LASA is seeking a Director of Communications and Public Relations

Bilingual: English and Spanish are a must

Position Overview

The Communications and Public Relations Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive communication plans that align with the Latin American Studies Association (LASA¹) goals and objectives strengthening LASA’s brand and reputation and working to ensure consistent and effective management of LASA’s voice, communications plan and public relations strategies.  This role involves crafting engaging content, managing various communications channels, and building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.  The successful candidate will have a proven track record in strategic communication, solid corporate and academic publishing, web and social media expertise, excellent writing skills, and the ability to navigate a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. Other attributes of the successful candidate are: efficient time and project manager, organized and detail-oriented, creative and forward-thinking, a team player able to juggle multiple projects daily. 

Responsibilities

Communication Strategy

Develop and execute a robust communication strategy aligned with LASA’s overall goals and values.

Maintenance, evaluation, and improvement of the annual communications plan. Work in collaboration with LASA staff to ensure the integrity of the organization’s brand and communications plan.

Collaborate with leadership to ensure consistency in messaging across all communication channels.

Content Creation

Create compelling and relevant content for various platforms, including communications for LASA members throughout the year, press releases, newsletters, blog posts, social media, and websites.

Edit and proofread content to maintain high quality and brand consistency.

Responsible for smoothly functioning and updating LASA’s primary website in four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French).

Directing the development and production of the LASA monthly e-newsletter. Supports developing and distributing other electronic communications developed by other staff and board members.                   

Public and Media Relations

Develop and implement comprehensive public relations strategies aligned with LASA’s goals and values.

Plan and coordinate press conferences, launches, and other events to generate positive media coverage.

Cultivate and maintain relationships with key media contacts.

Proactively pitch stories and secure media coverage to enhance LASA’s visibility.

Craft press releases and other outreach or public relations tools (e.g., blogs, brochures, letters, scripts, etc.) on various LASA priorities as needed.

Act as the internal point person for all media/press relations.

Internal Communication

Develop and implement internal communication strategies to ensure effective information flow within the organization.

Establish and maintain strong working relationships with LASA’s members, institutional partners, media partners, and other outside groups.

Social Media Management

Create and curate high-quality, engaging content for all social media platforms, including text, image, and video content.

Plan and execute social media campaigns to promote services and events.

Collaborate with the design and marketing teams to ensure visual consistency and brand alignment.

Manage and grow the company's presence on social media platforms.

Monitor trends and engage with the online community to enhance brand awareness.

Crisis Communication

Develop crisis communication plans and act as a spokesperson during crisis or reputation management.

Collaboration

Work closely with cross-functional teams, including but not limited to Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations, to ensure alignment of communication efforts.

 Analytics and Reporting

Utilize analytics tools to measure the impact of communication strategies and make data-driven recommendations for continuous improvement.

Generate regular reports and provide actionable insights to inform future strategies.

Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

• Master’s degree in communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in association or nonprofit management with at least five years of experience in association membership communications and marketing.
• Bilingual: English and Spanish are a must. Portuguese desired.
• Proven experience as a communications Manager or in a similar role.
• Exceptional organizational, verbal, written, interpersonal communication, project management, and organizational skills.
• Excellent computer skills and knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint) including HTML.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.
• Proficient in using communication and analytics tools.
• Knowledge of Latin America
• Experience with social media.
• Strong track record of positioning an organization to achieve tangible outcomes in a competitive communication environment.
• Leadership qualities that display optimism and inspire trust and respect. The candidate must be able to provide vision, inspiration, and hands-on support to all staff members.
• Excellent attention to detail and follow-through in a fast-paced environment
• Comfortable with the hands-on nature of a small team; willing to do what is necessary to advance our goals. 

ADA Requirements

This position operates in a professional office environment.  The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, telephones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

This is mainly sedentary; however, some filing may be required.

This would require the ability to reach, grasp, and handle objects, lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary.

Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds.

This position involves airline travel or other travel.