Iowa FFA Foundation

The Iowa FFA Foundation is a dynamic organization responsible for the development of partnerships which secure opportunities and resources for members of the Iowa Team AgEd Family (Iowa FFA Association, PAS of Iowa, Iowa Association of Agricultural Educators and Iowa FFA Alumni & Supporters Association). This is a unique role within our organization designed to encourage learning opportunities within the organization and with business and industry partners. This role will be a significant part of the Iowa FFA Foundation team by helping grow our organization's outreach.

Position Summary

The Communications and Special Events position is responsible for helping Iowa FFA Foundation tell our story of the impact our incredible donors achieve through their gifts to support the next generation of leaders through agricultural education.  This role will be customer/donor focused and will be primarily responsible for the communication, marketing and special events of the foundation. 

Based on qualifications and experience, a selected candidate may hold one of these job titles: Manager, Sr. Coordinator or Coordinator.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Communications and Marketing – 75%

• Develop for approval and execute a comprehensive marketing/communications plan annually, including annual reports, e-newsletters, promotional plans for fund-raising, limited-edition merchandise, events, volunteers, special projects, news releases, etc.
• Develop and manage electronic marketing presence including webpage and social media in order to build the Iowa FFA Foundation & FFA Enrichment Center brands and to promote giving, events, etc.
• Manage media relations for the Iowa FFA Foundation, including the creation and dissemination of releases and all on-site appearances.
• Monitor publications for relevant news, brand awareness and information to augment donor profiles.
• Assist with other duties as assigned by the Executive Director

Special Events – 25%

• Serve as the primary point of contact for our annual fund-raising event committees – Black Ties Blue Jackets Gala, Golf Tournaments, etc.
• Coordinate with the Executive Director and Development Manager to maximize attendance and participation at events.
• Champion the event timelines to ensure successful event delivery
• Develop the overall theme with the committees
• Coordinate the annual Career Show at the Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference and the Tradeshow at the Iowa Agricultural Education Summer Conference.
• Facilitate the selection process for the annual scholarship program – including any/all recognition events/activities.
• Market the Iowa FFA Foundation at trade shows, the Iowa State Fair and other like venues, enlisting the help of volunteers when needed.
• Additional duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree (preferred in agriculture journalism)
• Five (5) years’ experience in an agricultural communications role (preferred with a non-profit organization)
• Experience maintaining consistency and style to a brand management.
• Incredible passion, energy and excitement to meet people and share our brand’s story
• Excellent communication skills, including writing, proof reading skills, and speaking
• Excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism in person, phone, and by e-mail
• Unwavering desire to be a team player
• Actively desire to grow and receive feedback to help accelerate growth
• Great customer service ethic and high expectations for quality
• Exceptional organization skills
• Deep commitment to and enthusiasm for raising visibility and engaging Iowan’s in the development of leadership in youth and consumers to their food.
• Ability to build communication systems to support volunteerism, fundraising and brand visibility and advocacy.
• A master at attention to detail
• Fluent with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Preferred:

• Previous experience with FFA and agricultural education
• Significant previous experience with software such as: Adobe Creative Suite and Canva

 Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

• Sitting: Must be able to remain in a stationary position while working at a desk, and at a computer
• Use of Hands: Constantly operating a computer, phone, and/or other office equipment such as a printer, mouse, or keyboard
• Hearing: Must have the ability to hear, understand, and distinguish speech via telephone, in-person, and other remote speech
• Speaking: Must have the ability to communicate, express, and/or exchange ideas by means of spoken word. This role requires comfort with public speaking and the ability to present ideas clearly that are important
• Vision: Must have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing client presentations, viewing a computer, reading, and researching information
• Travel: This role often requires travel to meet clients and/or to attend industry events. This may involve air travel, driving, or extended periods of sitting
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times