Communications Manager

Job Description

Job Title :  Communications Manager (must currently reside in Seattle / Bellevue area)

Department : Communications

Reports To : Director of Government Affairs

Location: Bellevue, WA

FLSA Status : Full-time in-office, Exempt/Salary

Compensation : Base salary of $100,000 - $110,000 DOE

Are you the right fit?

Would it excite you to have a pivotal role in communicating to our community what is necessary to overcome our housing shortage and make home more attainable to everyone? If yes, please keep reading.

About Us

Everyone deserves a place to call home. Not just an address or somewhere to take shelter, but a little slice of the universe that’s all your own. A place where you can plant roots and grow. Where you have a voice. Where you make memories. Where you always belong. A house is a structure with four walls and a roof—but a home is wherever you can be you. That place might look a little different to everyone, but the feeling of safety and comfort it provides is universal. And to us, that’s a feeling no one should live without.

Since 1909, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties has been making home happen. We live in one of the best places in the world, and as representatives of our region’s housing industry, it’s our duty to keep it that way—by making housing available and attainable to everyone. That’s why we support those who provide the Puget Sound region with places people can call home.

We’ve been the voice for builders for more than 100 years, helping to shape our community for the greater good. We devote years to creating legislation that promotes a free market where housing supply can keep up with regional demands. We collaborate with our communities to develop land in ways that serve everyone, balancing environmental preservation with housing provision. And we’re continuously building a home of our own, where our members can connect, learn from each other, and succeed. Together, we’re determined to provide our region with attainable housing—today, tomorrow, and for the next 100 years.

There’s a reason people say home is where the heart is—because home is where everything begins. It’s integral to human success, to creating connected communities, and to building a better tomorrow. That’s why, as the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, we don’t just make housing happen—we make home happen.

What it Takes to Succeed

Here are the skills and traits you’ll need to be successful in our organization.

• A team player -- You define personal success by the success of the association and your teammates in addition to the excellence of your own work.
• Courageous – You are always willing to try something new, whether that is a new responsibility or a new way of approaching an existing one.
• Self-motivated but also collaborative – You take full ownership of your work statement but also enjoy working with a team.
• Highly adaptive and resilient – When necessary, you are happy to iterate, react to changes in requirements, and learn for next time.
• Organized and detail-oriented – You have a knack for record-keeping and multi-tasking and have strong proofreading and copyediting skills.
• An excellent communicator – You write and speak effectively at varying levels of technical detail depending on what is most effective with any given audience.
• Skilled & experienced but also humble – You are confident in what you bring to the team while recognizing that your opinion isn’t the only one that matters.

Position Overview

The Communications Manager has an overarching primary objective: to ensure members, policymakers, and the broader community understand MBAKS’ advocacy priorities and how to make home more attainable for all.

To accomplish that objective, the Communications Manager has three primary responsibilities:

1. Develop and execute strategic, member-focused communications that advance the priorities of the homebuilding industry and demonstrate the value of MBAKS advocacy.

2. Contribute to a culture of excellence within the team to advance the priorities and objectives of the association.

3. Develop and / or maintain processes, tools and behaviors that support the needs of the association’s stakeholders. Focus on effective project management and timeliness and quality of deliverables while being approachable, flexible and professional.

The Communications Manager works closely with internal stakeholders to create and distribute a wide variety of impactful communication pieces, primarily those relating to its advocacy efforts.

The position communicates with a wide variety of audiences, including homebuilders and remodelers, industry professionals and suppliers, elected officials, and the general public across websites, targeted emails, a weekly e-newsletter, presentations, and digital and physical collateral for Advocacy events.

The Communications Manager needs to understand the unique voice and branding elements for each of those audiences and be adept at both overseeing and executing the full production process for all forms of communication. Success in this role requires strong writing and storytelling skills, public policy fluency, visual communication skills, and the ability to connect MBAKS advocacy work to practical impacts on members and housing.

Required Education, Experience, Knowledge, and Skills

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, public affairs or a related field
• Experience: Minimum five years of experience in Communications or a related field
• Technical Skills:

o   Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

o   Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite or its programs (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Acrobat, Premier Pro)

Preferred Technical Skills:

• Experienced with website (Squarespace) and email design using CSS & HTML
• Experienced with MailChimp and with data hygiene for contact databases
• Experienced with Firey Print Suite, HubSpot, Figma, mainstream social media platforms, social media management tools, and file sharing platforms
• Experienced with project management tools (Smartsheet, monday.com, etc.)

Department and Company Support:

• Highly collaborative, with the ability to work across departments and contribute to the development of communication strategies.
• Active participation in all-team activities.

Physical Requirements :

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods during the workday, with occasional movement between tasks.
• Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, operating office equipment, and handling documents.
• Visual acuity for reading and reviewing printed and digital materials, as well as using computers or other office technology.
• Ability to speak and hear clearly in order to communicate effectively with team members, clients, and external partners.
• Occasional lifting of office materials or equipment (up to 25 pounds), such as file boxes, office supplies, or promotional materials.
• Ability to travel locally for meetings or events, as needed (if applicable).
• Use of office equipment , including computers, printers, telephones, and other office machinery, requiring manual dexterity and coordination.

Mental Requirements:

• Strong cognitive skills for problem-solving, critical thinking, and troubleshooting.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously , adjusting priorities based on shifting deadlines and organizational needs.
• High attention to detail , ensuring the accuracy and quality of work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational and time management skills , with the ability to prioritize tasks and work efficiently under pressure.
• Ability to remain focused on tasks for extended periods, with minimal distractions in an office environment.
• Adaptability to changing work environments, technologies, and organizational processes.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively , demonstrating a team-oriented mindset.

Employee Benefits

• Purpose-driven work where we believe everybody deserves a place to call home.
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage- 2 medical plan choices, and an HSA plan.
• Annual paid holidays- 11 total.
• Vacation accrual of 12 days for FT employees annually, increasing with years of service.
• Paid sick leave under WA state law.
• Personal days- up to 3 annually. Pro-rated initial year of hire.
• Employee assistance program (EAP).
• 401(k) plan with 4% employer match.
• Heart safe workplace.
• Maternity and paternity leave benefit.
• On-site gym, mediocre but functional locker rooms included.
• Free parking with EV charging stations.
• Most employees have private offices.
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment with a supportive team culture.
• Awesome coworkers, which sometimes include our dogs.
• Team outings and events that are more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
• Office snacks. Frankly, probably too many.
• Paid week off between Christmas and New Year’s.
• A culture where we take our cause, but not ourselves, seriously.

Equal Opportunity Employer :

MBAKS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you believe you need an accommodation during the application process, we encourage you to contact the Director of Human Resources at View email address on ziprecruiter.com.