Open Positions

We have already received a large number of strong applications for Communcations and Development Coordinator! Thank you all for the time and effort you put in. Starting Friday, July 17, we are pausing the open call while we review the first round of applicants. We will give notice when and if we reopen submissions!

Communications and Development Coordinator

Reports To: Executive Director

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid, Mon & Fri remote, Tues-Thurs in office downtown Chicago)

Job type: Part time (30hrs/week)

Payment: $25/hour

Start date: immediate

TO APPLY:

Email your resume and a cover letter expressing interest to jorge@clata.org with the subject line: APPLICATION - Communications and Development Coordinator

We are looking to fill this position as soon as possible

Position Summary

The Communications & Development Coordinator supports CLATA’s communications, marketing, fundraising, media relations, and audience engagement efforts across all organizational programs and initiatives. This position plays a central role in advancing CLATA’s visibility, strengthening contributed revenue efforts, and communicating the organization’s impact to artists, audiences, funders, donors, sponsors, theater companies, cultural organizations, and community partners.

Working closely with the Executive Director, Director of Operations, Programming & Impact Manager, CLATA’s consulting publicist, designers, photographers, theater and cultural partner organizations, media partners, and community partners, the Communications & Development Coordinator leads the day-to-day execution of CLATA’s communications and marketing efforts while supporting the organization’s fundraising through grant writing, grant reporting, and development communications.

Because communications and audience engagement are CLATA’s most immediate organizational priorities, the successful candidate must possess strong communications and marketing experience, including demonstrated expertise in social media strategy, digital marketing, content creation, audience engagement, and organizational storytelling. The position also requires exceptional writing skills and the ability to produce compelling grant proposals, donor communications, marketing materials, newsletters, and organizational publications.

The Communications & Development Coordinator serves as CLATA’s primary coordinator of communications and development administration, collaborating across departments and with theater companies, cultural organizations, consultants, and community partners to strengthen organizational visibility, fundraising efforts, and public engagement.

Primary Responsibilities

• Development, Grant Writing & Communications

• Research grant opportunities aligned with CLATA’s mission and strategic priorities.

• Draft compelling grant proposals, letters of inquiry, grant reports, and supporting materials in collaboration with the Executive Director.

• Maintain the grants calendar and monitor proposal, reporting, and compliance deadlines.

• Coordinate the collection of narratives, budgets, organizational information, financial information, and program data needed for grant submissions and reports.

• Work collaboratively with the Director of Operations to oversee grant fulfillment, ensuring compliance with grant requirements, accurate financial reporting, timely program implementation, and fulfillment of all grant deliverables.

• Maintain organized grant files and supporting documentation.

• Maintain donor, funder, sponsor, and prospect records within CLATA’s CRM.

• Support annual fundraising campaigns, donor stewardship, sponsorship - fulfillment, and other development initiatives.

• Manage and maintain CLATA’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other digital channels.

• Create, schedule, and publish promotional, fundraising, and organizational content that advances CLATA’s mission, programs, and development goals.

• Draft newsletters, email campaigns, donor communications, fundraising appeals, audience communications, and other organizational copy.

• Maintain and update website content to ensure timely and accurate organizational information.

• Coordinate the collection of photography, video, artist interviews, testimonials, and event documentation for use in marketing, fundraising, grant proposals, impact reports, and organizational storytelling.

• Track and analyze social media, email marketing, and website performance to inform communications and audience engagement strategies.

• Coordinate production timelines, proofreading, and content assembly for digital playbills, impact reports, fundraising materials, annual reports, and other print and digital publications in collaboration with staff, designers, photographers, and organizational partners.

Marketing & Audience Engagement

• Develop and oversee communications calendars and promotional timelines.
• Coordinate marketing campaigns for festivals, artist initiatives, public programs, and special events.
• Coordinate marketing and promotional efforts with participating theater companies, cultural organizations, and community partners to maximize audience reach and visibility for CLATA programs and festivals.
• Support audience engagement and community outreach efforts.
• Coordinate distribution of marketing materials and promotional assets. Support ticket sales and audience development initiatives.
• Coordinate sponsor visibility across print, digital, and event materials.
• Support communications related to organizational partnerships and collaborative initiatives.

Media & Public Relations

• Serve as CLATA’s primary staff liaison to the organization’s consulting publicist.
• Coordinate communications, timelines, media opportunities, interviews, and follow-up with the consulting publicist.
• Assist the consulting publicist with the preparation and distribution of press releases, media advisories, and organizational announcements.
• Coordinate media requests, interviews, and press attendance for organizational events and programs.
• Coordinate communications with participating theater companies, cultural organizations, and media partners to ensure consistent messaging and promotional efforts across collaborative initiatives.
• Maintain and update media contact lists.
• Track and archive press coverage, media mentions, and publicity materials.
• Coordinate photographers, videographers, and content creators for organizational programs and events.

Development Communications & Stewardship

• Coordinate donor acknowledgments and stewardship communications.
• Assist with sponsorship fulfillment, including recognition benefits, acknowledgments, logo placement, playbill inclusion, and promotional commitments.
• Coordinate donor, membership, sponsorship, and fundraising communications.
• Assist the Executive Director with prospect research and development-related communications.
• Prepare sponsorship packets, fundraising collateral, annual reports, presentations, and organizational materials.
• Support organizational communications with funders, sponsors, partners, and donors.
• Help maintain consistency in CLATA’s public messaging and organizational voice.

Impact Reports & Organizational Reporting

• Lead the coordination and production of organizational impact reports following Destinos, inicios, and the close of each fiscal year.
• Develop production timelines and coordinate report deadlines across departments.
• Work collaboratively with the Programming & Impact Manager, who is responsible for collecting and organizing programmatic, audience, artist, participation, and evaluation data.
• Coordinate with the Director of Operations to incorporate organizational and financial information into impact reports.
• Draft, edit, and organize report narratives that communicate CLATA’s mission, accomplishments, financial stewardship, and organizational impact.
• Coordinate graphic design, photography, layout, formatting, editing, proofreading, printing, and digital publication in collaboration with staff and organizational partners.
• Ensure the accuracy of organizational statistics, funder acknowledgments, and supporting data.
• Coordinate distribution of impact reports to funders, donors, sponsors, board members, partners, elected officials, and community stakeholders.
• Repurpose impact report content for grant proposals, fundraising campaigns, donor stewardship, newsletters, social media, presentations, and the CLATA website.
• Prepare communications and media reports for the Board of Directors following major organizational programming.
• Track and present communications metrics, including media coverage, audience engagement, digital reach, website analytics, social media performance, and promotional outcomes.
• Maintain organized archives of reports, supporting data, and communications materials.

Administrative & Event Support

• Support communications logistics for festivals, receptions, donor events, and public programs.
• Attend and assist with occasional evening and weekend events.
• Maintain organized communications, marketing, and development files.
• Coordinate project management systems and communications workflows.
• Collaborate across departments to support organizational priorities.
• Participate in staff meetings and organizational planning.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Two or more years of experience in nonprofit communications, marketing, development, fundraising, grant writing, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience writing successful grant proposals and grant reports strongly preferred.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with the ability to write compelling grant proposals, donor communications, marketing copy, newsletters, press materials, and organizational publications.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing social media strategies and managing organizational social media platforms.
• Experience creating engaging digital content and executing marketing campaigns that increase audience engagement and organizational visibility.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience with CRM systems (Bloomerang preferred).
• Experience with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, Mailchimp, WordPress, or similar platforms.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced arts and cultural environment.
• Interest in arts, culture, theater, and community engagement.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Communications & Social Media Marketing
• Grant Writing & Development
• Digital Marketing
• Content Strategy & Storytelling
• Media Relations
• Marketing & Audience Engagement
• Donor Stewardship
• Project Management
• Organizational Storytelling
• Editing & Proofreading
• Data Interpretation & Impact Reporting
• Relationship Management
• Collaboration
• Organization & Attention to Detail
• Initiative & Problem Solving