This is a strategic position that will seek to understand the family journey through shelter and their experiences along that journey and then work to develop clear, accurate, and timely information to increase family's understanding of the program, their rights and responsibilities, and the resources available to them. This role will serve as a strategic partner to division programmatic leaders as they work to improve their program's performance through enhanced participant communications. The Manager will oversee the program's website content and strategy, as well as any other digital and physical communications for the program, and ensure that that all communications, including systems communications, reflect current EOHLC program policies and accessibility requirements, meet family/individual needs, and are consistent, user-friendly, plain language, and culturally responsive. The Manager will work closely with the EOHLC Constituent Services Manager and partners including Mass 211. The Manager will bring an innovative lens to communications to ensure that program communications are meeting families where they are despite challenges such as limited technology and/or language literacy, varied cultural expectations, and vulnerable populations in need of support.

This position is crucial to ensure that the DHS program communication, particularly the EA program, efforts are effective and supportive of overall mission to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (NOT ALL INCLUSIVE):

1. Family Content Development, Maintenance, and Distribution:

• Develops and distributes a variety of educational material for families in shelter, including program notices, web content, letters, newsletters, flyers, brochures, posters, videos, and social media posts to best reach the population that is being served.

• Overseeing the development, updating, and maintenance of the content and design of the EA program website intended for families in shelter.

• Utilizes innovative tools and multimedia platforms when communications are needed to explain changes of the EA program or policies that impact families in shelter to ensure they are well-informed.

• Ensures that the content is accessible, informative, engaging, user-friendly, meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, is available in plain language and is available in appropriate translations.

• May require working across multiple teams, divisions, and agencies to gather the most accurate information regarding specific topics. This also may include overseeing and/or collaborating with other internal HLC staff, state partners or third-party contractors.

2. Family and Stakeholder Coordination:

• Works closely with families and EA program staff, shelter providers, and external partners to ensure communication materials are accurate, relevant, and aligned with program policies and procedures.

• This may involve reviewing data, facilitating focus groups with families, staff, partners and/or other strategies including user experience research to gain family input as well as other regular meetings and coordination efforts to address gaps in educational material and communication needs or issues.

3. Monitor and Evaluate Effectiveness:

• Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness and impact of the educational and communication materials.

• Collects and analyzes feedback from families, staff, and stakeholders to make informed recommendations for improvements.

• Uses data-driven approaches to continuously enhance educational and communication strategies.

4. Communication Team Coordination:

• Works across Division to support initiatives that impact EOHLC and coordinates efforts with EOHLC Communication Team and Constituent Services Manager.

• Supports in the coordination of translations of all family facing materials for Division of Housing Stabilization. Additionally, plain language is essential for all family facing materials.

• This role will be pivotal to provide and help coordinate plain language training to be infused across family facing materials.

5. Develop and Implement the Communication and Education Strategy:

• Assesses the needs and preferences of families in shelter regarding information sharing and communications, as well as identifying and addressing challenges where enhanced communications can improve operations/family outcomes.

• Develops clear and consistent messaging to align with the Housing Stabilization mission and goals that meets the diverse needs of the populations served in shelter.

• Creates and maintains an education and communication calendar to keep families and providers that work with families informed.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Proven experience in leadership roles within public sector or aligned fields, with a track record of successfully managing cross-functional teams.

2. Experience developing strategic communications for the public with complex and nuanced messages, as well as strategies for effective implementation.

3. Demonstrated intermediate proficiency using Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook.

4. Demonstrated proficiency in intermediate page layout/graphic design (materials will be primarily laid out in PowerPoint, no Adobe Suite experience required).

5. Familiarity with design/visualization tools or experience directing Design/Art Direction teams

6. Demonstrated editing and content strategy skills and understanding of information hierarchy.

7. Ability to provide art direction to consultants on graphic materials, videos, etc.

8. Strong understanding of operational processes and best practices, particularly in the context of contractor support and engagement.

9. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels

10. Ability to collaborate with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to translate complex ideas into simple messages, and to take feedback from the SME to ensure the final product is accurate and aligned with policy.

11. Ability to speak directly to families as needed to test communications materials and to develop strategies to gather information from families on their understanding of programs, in order to inform communications needs.

12. Experience developing communications for diverse cultural audiences.

13. Experience in government or other public sector industry or a related field is highly desirable.

14. Experience in housing assistance or social services is a plus.

COMMENTS:

Please upload resume and cover letter.

This position would be expected to follow a hybrid model of reporting to work that combines in-office workdays and work from home days, as needed.

Salary placement is determined by years of experience and education directly related to the position and the Human Resources Division's Recruiting Guidelines. In the case of a promotional opportunity, the salary provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement will apply to placement within the appropriate salary range.

Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines. Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth's website.

Qualifications

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) four (4) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, professional internship, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, public administration, public management, clinical administration or clinical management or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

II. An Associate's degree in a related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.

III. A Bachelor's degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.

IV. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required experience.

V. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience.

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.