Student Basic Needs Coalition

Deputy Director Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) Remote (U.S.) Salary Range: $125,000-$150,000 plus 10% performance bonus Reports to: Executive Director About SBNC The Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) is building the national model for connecting college students with public benefits and basic needs resources. Millions of college students are eligible for programs like SNAP and Medicaid, yet the majority never enroll due to complex rules, stigma, and administrative barriers. SBNC addresses this gap by partnering with colleges across the country to implement peer-led outreach programs and deploy Navvy, SBNC’s AI-enabled technology platform that screens students for benefits eligibility and supports the enrollment process. Since launching in 2020, SBNC has grown rapidly. The organization now partners with 112 campuses nationwide, has screened more than 50,000 students, and has referred students to over $116 million in potential public benefits. In 2024, SBNC hired its first full-time Executive Director and has since grown to a $1.2 million organization with a team of five, expanding to eight staff members this year as it scales its national model. Role Overview The Deputy Director serves as a key leadership partner to the Executive Director, helping translate SBNC’s strategy into programs, partnerships, and operational systems that can scale nationally. While the Executive Director focuses on strategy, fundraising, and external leadership, the Deputy Director ensures SBNC’s programs, campus partnerships, and internal operations are implemented consistently and effectively as the organization grows. SBNC operates in a startup-style environment and is building new models for how colleges connect students to public benefits by combining technology with campus-based implementation. The Deputy Director will serve as SBNC’s internal expert on how higher education institutions operate and will design the implementation and operational systems needed to support SBNC’s work across campuses. This role will oversee program staff responsible for campus partnerships, supervise an Operations Manager overseeing organizational operations, and develop the structures, workflows, and implementation models that allow SBNC’s programs and technology to scale effectively across institutions. Success in this role will be measured by three primary outcomes: - SBNC staff have clear priorities, workflows, and management structures that allow the team to operate predictably and effectively as the organization grows. - SBNC programs and technology are implemented successfully across partner campuses, with clear systems for managing implementation and tracking outcomes. - Colleges adopt SBNC’s model as a sustainable part of their student support infrastructure, leading to stronger partnerships and expansion across institutions. Key Responsibilities Program Design and Implementation - Lead implementation strategy for SBNC’s national programs across partner campuses, ensuring programs are designed to scale across diverse higher education institutions. - Oversee three program staff responsible for day-to-day program execution and campus coordination, ensuring strong project management, clear timelines, and consistent follow-through. - Develop implementation models that help colleges adopt SBNC’s technology platform and outreach approach, incorporating knowledge of how higher education institutions operate. - Identify implementation challenges and continuously improve program delivery across campuses, translating lessons from partner colleges into stronger systems and practices. Campus Partnerships and Adoption - Build and manage strong relationships with partner campuses to support successful implementation of SBNC’s programs and technology. - Identify colleges and higher education systems that are strong candidates for deeper engagement and expansion of SBNC’s work. - Help translate SBNC’s program and technology model into offerings that institutions can adopt, sustain, and invest in over time. - Support institutional partnership and sales cycles with senior campus leadership, including developing pricing structures and expansion opportunities. Team Management & Leadership - Manage and support three program staff and an Operations Manager, providing clear expectations, coaching, and ongoing professional development. - Foster strong collaboration across program, technology, research, and operations teams to ensure effective implementation of SBNC’s work. - Lead talent development across the organization, including recruiting, onboarding, coaching, and performance management practices. - Serve on SBNC’s leadership team, contributing to organization-wide decisions on strategy, hiring, budgeting, and organizational priorities. - Support the Executive Director in engaging the Board of Directors, including preparing materials, participating in meetings, and helping translate board guidance into operational priorities. Organizational Operations and Workflow - Supervise an Operations Manager who manages day-to-day operational responsibilities. - Work with the Executive Director and external partners to oversee budgeting, financial planning, and overall organizational financial management. - Monitor program and grant budgets to ensure initiatives stay on track and within funding constraints. - Establish and maintain operational systems for project management, documentation, and internal workflows. - Coordinate with external partners (bookkeepers, HR providers, contractors) to ensure effective organizational management and compliance. - Develop clear internal processes that support efficient program implementation and cross-team coordination. Qualifications Required Experience - 10+ years of professional experience in higher education, nonprofit leadership, or a related field. - Experience managing large grant-funded initiatives, ideally funded by organizations such as the Gates Foundation or similar national funders. - Experience overseeing multi-campus programs or initiatives across diverse higher education institutions. - Proven experience managing teams and supporting staff development. - Strong experience ensuring grant compliance, reporting, and program accountability. Preferred Experience - Experience in a startup or high-growth organization, building new programs, systems, or partnerships in an evolving environment. - Experience designing operational systems, workflows, or implementation models for programs operating across multiple institutions or partners. - Experience working with or within higher education institutions, including understanding how colleges adopt technology and programs and how offices such as financial aid, student success, and IT influence implementation.

Senior Director of Communications (Senior Director or Head of Communications depending on experience) Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) Salary: $80,000–$95,000 depending on experience Location: Remote within the United States The Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC) is a national nonprofit working to ensure that every college student can access the resources they need to succeed. We partner with colleges and student leaders across the country to connect students to public benefits like SNAP and Medicaid, strengthen campus systems for basic needs support, and advocate for policies that improve college affordability. SBNC combines student leadership, research, and technology to reduce barriers to accessing benefits. Our platform, Navvy, helps colleges identify students eligible for benefits and connect them to application support. Through peer navigator programs and national partnerships, SBNC has helped unlock millions of dollars in food assistance for students nationwide. We are seeking a Senior Director of Communications to lead SBNC’s storytelling, digital strategy, and thought leadership as the organization expands its national reach. This is a startup-style communications role. The Senior Director of Communications will operate as a one-person communications team, responsible for both shaping SBNC’s communications strategy and executing the work needed to bring it to life. The right candidate will be comfortable moving between big-picture strategy and hands-on execution, building systems and content that can scale as the organization grows. Top-line outcome: The Senior Director of Communications will increase awareness of student eligibility for public benefits and expand the reach of SBNC’s digital tools, research, and student-led programs. This role will translate SBNC’s work into clear, compelling communications that reach students, college leaders, policymakers, and the broader public. The Senior Director of Communications will ensure that our messaging highlights both the experiences of students navigating public benefits systems and the solutions SBNC is building to reduce those barriers. This position reports to the Executive Director and works closely with program, research, and product teams. Core Responsibilities 1. Digital Content and Website Strategy (35–40%) Lead the development and maintenance of SBNC’s web presence to expand awareness of student benefits and increase engagement with Navvy. Responsibilities include: - Maintaining and improving SEO performance for CollegeSNAPProject.org, CollegeMedicaid.org, and StudentSNAPStories.org - Using analytics and search insights to increase the number of students completing the benefits screener through these sites - Managing website content updates related to research findings, program launches, and student resources - Leading a one-time rewrite of SBNC’s main website to reflect the organization’s evolving strategy and technology work These sites currently generate 100+ daily benefits screener submissions, and this role will focus on expanding that reach. Success markers - Increase average daily screener submissions from SEO-driven websites - Complete full rewrite of SBNC’s main website within the first 4–6 months - Increase organic search traffic to benefits-related content - Improve keyword rankings for core terms related to college SNAP and Medicaid eligibility 2. Communications for Students and Campus Partners (25–30%) Develop communications that help students and colleges engage with SBNC’s programs and technology. Responsibilities include: - Drafting bi-weekly or monthly email communications to campus partners that provide updates, insights, and thought leadership related to student basic needs and benefits access - Creating email or text message follow-up communications for students using Navvy, working with the Data and Evaluation Manager to refine messaging based on engagement data - Supporting clear and accessible language in student-facing communications that reduces stigma and helps students navigate benefit applications Success markers - Consistent delivery of partner communications (bi-weekly or monthly) - Strong open and engagement rates for campus communications - Improved student follow-through rates on benefit applications after receiving follow-up communications - Development of standardized messaging templates for student outreach and partner communications 3. Thought Leadership and Public Narrative (25–30%) Help position SBNC as a national voice on student basic needs, public benefits access, and college affordability. Responsibilities include: - Crafting LinkedIn content approximately three times per week based on insights from SBNC’s programs, research, and technology work - Recommending and drafting posts for the Executive Director and Co-Founder - Identifying opportunities for media coverage, commentary, and op-eds - Supporting the development of one published media piece or op-ed per month on average Success markers - Consistent LinkedIn posting cadence (approximately three posts per week) - Growth in engagement and reach across SBNC’s LinkedIn presence - Publication of approximately 12 media pieces or op-eds per year - Increased visibility of SBNC’s work in higher education and policy conversations 4. Elevating Student Experiences Navigating Public Benefits (10–15%) Ensure that the experiences of students using Navvy and navigating the public benefits system inform SBNC’s communications and storytelling. Responsibilities include: - Collecting insights and stories from Navvy users and students navigating the SNAP and Medicaid application process - Working with program and research teams to highlight common barriers students face when applying for benefits - Translating these experiences into content that helps campuses, policymakers, and partners better understand the student benefits gap - Integrating student experiences into website content, thought leadership, and media opportunities - Identifying opportunities to share stories through StudentSNAPStories.org and other SBNC platforms Success markers - Publication of student experience stories on SBNC platforms - Integration of student insights into thought leadership and media content - Development of a consistent pipeline for collecting student experiences from Navvy users and peer navigator programs - Increased visibility of student perspectives in SBNC’s public communications Qualifications We are looking for someone who can communicate effectively with both higher education and technology audiences, and who is comfortable translating complex policy or product ideas into clear public narratives. Ideal candidates will have: - 5–9 (or 10+ for Head of Communications) years of experience in communications, journalism, marketing, public affairs, or a related field - Exceptional writing and storytelling skills across multiple formats - Experience translating complex topics (policy, research, or technology) into accessible content - Experience managing digital content, websites, or SEO strategy - Interest in higher education, economic mobility, or social policy - Comfort working in a fast-paced, mission-driven organization - Experience writing about or communicating technology products is a plus Experience with any of the following is particularly valuable: - Higher education communications - Public policy or economic mobility organizations - Technology or AI products - Media outreach or op-ed placement Why This Role Matters Millions of college students are eligible for public benefits but never receive them due to lack of awareness and complex application processes. SBNC is working to change that by combining student leadership, research, and technology to build systems that connect students to the resources they need. The Director of Communications will play a critical role in ensuring that the insights, stories, and solutions emerging from this work reach campuses, policymakers, and the public.

• Build SBNC’s marketing strategy from the ground up and identify the most effective channels to reach students, campuses, and national partners. • Designing SBNC’s overall marketing and growth strategy. • Identifying priority audiences and messaging strategies across students, campus administrators, funders, and policymakers. • Building marketing systems that can scale as SBNC grows, including campaign planning, analytics, and content pipelines. • Collaborating with product and research teams to align marketing efforts with Navvy’s growth and program expansion. • Developing measurable goals for marketing performance and tracking results over time. • Lead SBNC’s search strategy to expand awareness of student benefits and drive engagement with SBNC’s digital tools. • Building and executing SEO and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) strategies across SBNC’s websites. • Managing website content updates related to research findings, program launches, and student resources. • Leading a rewrite of SBNC’s main website to reflect the organization’s evolving strategy and technology work. • Creating and managing email campaigns for multiple audiences, including campus partners and students. • Developing campaigns that support student follow-through on benefit applications and program engagement. • Translating research findings, product insights, and student experiences into compelling public narratives. • Supporting the development of op-eds, media commentary, and thought leadership content. • Defining key performance metrics across SBNC’s marketing funnel, from search traffic to benefits screener completion and program engagement.