Employment Opportunity
Youth Symphony of Kansas City is pleased to welcome applicants for the part-time position of Communications and Marketing Associate.
Candidate Summary
Grammar commander, spelling savant and branding maven. Polished writer and music lover. You take pride in expressing compelling stories through words and visuals. With an impeccable eye for clean lines and hierarchical design, you possess a keen ability to use precisely the right combination of content that captivates and inspires others.
Position Summary
The Communications and Marketing Associate is responsible for the implementation and curation of Youth Symphony of Kansas City’s digital and print media messaging, ensuring branding and stylistic consistency across all communication channels. Responsibilities include content generation and propagation for the organization’s online presence; communication with members of the media; design of print advertising, external communications and all other collateral materials.
Organization Summary
Youth Symphony of Kansas City is a vibrant music education organization that provides meaningful and enriching musical experiences to area students. Through its full orchestras and string programs, 300 to 450 students participate annually, bringing live symphonic music to more than 15,000 each year in concerts throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The organization will celebrate its 65th Anniversary Season in 2023-2024.
Students audition annually to participate in the program, performing concerts for community-wide audiences in cherished venues such as Helzberg Hall at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Yardley Hall at the Midwest Trust Center, among others. In February 2020, the organization relocated its administrative offices and program operations to the historic Loretto Building in Midtown Kansas City. In June 2023, the Youth Symphony of Kansas City Touring Orchestra will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
At a time when some smaller arts organizations have struggled, Youth Symphony of Kansas City continues to thrive with steadily increasing interest in its programming, a commitment to engaging in new collaborations and a history of quality educational experiences and fiscal responsibility.
Download a PDF of this posting.
Youth Symphony of Kansas City
Position Description
Position Title: Communications and Marketing Associate
Structure: Part-Time, hourly
Supervisor: Executive Director
Primary Duties
Communications and Public Relations (35%)
- Create and execute a comprehensive communications plan in coordination with Executive Director and senior staff
- Write, edit, format and distribute content for digital and print including Youth Symphony eNews, website, program books, and other external communications
- Manage internal and external aspects for annual communications calendar and the production of collateral materials, including coordination of content with staff and production elements with vendors (designer, printer, mailhouse, etc.)
- Write, distribute and pitch media advisories and press releases; develop and maintain relationships with members of the media
- Manage YSKC photography archive and determine/coordinate photography needs at concerts, events
- Create and distribute media kits and materials; ensure that internal and external constituents adhere to YSKC branding standards
Marketing and Design (30%)
- With approval of Executive Director, appropriate marketing budget for media buys and advertising placements; manage contracts and negotiations with media and publication representatives
- Seek out area concert/event calendars and other outlets to promote YSKC concerts,
programs and special events - Design and produce posters, postcards and other materials that promote YSKC concerts, auditions and other special events; provide support for additional design projects as needed (e.g. funding appeals, t-shirts, invitations, etc.)
- Manage and oversee ticketing aspects for concerts and special events; coordinate copy and on-sale details with ticketing staff at venues
Social Media and Online (30%)
- Create and manage online media schedule and plan; keep abreast of trends and best practices in
order to guide organizational strategy - Generate, edit and curate online content including, but not limited to, photos, copy, videos, audio and other elements for YSKC website, social media platforms and other digital channels
- Coordinate website redesign process with design firm; publish and maintain all website content
- Manage and monitor activity and presence of YSKC on social media platforms
- Adhere to and enforce the YSKC Social Media Guidelines
Miscellany (5%)
- Coordinate and oversee production of YSKC merchandise and pertinent design elements
- Perform other duties as assigned
Desired Qualifications
- PREFERRED: Bachelor’s Degree or Associate’s Degree with 2+ years of previous experience
- PREFERRED: 1-3 years of experience within the field of communications
- Excellent written communication skills – namely copywriting, spelling and editing
- Proactive, accountable and professional; ability to make sound judgment
- Sense of humor and flexibility
- Creative thinker, with ability to receive and accept direction
Desired Skills
- REQUIRED: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite – namely Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop
- Advanced knowledge of social media trends and platforms
- Previous experience with WordPress, HTML, MailChimp (or similar platform)
- Proficiency in Google Workspace (Formerly G Suite)
- PREFERRED: Prior experience with Google Analytics and Google AdWords
Compensation/Workload
Compensation: $21/hour
Benefits: No benefits are associated with this part-time position.
Workload: Approximately 20-25 hours/week.
Work Environment: Hybrid; flexible. Some meetings and hours must occur in-person during the typical M-F workweek. Weekend hours – in particular, certain rehearsals and concerts that occur on Sunday afternoons/evenings – are required intermittently. Hybrid work environment guidelines are subject to change and are at the discretion of the Executive Director.
Offers of employment are contingent upon the results of a criminal background check to be executed during the final stages of the hiring process.
To apply:
Send the following materials:
- Letter of application, resume, three references
- Professional writing sample
- One piece you’ve designed for print
- One piece you’ve designed for online/web
Please send all materials in PDF format to hr@youthsymphonykc.org using the email subject line: Communications.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. No phone calls, please.
EOE