Description of the Work

The goal of the We Care for Kids/Por todos los niños campaign is to build support for quality early childhood care and education in Nebraska. Direct target audiences of the campaign include:

• Networks and organizations that engage influencers (defined as community/opinion leaders and public officials)
• Parents and families
• The early childhood care and education workforce

Since launching in June of 2022, We Care for Kids has partnered with more than 100 organizations and businesses, has engaged nearly 12,000 Nebraskans through virtual and telephone town hall events, has generated approximately 11 million impressions through paid media efforts, 114,000 website visits (with 20% going to Spanish pages and resources), is planning the second annual We Care for Kids Day Governor proclamation, has sent more than 65,000 postcards to households with young children with information on how to access early childhood resources, has engaged with communities across Nebraska hosting outreach events, and more.

The Campaign Manager will lead the implementation of this effort as it moves into its next phase, in collaboration with the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and key Nebraska partners, to achieve the following campaign objectives:

• Promote an aligned understanding of quality in early childhood education across target audiences
• Increase the understanding and appreciation of the role of the workforce in providing quality early childhood education in Nebraska
• Expand recognition of the economic importance of quality early childhood education and providers in Nebraska with influencer and workforce audiences
• Build public will for access to quality early childhood education across all three target audiences
• Increase communications capacity among campaign partners and collaborators to sustain and continue community engagement efforts made in public campaigns

While this position will include the flexibility to work remotely in the state of Nebraska, the Campaign Manager has the option to work from the Buffett Institute’s Omaha office up to 3-4 days per week. Some travel may be required to communities and events throughout the state.

Responsibilities of the Campaign Manager  

Working cooperatively with the Buffett Early Childhood Institute and state partners, this position will manage the day-to-day implementation and execution of the integrated strategic and culturally responsive campaign plan intended to reach targeted audiences across the state and in select Nebraska communities. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Recruiting campaign partners, fostering partner engagement with the Campaign, and identifying and implementing opportunities to expand the reach of the Campaign across Nebraska.
• Serving as a campaign spokesperson by participating in media interviews, presenting at conferences/meetings as needed, and representing the campaign at meetings and events across the state.
• Developing, executing, and managing campaign deliverables to be completed accurately and on time, and tracking success of engagement and communications strategies against key performance indicators.
• Leading project management for all aspects of campaign plan and ensuring key milestones, deadlines, and reporting requirements are met and managing coordination with Buffet Institute, campaign advisory group members, and key Nebraska partners, including:
  • Developing call/meeting agendas and providing regular campaign milestone tracking to key campaign team members at the Buffett Institute and Neimand Collaborative.
  • Completing all reporting requirements including monthly billing and progress reports and quarterly metrics reporting for partners and funders.
  • Coordinating closely with subcontractors to manage workstreams and deliverables, communicating updates with Neimand and Institute teams as necessary.
• Coordinating and training volunteers as needed for campaign-hosted events.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities / Competencies

Qualified applicants must document on the application that they possess the following:

• Demonstrated competency in developing culturally appropriate communications.
• Demonstrated competency in creating and maintaining collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including community partners across Nebraska.
• Bilingual ability in Spanish is a plus, as this campaign is both in English and Spanish.

Management Preferences

• Excellent written and oral communications skills
• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and project management skills
• Flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities and short-term deadlines
• Interpersonal, organization, and detail orientation skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office including Word/Excel/PowerPoint

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution and three (3) years of project experience related to the area of assignment, including one year of supervisory project experience.
  -OR-
• An equivalent combination of training and experience.