Lead Communication Manager

General Description

CUNY CREST Institute is seeking for a Lead Communication Manager - who will drive the organization's overall communications strategy, ensuring a strong and cohesive brand presence across digital platforms, media, and outreach initiatives. This role oversees content creation, media relations, web and digital management, and the design of high-quality communication products to engage diverse audiences including students, researchers, partners, and the public, government and international audiences. The manager will collaborate with senior leadership to support fundraising, grant writing, and large-scale events, while building relationships with media and stakeholders to elevate visibility and impact. Ideal candidates are creative, strategic, and detail-oriented with proven experience in communications, design, and stakeholder engagement.

Other Duties

• Manage web presence, manage content on regular basis including making updates, performing audit / quality control of content and aesthetics to ensure that the information on the website is accurate, informative, presentable, and accessible.
• Write, edit, design, manage, and publish the copy-flow of communication deliverables such as the bi-monthly e-newsletter, and reports. Ensure that the communication products are accurate and of high standards, respond to the needs of the target audience including students, researchers, local communities and US officials, partners, public, and are delivered within agreed timelines and budgets.
• Design recruitment and promotional materials including informational brochures, pamphlets, summer program flyers etc.
• Serve as primary media contact : answer media inquiries or direct the queries to appropriate personnel & coordinate media and public affairs activities to promote and disseminate events and success stories through press-releases. Build on existing and develop new relationships with media, all partners, key decision-makers, member organizations and others.
• Help create and maintain a strong branding including creating branding materials including business cards, logo, branding kit, etc. Produce high quality designs using specialized software including Canva and Adobe Photoshop.
• Develop strategies and lead the internal as well as the external communication and outreach that aligns with the mission and vision. Create individualized communication strategies for strategic pillars including summer programs. Manage the website to ensure cohesive brand experience and drive press engagements to secure high impact media coverage.
• Partner closely with senior leaders across the organization to produce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) handbooks, program guides, client plans and business narratives, roadmaps, visual assets, and communications budget and policies.
• Contribute towards writing grants and funding proposal through federal, state, local and private foundations.
• Build and oversee the communications across the partnering campuses under the supervision of senior leadership. Oversee the technical team for website infrastructure related developments and delivery.
• Create and execute strategies for fundraising with external stakeholders.
• Oversee the participation of the institute in large scale and high visibility events such as national conferences, international collaboration events etc. Provide high quality talking points and up-to-date briefing documents in coordination with the support staff. Identify such opportunities for high visibility, thought leadership, and media interviews.
• Develop rich and creative press and partnership strategy content and taglines. Conduct alumni outreach to help develop and run a strong brand- ambassador program including its summer programs.
• Conduct analysis of communication campaigns and initiatives to make data-driven decisions to suggest changes to existing communication strategies as well as develop new ones to ensure effectiveness, improvements, and brand integrity. Produce annual reports to gauge success and advise the senior leadership on future growth and expansions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

RFCUNY Benefits

RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

About the Research Foundation

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY's research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY's services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society's most pressing challenges.

RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY's research and sponsored programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action / Americans with Disabilities Act / E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.