Communications Manager

American Choral Directors Association
Communications Manager
About Us: Founded in 1959, the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) is the nation's leading
professional choral membership organization for choral conductors, choral music educators, composers,
singers, researchers, and students. Our mission is to inspire and support excellence in choral music through
education, performance, composition, research, and advocacy while fostering meaningful connections among
those who enrich lives through singing.
Today, ACDA serves more than 13,000 members across all 50 states and around the world through a vibrant
network of volunteer national, regional, and state leaders. As a member-driven association, we provide
professional development, publications, conferences, research, leadership opportunities, advocacy,
networking, and educational resources that support conductors and choral professionals at every stage of their
careers. Through the work of our members, volunteer leaders, and staff, ACDA's impact extends to more than
one million singers each year in schools, places of worship, community ensembles, and professional choirs.
As a $5 million nonprofit organization, ACDA is committed to strengthening the choral profession while
cultivating an inclusive community where all individuals are welcomed, valued, and empowered to participate.
The Communications Manager will play a vital role in telling that story, connecting our members to the
resources and opportunities that support their work, and amplifying the collective impact of choral music
across the country.
About this Role: The Communications Manager is a new role and will serve as ACDA's communications
strategist and storyteller. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this position develops and implements
integrated communications and public relations initiatives that advance ACDA's mission, strengthen member
engagement, support conferences and events, and elevate the visibility of choral music.
Working collaboratively with national, regional, and state leadership, the Communications Manager provides
strategic communications support, tools, resources, and consultation that enhance the efforts of ACDA's
dedicated staff and volunteer leaders. This position is designed to empower and support staff and volunteers
creating communications systems, templates, and advise on best practices for messaging and engagement
across the organization.
The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer, storyteller, visual communicator, and strategic communicator who
can effectively engage members, donors, volunteers, partners, and the broader ACDA community while
managing communications across multiple platforms and audiences. Because ACDA is a member-driven
association, success in this role depends on the ability to collaborate effectively with volunteer leaders, build
consensus, and provide communications support that amplifies the work of others.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Communications and Marketing
● Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy aligned with ACDA's mission and
strategic priorities.
● Use data and performance metrics to evaluate communication effectiveness, inform strategy, and
continuously improve member engagement and marketing performance.
● Establish and maintain consistent messaging, branding, and communication standards across the
organization.
● Collaborate with staff, volunteer leaders, and committees to promote programs, conferences,
educational initiatives, advocacy efforts, and member benefits.
● Assist in developing and executing communications related to sensitive organizational issues, crisis
situations, and reputation management.
● Serve as a communications advisor to the Executive Director and organizational leadership.
Regional and State Chapter Support
● Partner with leaders of ACDA's regions and state chapters to strengthen communications efforts and
promote organizational alignment.
● Develop communication toolkits, templates, brand standards, and best-practice resources for volunteer
leaders.
● Provide consultation and strategic guidance regarding conference promotion, member
communications, and audience engagement.
● Support volunteer communications efforts while respecting and enhancing local leadership and
creativity.
Conference and Event Communications
● Develop communications and marketing plans for national conferences and events.
● Support regional and state conference communications strategies and promotional efforts.
● Manage conference-related messaging across digital platforms.
● Collaborate with conference leadership regarding promotional timelines, attendee communications,
and engagement strategies.
● Assist with conference applications, event platforms, and conference mobile applications as needed.
Content Development
● Develop and manage annual communications calendars coordinating organizational priorities,
conference promotion, publications, fundraising, membership campaigns, and advocacy initiatives.
● Write, edit, and distribute organizational communications, including newsletters, announcements,
donor communications, website content, press releases, and marketing materials.
● Develop compelling stories that highlight member achievements, organizational impact, and advocacy
efforts.
● Ensure consistency in voice, tone, and messaging across all communication channels.
Digital Communications
● Manage and maintain ACDA's website and digital communication platforms with the support of the IT
Project Manager.
● Develop and oversee email marketing campaigns and member communications.
● Utilize CRM systems and communication technologies to improve member engagement and
organizational effectiveness.
● Evaluate and appropriately leverage emerging communications technologies, including AI-assisted
content development, automation, and digital engagement tools while maintaining ACDA's artistic and
editorial standards and voice.
● Create and disseminate the weekly association e-newsletter.
Social Media and Public Relations
● Lead ACDA's social media strategy and content development.
● Develop campaigns that increase engagement, membership awareness, and organizational visibility.
● Coordinate media relations and public-facing communications.
● Identify opportunities to strengthen ACDA's presence within the arts, education, nonprofit, and music
communities.
Membership & Development Communications
● Collaborate with development staff and leadership to support fundraising, donor stewardship, and
planned giving initiatives.
● Create donor-facing communications and campaign materials.
● Communicate the impact of charitable giving and philanthropic support.
● Develop membership campaign materials to increase new membership and recapture lapsed members.
Design and Creative Services
● Design digital and print communications materials consistent with ACDA branding.
● Create graphics and visual assets for newsletters, websites, social media, conferences, and marketing
campaigns.
● Maintain and evolve organizational brand standards.
● Collect and organize conference assets so that all team members have ease of access
Measure of Success
● Success in this role includes:
○ Increasing member engagement across communication channels.
○ Providing responsive, high-quality communications support to staff and volunteer leaders.
○ Delivering strategic communications that support membership growth, conference
participation, and philanthropic giving.
○ Building systems and resources that make communication easier and more effective across the
organization.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
● Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, Arts Administration,
Nonprofit Management, Business, or a related field.
● Three or more years of professional experience in communications, marketing, public relations, or
related work.
● Outstanding writing, editing, and storytelling abilities.
● Experience managing websites, email marketing platforms, CRM systems, and social media accounts.
● Strong design and visual communication skills.
● Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a remote environment.
● Excellent project management and organizational skills.
Preferred Qualifications
● Experience working within a nonprofit association, membership organization, arts organization, or
educational institution.
● Experience supporting volunteer-led organizations or member/chapter-based structures.
● Familiarity with conference management systems, mobile event applications, and member engagement
platforms.
● Knowledge of fundraising and donor communications.
● Knowledge of music education, performing arts, or arts advocacy.
Work Environment and Travel
● This is a fully remote position. Candidates may reside anywhere within the United States. Regular
business hours are 8am-5pm central time, Monday-Friday with occasional weekend work during busy
seasons.
● Occasional travel is required to support conferences, organizational meetings, and other ACDA-related
events. Travel is expected to be limited but may include several trips annually. Travel is always
scheduled in advance. The next travel opportunity is the 2027 National Conference in Minneapolis, MN
scheduled for March 7-9, 2027.
ACDA Systems & Information
● ACDA currently utilizes the following applications. Knowledge of and experience with these applications
is preferred but not required:
○ Wordpress
○ Adobe products
○ Canva
○ Mailchimp
○ Fonteva/Salesforce (AMS system)
○ Asana
○ Microsoft Office Suite
○ Google Workspace
● Examples of our current communications platforms and information
○ ACDA.org; our primary website
○ ChoralNet.org; an online hub for networking with the global choral community
○ CLICK HERE for our e-newsletter from August 5, 2026
● ACDA has one, fully in-print professional journal called the Choral Journal. Additionally, ACDA has an
online research journal called the International Journal of Research In Choral Singing. These
publications are led by the ACDA Publications Team. The Communications Manager may be asked, on
occasion, to support content collection and asset collection but is not responsible for the creation or
coordination of these publications.
Supervision
● This position reports directly to the Executive Director. This is an exempt position.
● This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities. Opportunities may exist to supervise interns or
project-based support personnel as organizational needs evolve.
Compensation
● Salary range of $60-$65K per year.
● Employer retirement account contribution of 9%, without requiring matching or minimum
contributions from the employee.
● Fully paid Medical, Vision, Dental insurance and Long-term disability
● Generous PTO with 17 days of PTO during the first year; increasing with longevity with the organization
To Apply
Go to www.acda.org/careers to start your application. You will need:
● PDF upload of your cover letter
● PDF upload of your resume
● Three (required) and up to six examples of your work that best showcase your skills and understanding
of the job description and a brief narrative of the upload to help us understand your work.
The deadline for submission is September 1, 2026 for consideration. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling
basis until the deadline. You are encouraged to apply early for best consideration. ACDA does not use AI
screening tools in our hiring process. Each application will be reviewed by our hiring committee.
We Encourage You to Apply
Research shows that many talented candidates are less likely to apply for a position unless they meet every
qualification. If you're excited about this opportunity and believe you could be successful in this role, we
encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification listed. You are
encouraged to address these items in your cover letter. We value a broad range of experiences, perspectives,
and transferable skills, and we're looking for someone who will grow with our organization while helping us
advance our mission.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The American Choral Directors Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a
workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect and have the opportunity to contribute
and succeed. We recruit, hire, develop, and promote employees based on qualifications, merit, and
organizational need without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or
expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic
protected by applicable law. We believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our organization, enrich our
work, and help us better serve the choral community.
For questions, please email careers@acda.org. Please do not call or email ACDA staff directly related to this
posting.