Job Title: Communications Associate
Reports to: Director of Marketing and Communications
FLSA Status: Exempt, Full-time
Pay Range: $70,000- $75,000
Summary: Essential Partners seeks an outstanding candidate to serve as Communications Associate. Reporting directly to the Director of Marketing & Communications and collaborating with the Development Manager, this position will play a crucial role in telling the story of our mission, programs, and inspiring partners, helping to raise the profile of the organization and expand our impact.
Founded in 1989, Essential Partners (EP) is a global leader in the fields of dialogue, conflict transformation, communication, and de-polarization. Our approach, Reflective Structured Dialogue, helps people build relationships across differences to address their communities’ most pressing challenges. Over four decades, EP has collaborated with hundreds of colleges, local communities, secondary schools, nonprofits, corporations, and faith institutions across all 50 U.S. States as well as 29 other countries.
The person in this role will have the opportunity to craft engaging stories for digital and print media while providing day-to-day support for EP’s marketing and communications campaigns. Channels include EP’s website, email marketing, social media, internal communications, press relations, conferences, videos, and more. This role also works closely with the Development team on fundraising communications, such as appeal letters and emails, donor reports, and impact case studies.
Typical Duties and Responsibilities
Communications and Marketing (70%)
- Draft written content such as impact stories, interviews, case studies, blog posts, press releases, and other communications materials for a variety of audiences and channels
- Execute on the filming, editing, and production of short-form video content
- Ensure that content on the Essential Partners website (Drupal) is accurate and up-to-date
- Support various communication systems, including marketing automation (Salesforce Marketing Cloud) and social media accounts (Sprout Social)
- Draft, design, and produce physical marketing and communications materials in alignment with EP’s brand standards for a variety of purposes, such as program development, fundraising campaigns, and public events
- Support the implementation of organizational communications, marketing, and engagement strategies across platforms and media
- Conduct research and produce reports in support of strategic communications goals
- Collaborate cross-functionally with program, development, and operations staff to advance organizational communications and marketing strategies
- Manage the availability of existing and new EP-branded program and marketing materials
- Complete other communications and organizational projects as needed
Fundraising (20%)
- Support the planning, coordination, and execution of virtual and in-person fundraising events, campaigns, and outreach initiatives
- Support development, donor engagement, and fundraising communications as needed, including donor acknowledgment letters
- Support the drafting, design, and distribution of donor communications, including quarterly donor reports and email campaigns
In addition, this position is expected to actively participate in organizational life through staff meetings, events, and other meetings necessary for effective teamwork, and to fulfill all reporting and documentation requirements to maintain effective and reliable organizational systems. (10%)
EP retains the right to change or assign other duties to the position as needed.
Effective implementation of these responsibilities will result in:
- Growth of audiences in key markets across EP’s digital platforms with the purpose of increasing the number of donors and clients
- Increased visibility of EP’s impact and work within key markets
- Greater engagement of donors, potential partners, and other key audiences
Qualifications and Personal Characteristics:
- A minimum of 2-5 years of experience in a nonprofit communications role
- Excellent project management and organizational skills, including proactive and independent execution of work plans and timelines; ability to manage multiple priorities; able to self-manage time, prioritizing and balancing across multiple competing demands
- Technological aptitude with file management systems (Google Drive), project management software (Asana), and data systems (Salesforce) with knowledge of Salesforce Account Engagement or a comparable marketing automation platform highly preferred
- Strong attention to detail as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills
- The ability to synthesize complex information and multiple perspectives into clear, compelling narratives
- Excellent cross-team collaboration, with a demonstrated ability to work across stakeholder groups, functional areas, geographies, and differing levels of seniority
- Ability to work effectively with a variety of personality types and work styles
- Skillful assertion of expertise and perspective from a supporting role
- Personal experience with and/or demonstrated commitment to EP’s mission and services
- A commitment to cultivating a culture that values and invites diverse identities, worldviews, and perspectives
- Experience editing and producing short videos is preferred
- The ability to remain in a stationary position for at least 50% of the time; to operate a computer and other office productivity machinery; and to travel locally and nationally
Compensation and Workplace
Essential Partners is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This position is a full-time position with competitive benefits, including sick leave, new parent leave, four weeks of PTO, paid company holidays, retirement matching after 1000 hours and one year of work, and medical and dental insurance. The salary ranges from $70,000- $75,000 annually, depending on experience.
Essential Partners is a fully remote organization; all employees are required to be residents of the United States of America and are able to work remotely from approved states listed below. Essential Partners does not currently base salary rates on location. We offer both initial funding and monthly connectivity stipends to ensure all employees have access to a safe, secure, healthful, and comfortable work environment with the equipment and tools required for their role. This role will generally require being accessible and available between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday (except for a lunch break) to allow for as much overlap and collaboration as possible. All other work hours may be taken at each employee’s discretion. EP hosts quarterly in-person retreats, which are scheduled in coordination with employees to ensure all staff are able to gather together regularly. This role may require occasional on-call support outside of work hours when projects take place (e.g. weekend workshops). Otherwise, this role does not require travel and rarely requires work outside of business hours.
Essential Partners is an equal-opportunity employer. We embrace diversity of identity, belief, and background in every aspect of our organization. We are committed to co-creating an inclusive workplace for all.
To Apply:
Please submit a resume or CV as well as a recent relevant writing sample to careers@whatisessential.org. The subject of your email should be “Communications Associate - [Your Name]”. Applicants are invited to provide more details and texture about their relevant experience and interest in the form of a cover letter. The deadline to submit applications will be September 6, 2026.
Approved U.S. States and Territories Eligible for Employee Residence
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Rhode Island
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming