communications manager cmie

Communications Manager

Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island

Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt (not overtime-eligible) | Based in Rhode Island (hybrid; RI residency strongly preferred) | $60,000 – $70,000 annually

About Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island

Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island is a grassroots network of neighbors advocating to build more homes in the Ocean State. We advocate for statewide policy reforms, support neighbors advocating in their communities, and research strategies to achieve a robust and sustainable housing market.

About the Role

Neighbors Welcome! RI seeks a Communications Manager to carry our brand and voice, own all our platforms, and bring the media-relations and campaign-communications muscle to match the pace of politics. We have strong content foundations; the next level is proactive press and media relations and communications that move at the speed of a legislative campaign. This role reports to the Executive Director and works closely across the team.

What You'll Do

Brand & Voice

• Maintain and strengthen a cohesive brand and voice across all channels.
• Create reusable social media and newsletter assets and templates, in collaboration with designers and illustrators.
• Keep communications polished, on-brand, and error-free.

Media Relations & Campaign Communications

• Build and manage relationships with press and media.
• Pitch stories, write press releases and op-eds, support spokespeople, and drive rapid-response communications aligned to legislative moments.

Social Media & Audience Growth

• Own all platforms; use analytics tools to guide strategy and advise on which platforms to prioritize or discontinue based on reach and engagement.
• Grow audiences through engagement with partner organizations, civic leaders, supporters, and paid ads.
• Sustain an adjustable monthly content cadence, for example: 1–2 newsletters per month; event promotion and photography as needed; calls to action; op-ed promotion; roughly 3 original social posts per month; a community-member feature each quarter; and reposting housing content from local media or allies at least weekly.

Website

• Maintain and improve the website: calendar key events on the homepage, and improve the quality of copy and design in consultation with leadership.
• Keep legislation and news pages current (e.g., updating each session's legislation page and creating landing pages for new initiatives and polling results) and keep the "About" page up to date.

Content Creation

• Produce ongoing content centered on policy initiatives, the impact of housing legislation, and promotion of NWRI events and projects.
• Collect content from across the team, edit for brand cohesion and accuracy.
• Manage interns and member-contributors in generating appropriate and accurate content.

Coverage & Continuity

• Coordinate communications coverage during staff leave, ensuring continuity of social posting and newsletters using established assets and templates.

What Success Looks Like

• A cohesive, recognizable brand and voice across every platform.
• Press relationships and earned media that didn't exist before — NWRI is pitched, quoted, and placed.
• Growing, engaged audiences guided by real analytics, with a clear, current website.
• Communications that keep pace with the legislative calendar.

What We're Looking For: Who You Are

We recognize strong candidates may not meet every qualification. If you're excited about this role, we encourage you to apply. Qualified candidates will likely bring:

• Campaign communications experience (political, advocacy, or issue campaigns) and comfort with the pace of politics. Open to transferable skills shown clearly.
• Demonstrated media relations skills — press relationships, pitching, releases, and rapid response.
• Strong content creation across writing, social, and visual/graphic formats.
• An ownership mentality over platforms and brand cohesion.
• Excellent writing and editing.
• Proficiency with social media management and analytics tools, email/newsletter platforms, website CMS, and design tools.
• A genuine commitment to expanding housing opportunities and building welcoming communities.

Strongly Preferred

• Housing, land-use, or issue-advocacy communications background.
• Knowledge of the Rhode Island media landscape.
• Experience with tools such as Action Network, Canva, Meta, X, Bluesky, social analytics platforms, or similar.
• Photography and basic graphic-design skills.
• Residence in Rhode Island.

Work Environment

This is a hybrid role based in Rhode Island, with in-person work and events across the state. RI residency is strongly preferred and will be given preference, as this is an all-hands-on-deck team for events. We operate in a fast-paced advocacy environment, at the pace of politics.

What We Offer

• Salary: $60,000 – $70,000 annually
• Time Off: NWRI offers 15 days of paid time off per year, separate paid sick leave, paid parental and medical leave, and a paid organizational closure the week between Christmas and New Year's.
• Benefits: NWRI offers health insurance, a Simple IRA retirement plan, an annual professional development stipend, and a monthly remote work stipend to support internet and phone costs.
• The opportunity to shape the voice of a growing movement for housing in Rhode Island!

Commitment to Equity & Inclusion

Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island is committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and individuals with lived experience related to housing instability or community advocacy.

What to Expect — Interview Process

• Screening interview with the Chief of Staff.
• Round 2 interview with the Executive Director and Chief of Staff.
• Final round interview with the Executive Director, Chief of Staff, and 1–2 board members.

How to Apply

We do not require a cover letter. Instead, we ask you to respond to the prompts below. We are committed to accessibility — if written responses aren't your preferred format, you're welcome to respond via video or audio recording (up to 2 minutes per question); include links with sharing permissions that allow us to access your submission. Please submit your resume, responses to the prompts, and 2 work samples by filling out the application.

1. Tell us about a communications win you drove from start to finish. What did you do, and what was the result?
2. Tell us about a time you had to shift your communications strategy quickly in response to a fast-moving event or news cycle. How did you decide what to prioritize, and what did you learn?
3. How do you keep a brand voice cohesive across platforms and collaborators?
4. How have you used data and analytics to inform a strategy decision?
5. What draws you to Neighbors Welcome! RI's mission, and how has that shown up in your work or choices?

Our priority application deadline is December 4, 2026. The prompts above are designed to help us better understand your communications experience, strategic judgment, and approach to the work. Please submit your resume, responses to all five prompts (written, audio, or video), and two work samples through the application form.

AI Policy

We believe AI can be a helpful tool in work and learning and are not opposed to its use in general. We use 100% human review of these applications. For this process, we ask that your responses reflect your own thinking, experience, and communication style. Please do not use AI in this application. This role requires strong independent judgment and problem-solving, and we want to understand how you naturally approach real situations.

EEOC Statement

Neighbors Welcome! Rhode Island is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive teams, and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

For accessibility accommodations or questions, contact georgina@neighborswelcomeri.org. No phone calls.