Communications Director

PRINCIPAL FUNCTION

The Communications Director is a hands-on leader responsible for the internal and external communications of Sewickley Presbyterian Church and for the production systems that support worship, ministry, and congregational engagement. The director personally creates and distributes much of the church's routine communication while also providing strategic direction, managing assigned budgets, and supervising the Production Team.

The director advises church leadership about communication opportunities and develops effective strategies in support of the mission, vision, and ministry priorities established by the pastors and Session. The Production Team may include staff members, interns, contractors, and volunteers; its composition may evolve according to ministry needs and available resources.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.  Planning and Vision

a.  Develop and implement a church-wide communications strategy aligned with SPC's mission, congregational life, and the ministry priorities established by the pastors and Session.

b.  Advise pastors, staff, Session, committees, and ministry leaders regarding communication opportunities, audiences, timing, channels, and messaging, and propose integrated strategies in support of ministry goals.

c.  Establish and maintain communications calendars, submission processes, editorial standards, brand standards, and approval workflows.

d.  Assess communication practices, technologies, production processes, and results; recommend improvements and lead implementation of approved changes.

2.  Production Team Leadership

a.  Serve as the immediate supervisor of assigned Production Team employees, including the Sound Engineer, Broadcast Producer & Multimedia Coordinator, Tech Intern, and other personnel as assigned.

b.  Assign and prioritize work, prepare schedules, review and approve time sheets and leave requests, conduct performance reviews, provide coaching and corrective feedback, and participate in hiring and disciplinary processes in accordance with church personnel policies.

c.  Supervise worship and event production, including sound, microphones, livestreaming, recording, cameras, presentation media, and related production functions.

d.  Clarify roles, coverage, handoffs, and backup plans for Sunday worship, special services, funerals, concerts, and other significant events.

e.  Recruit, equip, and support volunteers where appropriate while maintaining the professional standards and continuity required by the ministry.

f.  Coordinate with pastors, musicians, worship leaders, facilities staff, and ministry leaders so that production serves the purpose and flow of each service or event.

g.  Maintain quality-control practices and recommend production equipment, software, training, and budget priorities.

3.  Communications Production

a.  Personally plan, write, design, prepare, publish, and distribute much of the church's routine communication, including the weekly e-mail, Sunday announcements, publications, promotional materials, signage, mailings, and pastoral or ministry communications.

b.  Develop faithful, engaging, and informative messaging for internal and external audiences, with top-flight writing, editing, and graphic-design quality.

c.  Create unified visual themes for events, programs, campaigns, publications, and annual projects while maintaining SPC brand standards and producing materials that are legible and engaging across generations.

d.  Collaborate with staff and Production Team personnel on video and multimedia content and manage print and publication processes through production and distribution.

e.  Coordinate publicity, advertising, press releases, and relationships with external media, and maintain appropriate copyright, trademark, licensing, permission, attribution, and usage practices.

4.  Digital Communications

a.  Direct and maintain the church's online presence, including website content and function, social media, e-mail platforms, digital signage, and emerging channels.

b.  Coordinate communications-related use of the church database and support effective adoption of tools such as Realm in partnership with administrative staff.

c.  Establish standards for accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, privacy, account stewardship, and continuity across communications platforms, and respond reliably to deadlines and changing ministry needs.

d.  Ensure that digital channels present a coherent, hospitable, and current picture of the church's worship, ministries, and community life.

5.  Collaboration and Administration

a.  Participate actively in staff meetings, worship planning, and other coordination meetings appropriate to the role.

b.  Develop and manage the communications and production budgets assigned to the position. Track expenditures, plan for recurring and anticipated needs, and make responsible allocation decisions among print, digital, advertising, signage, mailing, equipment, and other communication channels within approved budgetary limits.

c.  Adjust communication tactics and budget priorities to make effective use of available resources while supporting the church's ministry priorities.

d.  Maintain organized files, calendars, procedures, credentials, and documentation so essential work can continue during absences and transitions.

e.  Coordinate the content and visual consistency of building signage and other public-facing materials to support a welcoming environment for guests.

f.  Coordinate with Operations regarding shared technology, equipment, and systems related to communications and production.

g.  Perform other duties consistent with the purpose and leadership level of the position as assigned.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

The Communications Director must be comfortable participating in Christian worship and in the life and ministry of Sewickley Presbyterian Church. The director is a mature, dependable, collaborative, and creative leader who engages comfortably with congregants, staff, volunteers, ministry partners, and the surrounding community. The director demonstrates initiative and responsiveness while exercising sound judgment about priorities, capacity, deadlines, and when to recommend an alternative approach. The director must be adaptable, willing to work within established church systems and policies, and able to combine attention to detail with a church-wide strategic perspective.

PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

A bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, media, journalism, design, or a related field is preferred. Significant relevant professional experience may be considered in place of formal education. The director must have demonstrated professional communications experience, including responsibility for strategy, project leadership, and hands-on production across multiple channels. Supervisory, team-leadership, or substantial project-management experience is required. Experience leading both staff and volunteers is preferred. Experience in a church, nonprofit, educational, or similarly mission-driven environment is preferred.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

The church maintains a standardized Microsoft Windows environment. The director must be proficient in and willing to use church-provided or approved Windows-based hardware, software, file systems, and workflows. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite - particularly InDesign and Photoshop - WordPress or a comparable website content-management system, and an e-mail marketing platform such as Constant Contact is required. Familiarity with Canva, ProPresenter, ACS, Realm, video-production tools, commercial printing, office production equipment, and basic web coding is desirable. The director must also have a working knowledge of basic copyright, trademark, licensing, and media-use requirements and sufficient familiarity with live-production workflows to lead the Production Team. The director must be willing to learn new communications, database, and production technologies as ministry needs evolve.

SCHEDULE

This is a full-time exempt position. The Communications Director ordinarily works Monday through Friday and is expected to maintain a regular on-site presence throughout the workweek, including Fridays. Because the position supports worship, live production, programs, and special events, periodic evening, weekend, and Sunday presence will be necessary. Sunday work is not necessarily expected every week; hours should be adjusted in consultation with the supervising pastor when ministry needs require work outside the ordinary schedule.