Communications & Storytelling Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Communications & Storytelling Specialist

JOB DESCRIPTION

Grade: TBD

Location: Office: Charleston

Status: Full-time

Exempt

Department: Marketing & Communications

Reports To: Director of Communications

About the Center for Heirs’ Property®

The Center for Heirs’ Property® (CHP) helps families and small-acreage landowners protect what matters most — the roof over their heads and the land under their feet. Since 2005, CHP has empowered families through legal education, direct legal services, and sustainable land-use programs that strengthen ownership, clarity, and generational prosperity.

Rooted in South Carolina and recognized nationally for its leadership, CHP envisions a nation where every family can enjoy the legacy of home—securing ownership, protection, and prosperity for generations to come.

Position Description

The Communications & Storytelling Specialist is an early-career communications professional who supports the Center for Heirs' Property's communications efforts through public inquiry management, hands-on storytelling and content production, and communications operations.

Working closely with the Director of Communications and Marketing & Communications Manager, the Specialist serves as an important front door to the organization by monitoring and triaging designated shared communications channels, ensuring inquiries are acknowledged and routed appropriately. Guided by departmental editorial priorities, the Specialist finds, researches, develops, writes, and produces stories and content about the landowners, families, staff, partners, and communities that demonstrate the impact of CHP's mission.

The position is primarily responsible for executing assigned storytelling and content priorities across newsletters, websites, social media, publications, campaigns, and other communications channels, while

also supporting the operational activities that keep the Communications Department organized and responsive.

The ideal candidate is a developing communications professional with strong writing potential, curiosity, empathy, organizational skills, and sound judgment. This role offers opportunities to build skills in interviewing, narrative storytelling, digital content, visual content capture, and communications operations while working with and learning from experienced communications colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

Public Inquiry Management & Communications Intake

Serve as a frontline point of contact for inquiries received through designated organizational communications channels.

Responsibilities include: · Monitor and triage shared communications inboxes, including View email address on ziprecruiter.com, View email address on ziprecruiter.com, and other designated channels.

· Review incoming inquiries, identify the nature of each request, and route messages to the appropriate department according to established protocols.

· Provide timely acknowledgment and approved responses to common inquiries.

· Maintain an organized record of inquiries and referrals as needed.

· Identify recurring questions, emerging issues, and communications needs and share relevant trends with the Director of Communications.

· Escalate sensitive, complex, media-related, or reputational inquiries to the Director of Communications.

· Help maintain and improve standard responses, routing protocols, and intake procedures.

The Specialist is responsible for the effective communications intake and routing process, but is not responsible for resolving legal, programmatic, policy, or other inquiries that fall within the responsibility of another department.

Storytelling & Content Development

Find, develop, write, and produce authentic stories and content aligned with editorial priorities established by the Director of Communications and Marketing & Communications Manager.

Responsibilities include:

· Identify compelling stories involving landowners, families, staff, volunteers, community partners, and other stakeholders.

· Build trusted relationships with individuals whose experiences can deepen understanding of heirs' property and CHP's work.

· Conduct interviews in person, virtually, and by phone.

· Research, write, and edit feature stories, client and landowner stories, website articles, newsletter content, social media content, and other communications materials.

· Help identify storytelling opportunities through public inquiries, programs, events, partnerships, and relationships across the organization.

· Maintain a pipeline or story bank of potential stories and content opportunities.

· Collaborate with the Director of Communications and Marketing & Communications Manager to align storytelling with editorial priorities and communications campaigns.

· Ensure storytelling reflects the dignity, agency, resilience, and lived experiences of the individuals and communities CHP serves.

Digital Content & Campaign Support

Support the development and distribution of content across CHP's communications channels.

Responsibilities include:

· Develop written and visual content for websites, newsletters, social media, publications, presentations, events, and communications campaigns.

· Assist with website updates and routine digital content maintenance.

· Create routine graphics and visual assets using Canva and established organizational templates.

· Adapt stories and other content for different platforms and audiences.

· Support social media content development and scheduling.

· Assist with communications for organizational events, educational programs, policy initiatives, fundraising efforts, and other priorities.