations, brand management, and community engagement and will provide communications guidance to departments to fulfill communications goals. This position handles complex, confidential, and routine administrative responsibilities concerning the village’s communications efforts. This position will perform work related to the village’s communication efforts to achieve departmental and organizational goals within specified deadlines and budgets. 

Email resume and cover letter to Oscar Contreras at ocontreras@schaumburg.com.

Organizing Associate, Center for Tech and Civic Life - Remote

 

Details

Job Type:Full Time

Application Deadline:January 4, 2025

Education:High School Diploma Required

Experience Level:Mid-level

Salary:USD $58,914 - $75,410 / year

Areas of Focus:Civic Engagement, Communications Access, Policy, Science & Technology

Description

Position Overview

• Start date: February 2025
• Location: Remote in the U.S. with Heavy Travel (~3-4 trips per month)
• Type: Full-time, Exempt
• Salary: $58,914 -$75,410

Position Description

When you think about elections, you might think about popular candidates, “I voted” stickers, and all sorts of paperwork and deadlines. Behind the scenes are thousands of people in state and local government working hard to make sure accurate election information is published, ballots are counted, and voices are heard. We are seeking a motivated and outgoing community organizer and advocate to help foster valuable and lasting relationships with local elections offices across the country. As CTCL’s Organizing Associate, you will support CTCL’s nonpartisan advocacy strategy to empower elections officials in administering inclusive and secure elections.

The ideal candidate thrives in social environments and is eager to get out from behind a screen and into the field. You will visit small towns and major cities across the country to connect with local election administrators and their staff at association meetings, support the development of campaign resources and materials, and build relationships with potential partners to better understand how to connect elections offices with helpful information and public resources.

You’ll report to one of our Organizing Managers and work in collaboration with other members of the CTCL team. This is a new role in a growing department that is focused on the resiliency of election infrastructure and educating individuals about the need to secure public funding for local election offices.

As an Organizing Associate with CTCL you will contribute to a nonpartisan program that is supporting our country’s local election officials to make meaningful community change

Responsibilities

• Conference Engagement & Relationship Building
  • Regularly travel to election related convenings to build relationships, collect stories, and educate attendees on election infrastructure funding.
  • Proactively network with attendees, stakeholders, and potential partners.
  • Follow internal best practices, templates, and resources for attendee engagement and follow-up.
  • Regularly hold 1:1s with local election officials & partners to develop lasting relationships and foster movement up the ladder of engagement.
• Organizational & Partner Support
  • Participate in roundtable discussions, virtual coalition spaces, and regular check-ins with partners to help them engage meaningfully in advocacy efforts.
  • Support the development of external materials by assisting in research, information gathering, and writing.
  • Strengthen connections within the advocacy network to participate in CTCL programming & educational opportunities.
• Supporting Program & Event Execution
  • Serve as a helper on virtual & in-person convenings.
  • Work with participants to ensure they are prepared for presentations, take notes, and follow up with attendees where appropriate.
• Commitment to professional growth
  • Demonstrates enthusiasm and desire to grow within the organization, to seize leadership opportunities, and to absorb new learnings and skills.
• Commitment to priority audiences
• Ensure CTCL programs for election departments prioritize voters with limited access to the election system. This includes voters who are newly eligible, have limited English proficiency, live with disabilities, or are from communities that are impacted by the digital divide or historical disenfranchisement due to race.

Desired Qualifications

A successful candidate for the Organizing Associate position will be an early-career super-connector who is passionate about making change and uplifting new voices. No candidate will possess every quality and the successful candidate will possess many of the following qualifications and personal attributes:

Organizing Skills

• You understand and respect diverse communities and work effectively with people from varied backgrounds and perspectives.
• You are an effective communicator and active listener, able to deliver our message clearly and persuasively.
• You can adapt to changing circumstances and adjust your strategy as needed.

Campaign Skills

• You are enthusiastic about making elections more secure and inclusive. You believe in democracy, care about voting, and are comfortable working in nonpartisan spaces.
• You are hungry for victory. You don’t just focus on inputs, but instead work relentlessly to deliver results because you want your work to make a difference.
• You are willing to learn the skills to build nonpartisan organizing and educational campaigns with a team, including setting campaign goals, communicating messaging, and supporting various activities to achieve our goals.
• You are comfortable working in a dynamic environment where campaign conditions and strategy evolve and strategic pivots are necessary.
• You can work quickly and like high impact rapid-response work.

Professional Skills

• You are a detail-oriented task-tracker who can manage a personal to-do list and is adamant about accomplishing goals. You are incredibly responsive and enjoy connecting via various digital channels.
• You are comfortable in a virtual professional setting and sometimes working outside of your home (in hotels, conference rooms, airports, etc.). You can manage your workload in a fully remote setting and foster a sense of community in the digital space. You are accountable and self-motivated without an office environment.
• You know that feedback loops can help you create the best work. You create opportunities to get input from colleagues and partners.

Learn more/APPLY here!

Communications Associate, Obama Foundation - Chicago, IL

 

We have ambitious plans, and we know the most critical step is building an incredible team that reflects the diverse fabric of our nation and embodies our values. Our team is made up of people who are equal parts dreamers and doers. We are people who care as much about how we achieve our goals as we do about the goals themselves. Our values drive our team and are instilled in the work this Foundation does every day. We are also committed to creating an anti-racist organization in order to do our part to help combat racism and inequity in all forms, in communities across our nation and around the world. Read our full statement on anti-racism and equity here.

Purpose of Role

The Communications Associate will support the Foundation’s efforts to leverage media engagement and communications strategies that advance our work to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders. The Communications Associate will be responsible for writing press materials, managing incoming press requests, monitoring news clips, and offering additional support towards communications priorities. The Communications Associate will work closely with internal teams to advance the priorities of the organization and shape a narrative in service of the Obamas’ legacy and the Foundation’s mission. 

As the Communications Associate, you’ll be reporting directly to the Communications Director.

Core Job Responsibilities

• Writing: Write press releases and media materials for the web; develop talking points for Foundation staff on key programs and initiatives. Support message development for interviews and speaking appearances.

• Media Relations: Manage the Foundation’s press inbox by reviewing, responding to, and escalating incoming on a timely-basis. Support the communications team in building and maintaining relationships with regional and national media outlets to advance goals. Leverage Salesforce to build and distribute press releases to various lists. 

• Media Monitoring: Lead media monitoring, including the distribution of press clip reports, to ensure internal teams are tracking relevant news, related breaking news, and have visibility into coverage of the Foundation, leaders, and initiatives. 

• Communications Support: Assist the communications team in the development and execution of proactive outreach, messaging strategy, and talking points for specific projects.

• Internal Communications: Support the communications team in the development of materials for internal communications, including writing talking points for the Executive Leadership team, all staff email correspondence, and presentations. 

• Reporting and Analytics: Develop systems for tracking the impact of communications strategies and execute internal reporting to communicate advancement towards goals, including the reach and engagement of press and social media coverage.

• Administrative Support: Support the communications team with administrative tasks, scheduling cross-department meetings, and ensuring team members have what they need to effectively execute communications strategies.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key Deliverables / Outcomes

• Design and execute a media management strategy that is accurate, up-to-date, and expanded to include Chicago, national, US regional, global, and non-traditional/digital media lists.

• Design and execute media monitoring to ensure internal teams are up to date and coverage is shared to key internal stakeholders, including daily clips, breaking news, and relevant conversations on social media.

• Lead internal reporting and metrics of media coverage, developed in coordination with MarCom and Product and Tech, to ensure it is distributed rapidly, consistently, and offers insights into the efficacy of communications strategies (press clips, social coverage, reach, audience, sentiment, etc.)

• Effective and timely management of the press inbox, including managing  Salesforce, to ensure timely responses, escalation to key internal stakeholders (as necessary), and responding to inquiries. Additionally, all press releases are accurate, correctly set up, and sent on schedule.

• The Communications Team leaders are supported with administrative needs, including the scheduling of cross-department meetings, and have what they need to effectively execute communications strategies.

• Effective and timely development of internal communications that effectively engage staff. 

Required Qualifications

• 2-3 years experience working on a communications team for a similar organization or government official

• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills

• Highly organized and detail oriented with a track record of meeting short- and long-term responsibilities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, high volume organization

• Collaborative team player who is able to work effectively on a cross-functional team

• Ability to work flexible hours, including long hours, nights, and weekends, as needed

The salary range for this role is between $59,755  and $74,670. 

This is a hybrid position based at our Chicago office in Hyde Park. #LI-hybrid

Foundation Values

The Foundation Values are Courage, Empathy, Integrity, Accountability, Community, Inclusivity, Pragmatism, Resilience, Imagination, and Hope.

Don’t check off every box in the requirements listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. The Obama Foundation is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

Learn more/APPLY here!