Director, Celebrity & Influencer Partnerships

Job Details

Level: Management
Job Location: World Food Program USA – Washington, DC
Remote Type: Remote from NY, CA or VA/MD/DC
Position Type: Full Time
Salary Range: $110,000 – $125,000 /year

We are offering an amazing opportunity for a well-connected, strategic thinker and project manager with a track record of identifying, engaging and activating celebrities and influencers to join the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its U.S. affiliate, World Food Program USA, to help significantly build brand awareness and raise the organizations profile among global and U.S.-based audiences.

To achieve the organizational goals in terms of fundraising, resource mobilization and policy change that are necessary to enable effective operations, WFP must increase its advocacy power and strengthen its positioning in a crowded space. The Director, Celebrity & Influencer Partnerships will lead the identification, development and stewardship of mutually beneficial partnerships with celebrities/influencers, media platforms, creative agencies and create platforms and campaigns that bring these partnerships to life. This person will work in close collaboration with the Marketing and Communications Department at WFP USA as well as the Goodwill Ambassador team at UN WFP HQ in Rome, liaising with colleagues in WFP offices around the world as needed.

A successful candidate must be able to make strategic recommendations and project manage new and existing partnerships that will advance WFPs mission and must demonstrate a proven ability to increase brand visibility, deepen brand familiarity and solidify brand trust through strategic partnerships, enabling organizations to effectively fundraise with the private sector. In addition, because this position has a dual reporting line, the successful candidate must be available to work East Coast hours at least 3 days a week. The Director will operate under the joint supervision of the WFP USAs Senior Director of External Affairs and the Head of Marketing/WFP Global and will supervise a manager level staffer.

About World Food Program USA

World Food Program USAs values provide the framework for how we behave and work together to reach our goals to feed and save the lives of the most vulnerable people around the world. Those values are:

Collaborative: We are all one team
Accountable: We own our work
Respectful: We are kind to each other
Inclusive: We champion diversity
Optimistic: We have a make it happen attitude

We are looking for applicants who embody these values and are invested in forwarding our mission.

Why Join Us?

  • We are a dynamic, forward leaning, financially stable organization.
  • You will be joining an effective, committed, high-performing group of colleagues who are well-regarded in the community.
  • This position will play a crucial role in aiding the organization in their mission of ending global hunger

Highlighted Responsibilities:

Outreach and External Relationships

  • With WFP/WFP USA target audience segments in mind, use an established network of contacts from extensive professional experience and through support from a public relations agency to cultivate, grow and manage high-level relationships on behalf of WFP with celebrities/influencers and thought/opinion leaders, as well as creative agencies, studios, talent agencies, production companies, media organizations and other sports / entertainment companies to build new and enhance existing initiatives and campaigns.
  • Build, secure leadership approval and project manage a strategic plan to establish a roster of Millennial and Gen Z influencers/celebrities with a goal to motivate and engage Gen Z and millennial audiences to engage with and support WFP and its work. This includes building customized value propositions, preparing partnership presentations, pitching/negotiating with potential partners, and maintaining individual partnership plans for each engaged celebrity/influencer.
  • Manage an engagement funnel for influencer relationships, including Goodwill Ambassadors, High-Level Supporters and other celebrities, chefs and other influencers.
  • In partnership with the WFP and WFP USA social media teams, build and leverage social media channels to promote existing and new celebrity and influencer partnerships for brand and fundraising moments. In coordination with Manager, Celebrity/Influencer Relations, work with WFP USAs social team to build a series of social media initiatives that can keep influencers active and engaged at key moments throughout the year.
  • Stay up to date on WFP/WFP USA organizational and operational priorities, updating partners and prospects.
  • Represent WFP/WFP USA with integrity, dignity and professionalism.

Management of Goodwill Ambassadors

  • Develop and pitch partnership proposals for prospective and renewing global Goodwill Ambassadors and High-Level Supporters, in alignment with WFPs Brand Partnerships Strategy.
  • Manage and coordinate outreach to WFPs Goodwill Ambassadors and High-Level Supporters, celebrities and other influencers, ensuring proper priority of asks between initiatives/campaigns, offices and divisions.
  • Build and manage field visit plans and logistics for WFPs Goodwill Ambassadors and other influencers, as needed. This includes, but is not limited to, building mission briefs, managing logistics, traveling with the influencer if needed, and ensuring requests for content are captured and fulfilled across WFP and WFP USA divisions.

Amplification

  • Strategically manage a public relations agency to execute strategic communications plans, in coordination with WFP and WFP USA channel leads, that leverage celebrities and influencers to drive awareness and fundraising opportunities for WFP/WFP USA.
  • With WFP/WFP USA target audience segments in mind and with the support of a PR agency, lead the identification, pitching and management of opportunities for shared-voice lifestyle media partnerships that align with WFPs Brand Partnerships Strategy and builds into key initiatives and campaigns.
  • Provide strategic council and work with internal teams (in particular Development and Policy Departments) and influencer teams to increase the number of high-profile media placements with celebrities, influencers and VIPs.
  • Keep up on trends in media and entertainment in key markets with an aim to promote innovation within WFP and insert WFP and world hunger into pop culture conversations.

Internal Guidance

  • As needed, advise WFPs HQ, Divisions, Regional Bureaus and Country Offices in their use of earned media amplification and in their engagement of WFPs North America-based Goodwill Ambassadors, celebrities and other influencers to help achieve their brand-building goals.
  • Work closely with WFP USA leadership, marketing and communication, development and policy teams to build and incorporate celebrity and influencer activities into their work.
  • Build and advise on partnership plans for Regional and National Goodwill Ambassadors, offering advice for optimization when asked.

Supporting Responsibilities

  • Develop and secure approval of plans, budgets, project management timelines, briefing documents and guidance as needed.
  • Oversee and/or conceive of and write supporting materials (backgrounders, messaging, talking points, speeches, press documents, marketing decks, etc.) for influencers, media and other partnership prospects, building and maintaining a series of pitch decks, easily accessible to broader team, to take advantage of interest from influencers in real-time.
  • Ensure our ability to quickly respond to influencer requests.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with a variety of teams across WFP and WFP USA in an effort to streamline and enhance processes, optimize opportunities for collaboration and execute strong communications plans to meet target KPIs.
  • In coordination with other units and the rest of the marketing team, create and execute methods of monitoring and evaluating WFP and WFP USAs work with influencers and its execution of publicity efforts and integrated marketing campaigns, including key KPIs and necessary market research.
  • Produce campaign specific and overarching quarterly reports on influencer/celebrity activities, including specific Goodwill Ambassador and High-Level Supporter reports, following clearly defined KPIs. Respond to requests for reports as needed by managers and senior leadership.
  • Manage a clear, accessible platform(s) for tracking outreach/engagement and due diligence requests and outputs for all celebrities and influencers.
  • Manage the work and professional development of the Manager, Celebrity/Influencer Relations, with an eye on opportunities for growth and cross-collaboration across teams.
  • Be mindful of and assess potential reputational risk to WFP and WFP USA when engaging with influencers and developing strategic partnerships.
  • Undertake any other duties as may be assigned.

Qualifications:

  • Advanced university degree in Branding, Communications, Marketing or other relevant field, or undergraduate degree with additional years of related work experience and/or trainings/courses
  • At least 8 years of postgraduate or progressively responsible professional experience
  • Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
  • Supervisory experience a plus
  • Ability to work independently without close oversight, while being a strong team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside of World Food Program USA
  • Ability to build strong relationships and work collaboratively across teams at WFP and WFP USA and with partner organizations (i.e. corporate donor partners)
  • A professional and resourceful style; the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at the same time, managing a heavy workload
  • Strategic thinker and planner; strong project management skills; highly organized and detail oriented; deadline driven and proactive.
  • Exceptional writing/editing, verbal communication and presentation skill sets
  • Impeccable integrity, judgement, and discretion along with a professional demeanor and interpersonal style that elicits trust from leadership, funders, staff, and partners
  • Must be a proficient and diplomatic communicator
  • Strong interest and or experience in humanitarian assistance, international development or global hunger
  • Fluency in oral and written in English
  • Assignment is based in USA (Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY or Washington, DC)
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