Communications & Impact Manager in Chicago, Illinois at Urban Growers Collective Inc

Position Summary

The Communications & Impact Manager ensures that UGC’s work is accurately tracked, clearly communicated, and meaningfully shared.

This role prioritizes impact tracking and reporting, while leading a practical, sustainable approach to storytelling and communications. You will create the structure and accountability that allows our farms, programs, and community work to be reflected with clarity, consistency, and integrity.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Manage Urban Growers Collective’s CRM (Keela or similar), ensuring accurate tracking of programs, participants, and partnerships

• Define data needs and reporting requirements, and work with program and farm staff to ensure consistent data collection

• Support teams in using existing tools and processes effectively, reinforcing clarity, consistency, and accountability

• Produce quarterly and annual impact reports for leadership, board, and funders

• Develop and manage a content calendar, including:

  • Program and market announcements (locations, schedules, seasonal updates)

  • Event promotion and recaps

  • Community and participant stories

  • Organizational priorities and campaigns

• Translate programmatic work into clear, accessible messaging for internal and external audiences

• Support internal clarity by helping streamline how key updates and information are shared across teams

• Gather and elevate stories from staff and participants in ways that are respectful, community-centered, and aligned with UGC’s values

• Manage and update UGC’s website and social media platforms, ensuring information is current and useful

• Coordinate (not solely produce) visual and digital content, including working with staff and external partners as needed

• Maintain consistent visual and narrative identity across materials

• Support development and leadership with fundraising and partner communications

• Assist with press materials and media coordination when needed

• Staff understand what data is needed and consistently provide it

• Leadership and partners receive clear, reliable impact reporting

• UGC’s communications are consistent, grounded, and reflective of real community voice

• Communications systems support staff work rather than add burden

• 3+ years in communications, impact reporting, program operations, or related roles

• Experience working in BIPOC-led or community-centered organizations (strongly preferred)

• Experience designing or improving organizational systems, workflows, or reporting processes

• Experience producing impact reports for leadership, boards, or funders

• Experience with CRM systems (Keela or similar) and data tracking/reporting

• Strong writing and storytelling skills across a range of audiences

• Familiarity with tools such as Canva/Adobe, website CMS platforms, and social media management

• Experience coordinating external partners, vendors, or contractors for content or communications work

• Ability to work across teams in dynamic, community-based environments

• Spanish language proficiency (preferred)

How to Apply

In addition to applying online. Please submit a resume and work samples (or links) to HR@urbangrowerscollective.org that demonstrate your ability to:

1. Design a data-heavy report or infographic

2. Write a compelling narrative piece featuring a community member or colleague

3. Manage professional social media or web content

Work samples can be from a previous employer, volunteer role, class, or personal project — they do not need to be publicly published or from a formal communications position. If any samples include confidential information, feel free to redact or describe the project context instead.

UGC operates across farms, community programs, and workforce development spaces. This role requires someone who can balance on-the-ground realities with systems-building and who values both data integrity and authentic storytelling.

UGC staff work on a hybrid schedule of 3 days a week in the office (Bridgeport Arts Center) and 2 days remote.