Job openings/Development Communications Manager
YOU ARE ...
a talented writer whose vivid and captivating prose jumps off the page. You make even the mundane sound interesting. You can understand highly technical information and write about it in a way that everyone understands. You have great stamina and meet deadlines. You make your point efficiently. You write in a way that inspires people and never puts them to sleep.
JOB TITLE
Development Communications Manager [CLOSED]
JOB SUMMARY
The Development Communications Manager is a critical part of the Wikimedia Foundation's development team, responsible for producing all written communication to funders and prospective funders, including large grantmaking foundations, small family foundations, and individual major donors. The development team works together to raise the Wikimedia Foundation’s annual budget. The Development Communications Manager is a part of the Community team and will be based in our San Francisco headquarters.
ABOUT THE WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION AND THE COMMUNITY DEPARTMENT
Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects are authored and edited entirely by communities of volunteer contributors. The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) maintains the technical infrastructure to support these communities and pursues a permanent agenda of technical and programmatic innovation. It also supports an incredibly diverse global community of editors and readers through global conferences, public outreach activities, and strategic relationships which support the cause of free knowledge. It is a highly transparent, collaborative organization. A global network of Wikimedia chapter organizations conducts important activities to support the movement in a fast-growing number of countries.
The WMF Community Department collaborates with and works as a part of the broad Wikimedia community -- including readers, donors and editors/contributors -- to encourage the health and growth of Wikimedia communities and the projects they create and manage.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
- Produce all written communications with Wikimedia's funders and potential funders, including grant proposals, grant reports, letters of inquiry, and a quarterly newsletter.
- Conduct research, so that our written communications are factual, and collaborate with other Wikimedia departments to ensure accuracy.
- Work with colleagues on the development team to maintain our CRM of current and prospective funders, and our grants calendar to ensure that all deadlines are known and met.
CANDIDATE SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS
- Outstanding writing skills and a minimum of three years of professional writing experience
- A solid grasp of English grammar rules and strong editing skills
- Great research skills
- Experience with desktop publishing and an ability to make visually attractive documents (sometimes working with a graphic designer)
- Strong computer skills
- Previous grant writing experience and/or experience with grantmaking is a plus
- Ability to work in the Wikimedia offices in downtown San Francisco
- A Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communication, or Creative Writing is preferred
- Fluency in languages other than English a plus
CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS
- Passion for Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects
- Team player, who cares deeply about his or her own work and also helps colleagues succeed
- Resourceful problem solver, who finds ways around road blocks
- Highly motivated and enthusiastic; Not easily discouraged
- Organized, efficient and able to meet deadlines
- Detail-oriented and a fact checker
- Emotionally mature and self-reliant; tolerates ambiguity and maintains positive, respectful professional relationships
- The ideal candidate will be creative, highly motivated, and able to operate effectively in multiple cultural contexts.
- Experience living or working outside of your home country is a major plus.