Public Relations Director jobs in Knoxville, TN

Position summary:  Responsible for planning, developing, and maintaining a comprehensive not-for-profit development fund-raising program.  Works cooperatively and respectfully with donors, residents, coworkers, families, visitors, and volunteers to create a positive and pleasant environment in the homes and office. Promotes meaningful relationship building with donors and residents as well as promoting psychosocial well-being through meaningful relationship building of our members, through working with the leadership team to meet other social service needs of the resident and of the membership household, always providing support, friendship and kindness for each of Uplands members. All tasks are performed in accordance with current Funds Development standards, policies, guidelines, and regulations and in a safe and efficient manner.

Essential skill and experience:

Minimum five years of fundraising/development/communications administration experience.

Must execute development and related communications service in accordance with policies and procedures and current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations.

Bachelor’s degree in business, public relations, Non-Profit management, or fundraising related degree is preferred. 

Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations to donors, top management, community leaders and organizations, foundations and/or board of directors.

Planning:  an ability to think ahead and plan over a one-to-five year time span.

Time management:  the ability to organize and manage multiple priorities.

Problem analysis and problem resolution at both a strategic and a functional level.

An intelligent and articulate individual who can relate to people at all levels. 

Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Computer proficiency and the skillset to navigate database software and reporting formats.

Preferred skill and experience:

Minimum five years development/fundraising/communications experience in a non-profit industry preferably.

Reporting to this position: No Direct Reports

Essential duties:

1. Identify, define, and acquire funding resources available to Uplands.
2. Design and implement a comprehensive development/fundraising and related communications program and appropriate fundraising strategies for both local and non-local markets.
3. Work collaboratively with staff members and board of directors to identify avenues of economic support for programs/projects.
4. Act as a liaison between Independent Living members and the President and CEO.
5. Develop strategies for and coordinate all fund-raising activities of Uplands in keeping with the organization’s goals.
6. Coordinates with Director of Marketing to organize and develop specific customer and/or public relations programs determining organization presence at conventions, annual meetings, trade associations, and seminars.
7. Examine ways of packaging and marketing these programs to philanthropic supporters.
8. Responsible for preparing grants, capital campaigns, annual and semi-annual appeals for benevolent funds etc., selling annuities and annual fundraising campaigns.
9. Prepare four Update publications to reach widest circulation of Members, families, form Members, Directors, UCC conference staff, and friends, and prospects each quarter of calendar year. 
10. Proof all print advertisements.
11. Maintain knowledge about the external environment as it relates to Uplands.
12. Achieve financial objectives by preparing an annual budget scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, and initiating corrective actions.
13. Develop fundraising plans and programs for Uplands and direct promotional support.
14. Maximize as many opportunities as possible for the local public relations to include stories of life and activities at Uplands Village; new construction; news articles of individual Member and staff activities, promotions, etc; information about Uplands Members participation in all volunteer activities; etc.
15. Primary responsibility as staff representative to interview new Members, produce a biographical sketch to acquaint Members in residence with them (including pictures) as is your practice; send that article (or revised as you see fit) to their home church, conference, and other publications that may advertise their having chosen Uplands for retirement and Living with Purpose.
16. Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies.
17. Aggressively seek new organization funding sources and maintain relationships with current/past donors.  Represent Uplands or select appropriate staff or residents in meetings with potential funding sources.
18. Responsible for maintaining close working relationships with all stakeholders and the active, ongoing, and smooth functioning of all stakeholders as the organization seeks to increase funding for Uplands.
19. Performs other related duties as assigned by President and CEO.

Essential expectations:

1. The employee is expected to adhere to all organizations policies and model adherence to organizations policies.
2. Supports the mission and values of Uplands Village.
3. Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
4. Communicative skills; auditory and visual skills; satisfactory completion of the pre-employment process as required.
5. Fully understand all aspects of residents’ rights, including the right to be free of restraints and free of abuse.  Responsible for reporting incidents or evidence of resident abuse or violation of residents’ rights, following abuse procedure.
6. Maintain the comfort, privacy, and dignity of each resident in the delivery of services to them.  Interact with residents in a manner that displays warmth and promotes a caring environment.  Complying with HIPAA- Privacy Rule regulations.
7. Supports the mission, vision, and values of Uplands Village.

Organizational behaviors and standards:

• Friendly- Actively seeks opportunities to provide outstanding service to others.
• Resident Care- Consistently anticipates and meets each resident’s directed service needs.
• Caring and Compassionate- Purposefully takes the time to listen, keep residents informed and offer empathy.
• Energetic Teamwork- Actively supports others, works with others, and makes others look good. Provides leadership that empowers other members of the team to meet the resident’s wants and needs.
• Leadership and Professionalism- Displays pride in work and Uplands.
• Problem solving- Utilize ‘win/win’ problem solving model when attempting to solve work related problems.
• Environmental- Demonstrates safe work habits, genuinely takes pride in the appearance of the overall work area.
• Communication- Demonstrates appropriate communication related to face-to-face communication, telephone, answering calls, placing a call on hold, transferring calls, voice mail, use of speaker phone, and email.
• Commitment- Demonstrates commitment to the organization, co-workers, and self-development.  Commitment to eliminate loneliness, helplessness, and boredom in the lives of residents.
• Diversity- Engages in interactions with an open mind while being non-judgmental and treats everyone with dignity and respect.
• Attendance- Regular and reliable attendance.
• Confidentiality- Protects confidentiality and privacy.
• Safety- Contributes to a culture of safety.

Physical demands and Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands:  See attached physical requirements form
• Work environment:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to work extended periods of time at a computer workstation. The noise level is usually moderate.