Director of Communications and Cultural Affairs

Leadership:
The Director will play the lead role in creating and developing the organization’s annual strategic communication plans. The candidate is expected to execute key elements of the plan while simultaneously providing guidelines, tools, and templates necessary for execution of the said plans. The Director’s day to day leadership functions include continued establishment and follow up on the department’s strategic direction, as well as defining priorities and coordinating cross-functional initiatives.
In this capacity the Director of Communications and Cultural Affairs also plays a mentorship role to key communications personnel, sharpening their skills, and offering assistance in complex tasks.

Strategy and Analytics:
In the strategic and analytical role, the Director of Communications and Cultural Affairs is responsible for the formulation of a corporate-wide communication strategy that engages the CEO and other leaders within FAST. The Director ensures that every department in the business plays an ambassadorship role to the organization in the course of content creation or outward communications.
In addition, the incumbent will regularly assess the effectiveness of the organization’s communication channels and test the effectiveness of communication activities in FAST.

Opportunities/Innovation:
It is also the Director of Communications and Cultural Affairs’ objective to challenge the status quo of the communications department and seek out new creative and innovative ways and opportunities for elevating the organization’s brand. The Director of Communications and Cultural Affairs regularly introduces a fresh perspective to the communications department and the organization at large.

At this capacity, the Director also identifies and promotes newsworthy stories and topics of interest on FAST’s behalf ahead of the curve.

Culture:
The Director of Communications and Cultural Affairs’ mission will also include ensuring that the cultural platform is on the same pace of development as technological and scientific programs. This means promoting special programs and partnerships with local, international and governmental institutions to foster a fruitful ground for cultural development initiatives.

General Responsibilities:

• Develop creative corporate-wide strategies and approaches, as well as drive projects through from conception to delivery
• Reach and engage a diverse range of audiences and play a key role in maintaining and building new connections
• Exploit the power of storytelling and technology to deliver outstanding and compelling creative content in all formats and on multiple platforms, including multilingually
• Be responsible for leading the ideation, production, dissemination and measurement of key content campaigns and maintaining the highest editorial standards and quality
• Work closely with all units to ensure the implementation of communications strategy and cohesion in all levels of the organization
• Drive the creation of high quality, innovative and authentic content through both bringing own ideas and inspiring the team to deliver high quality ideas for enduring corporate-wide campaigns: data visualizations, motion graphics and infographics; podcasts and photography and more
• Establish KPIs and benchmarks, monitor and measure effectiveness
• Manage, coach and mentoring the communications team
• Analyze the cultural resources and behavioural trends within the community
• Identify the main areas in need of initiatives and develop relevant strategies
• Conceptualize and implement social and cultural events/programs and build partnerships in the field
• Closely cooperate with governmental and private institutions to promote cultural development programs and policies
• Other duties as assigned

Required qualifications:

• Master’s degree (PhD preferred) in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Multimedia, Public Relations, International Relations, Psychology, or any other related field
• At least 5 years’ experience working in a leadership role, preferably in the position of a Head of PR or a Head of Content
• 3+ years’ experience in overseeing all the content production, media communications, and social media interactions by a business as well as creating reports and presentations to be presented to the Executive Team
• Experience in using audience research in content development is a must
• Be able to translate technical, complex ideas and convert into accessible and engaging content
• Strong understanding of the rapidly evolving communications environment
• High energy, maturity and critical thinking, with the ability to serve as a unifying force and to position communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels
• Substantial experience and demonstrable success in delivering creative concepts, building durable partnerships, developing multimedia content
• Ability to inspire, to innovate and take appropriate risks
• Experience in developing and managing “branded content” – including short-form videos, documentaries, and multiplatform content for outreach campaigns
• Proven ability to generate creative concepts and proven knowledge of media/communications tactics
• Strong contacts within the creative industries and up to date knowledge of content developments and trends
• Excellent Armenian, English and Russian written and verbal communication skills

Application procedure:

All interested candidates are kindly requested to submit their CVs by e-mail to hr@fast.foundation. Please indicate the title of the position “Director of Communications and Cultural Affairs” in the subject line of your e-mail. FAST is grateful to all interested applicants; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the interview.

About FAST:

Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) is conceived as a comprehensive platform to foster technological and scientific breakthroughs in Armenia. FAST aims to revive the country’s strong Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) traditions, establishing a favorable regime for the innovative environment, fostering science and technology education, and actively developing a venture capital ecosystem. One of the most pivotal tasks of FAST is to engage tech and scientific communities in raising the profile of Armenia as a hub for technological and scientific discoveries and developments.

Application deadline:

September 30, 2019

Note: Employment decisions are made without regard to race, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability or other characteristics protected by law.