Job Description

ABOUT COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS  

Communities In Schools of Tennessee (CISTN) is a nonprofit that partners with K-12 public schools to surround students with a community of support empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.  As part of the CIS national network, CISTN achieves this mission by placing program managers in schools across the state to provide school-wide interventions and case managed services for students in need.  With a budget of $13M, in academic year 2026-27 we will support 98 employees in 74 schools and serve nearly 35,000 students and families across Tennessee.  

To best support the students, families, schools, community partners, and our staff members involved in this work, CISTN staff and board members center all decisions, actions, and services on the following core values:  

1. Integrity –We openly share how our work is done, and we hold ourselves accountable to the commitments we make.   

1. Empathy –  We intentionally build relationships so we can learn about people’s stories, validate their experiences, and deepen our understanding of situations different from our own.   

1. Equal Opportunity –  We identify and work towards removing barriers, so everyone has the opportunity to achieve.  

1. Authenticity –  We create space for the people we work with, and for, to be their truthful, complete selves without judgement.  

1. Collaboration –  We bring people together to plan and take action in our work, understanding we make lasting change in partnership with one another.  

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES  

The Communications Manager wi ll collaborate with the  Chief Development Officer ( C D O )to develop and execute the annual statewide communications and marketing strategy that increase s awareness of Communities  In Schools of Tennessee (CISTN), strengthens engagement with key audiences, elevates the organization’s narrative and storytelling , supports philanthropic growth , and advances organizational priorities .  

A member of the  Advancement  Team, the  Communications Manager  will  report to the Chief  Development Officer and work  collaboratively across the  organization, the Ad v ancement  Committee, external public relations  firm and  other external partners .   

The Communications Manager will  be responsible for ensuring that CISTN’s communications are strategic, audience-centered,  consistent, and aligned with the organization’s mission,  values ,  brand,   and goals.  

Strategic Communications, Narrative , and  Storytelling  

• Build and strengthen CISTN’s organizational narrative and storytelling presence by proactively  identifying , developing, and sharing compelling stories that  demonstrate the impact of the organization’s work.
• Partner with Program Managers ,   Pro g ram  Directors , and other colleagues to gather  accurate and authentic stories and translate programmatic work and outcomes into content that connects audiences to CISTN’s mission.
• Develop messaging and content that communicates the experiences and impact of students, families, schools, staff, community partners, donors, and other stakeholders while ensuring storytelling is respectful, accurate , culturally responsive, and aligned with CISTN values.
• Collaborate with the CDO and members of the Advancement  Team to ensure communications support relationship building and move audiences toward meaningful engagement with CISTN, including volunteering, partnership, advocacy, event participation, and philanthropic support.  

Content Development and Editorial  Management  

• Lead the development, editing, and distribution of written, visual, and multimedia content across CISTN’s communications channels. This includes content supporting organizational communications, fundraising and donor engagement, events, media relations, digital communications, internal communications, and other organizational priorities.
• Develop and oversee a  story banking process that creates consistent opportunities to  identify , collect, document, organize, and  maintain stories and supporting assets from across the organization.  Establish clear processes, tools, and collaboration practices that make it easy for Program Managers and Directors to contribute stories and impact content on an ongoing basis.
• Create, record, edit, and produce video and other multimedia content for use across digital and social media channels. Identify opportunities to use video and other emerging formats to  effectively  tell stories , highlight organizational impact, and  engage diverse audiences.
• Ensure that communications are clear, accurate ,  engaging, audience -appropriate, grammatically correct, and consistent with CISTN and National CIS brand standards. 
• Develop and maintain communications resources, templates, and a digital library of brand assets.  

Social Media and Digital  Communications  

• Manage CISTN’s digital communications presence, including the organization’s website, social media platforms, email communications, and other relevant digital channels. Develop and execute platform-appropriate content strategies that increase awareness, engagement, and connection to the organization’s mission.
• Monitor digital and social media performance and use data and insights to evaluate effectiveness,  identify opportunities, and refine communications strategies and content.  

Staff Training and Communications Capacity Building  

• Develop,  maintain , and  disseminate communications resources, templates, toolkits, and CISTN collateral for staff.
• Orient new hires to communications resources, brand standards, storytelling expectations, and opportunities to support organizational communications.
• Provide communications and storytelling training to staff through professional development opportunities as appropriate.
• Build staff capacity to recognize and share compelling stories, program impact, student and family success, and other content that strengthen s CISTN’s communications and fundraising efforts.
• Partner with staff across the organization to ensure that communications and storytelling reflect the experiences and perspectives of the students, families, schools, and communities CISTN serves.  

Monthly Giving and Fundraising Engagement  

• In partnership with the CDO and Advancement Team, lead the development, launch, and ongoing management of CISTN’s formal Monthly Giving Program. Develop and implement strategies to  acquire , engage, steward,  retain , and grow monthly donors through engaging communications, storytelling, donor journeys, and targeted campaigns.
• Ensure that monthly donors receive consistent and meaningful communications that  demonstrate the impact of their ongoing support. Monitor program performance and use  donor and fundraising data to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.  

Organizational Leadership and  Collaboration  

• Participate in Communities  In Schools National  Communications calls and relevant professional development opportunities and share relevant information and insights with  appropriate CISTN staff.
• Develop and implement internal communications strategies that ensure staff are informed, engaged, and connected to organizational goals and priorities through channels such as newsletters, team meetings, staff announcements, and other internal communications.
• Work in concert with the CDO to develop, track, and report on communications and engagement performance metrics to evaluate effectiveness, identify opportunities, and inform ongoing strategy and decision-making.
• Support the implementation of CISTN’s crisis communications plan.
• Collaborate with external public relations counsel to identify and develop media opportunities and support media relations efforts.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure communications accurately and effectively reflect CISTN’s programs, values, impact, and organizational priorities.
• Contribute to a culture in which all staff understand their role in advancing awareness, engagement, relationships, and philanthropic support for CISTN.
• C ollaborate with the Operations team to ensure internal and external communications are created, published, and  maintained   in accordance with accessibility standards and best practices.  

Currently, the Communications Manager is based in Nashville. The C D O and the Communications Manager will work together to  determine the work arrangements for both in-person and remote work, considering the season of work and organizational needs.  

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

The statements  contained   herein describe the scope of  responsibility and essential functions of this position but should not  be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as  assigned including work in other  areas to cover absences or relief to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload .   Other duties may be assigned by the CDO .  

CORE COMPETENCIES    

The core competencies for the  Communications Manager include, but are not limited to:  

• Communication :   Demonstrates exceptional written and verbal communication skills and conveys information in ways that are clear, engaging, and  audience centered . Uses writing and storytelling to translate complex ideas into meaningful messages that build trust, communicate impact, and strengthen connections with diverse audiences.
• Creative and Audience Awareness :   Demonstrates   curiosity,  creativity,  and a   strong  understanding of audience perspectives .   Adapts ideas  and  approaches to effectively  engage   diverse audiences  while  remaining responsive to evolving communications practices and organizational needs.
• Collaboration and Relationship Building :   Develops collaborative  relationships with internal and externa l partners.   Demonstrates  u nderstand ing   of  the relationship between communications,  engagement,  and philanthropy and  works across functions to strengthen relationships and advance organizational priorities . 
• Execution and Organizational Effectiveness:   Organizes work effectively, manages competing priorities, and follows through on  commitments while  delivering work that meets a high standard of quality and achieves desired outcomes. 
• Cultural Competence: Demonstrates a clear understanding of racial and other forms of discrimination, including but not limited to historical discrimination, that may  impact students and families and applies that understanding to work in schools and across the organization.  

EDUCATION  AND/OR EXPERIENCE   

• Associate degree  in communications , marketing, journalism, public relations, English, digital media, or a related field  required ; bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5-7  years of  progressively responsible  experience in  communications , marketing, journalism, public relations , or nonprofit communications .   Work experience can be substituted for those without formal education, requiring  five   or more years of direct experience. 
• Experience with content management systems, email marketing platforms,  Canva, Adobe InDesign, and basic video recording and editing tools.  
• Experience supporting or managing fundraising initiatives, including donor communications, stewardship campaigns, recurring giving programs, or other donor engage ment strategies preferred.  
  

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY 
We value your lived experience and those that have lived or live in the communities that we serve. Should you not meet all of the listed qualifications but feel that this position is the perfect one for you, please apply! You could be what we are looking for and we would not want to miss the chance to meet you! 

CISTN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS  

Salary range is :  $65,000-$75,000 

Benefits include:

• Employee medical, dental, vision, short-and-long-term disability insurance premiums are 100% employer-paid,  with some dependent health plans  including  an   employer contribution .
  
• Paid parental leave.  
• 15 paid vacation days, 10 sick days, 4 floating holidays, 10 other paid holidays, and an extended winter break. 
• 401(k) match up to 2%.     
• Cell phone stipend.
• Individual professional development budget and up to $1,500/year educational expense reimbursement  

HOW TO APPLY Interested applicants may apply by submitting a resume and cover letter via  .  Applications will be accepted starting   July 30,2026 through August 13 , 2026.  

A criminal background check is  required for any candidates who are offered a position with  CISTN and will be administered after an offer for employment is made. Criminal background histories will not automatically remove a candidate from consideration and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the position, criminal history, time, etc.  

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