What does a communications/outreach manager do?
A communications/outreach manager oversees the communication and outreach programs of a company, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They are responsible for developing communication plans and strategies to raise brand awareness and public interest, creating communication materials such as press releases and newsletters, and maintaining positive relationships with internal and external parties such as the media. Moreover, as a communications/outreach manager, they also have the responsibility to manage staff, set goals and guidelines, monitor operations, and solve issues and concerns should any arise.
Communications/outreach manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real communications/outreach manager resumes:
- Manage HIV prevention/support program staff and specific project consultants, including group level, community/outreach interventions and counseling and testing.
- Initiate relationships with community service providers and patients.
- Collect demographic information on patients and referral sources and compile statistical information.
- Conduct on-site service visits in order to resolve issues, educate staff/providers on Medicaid member enrollment process and provider credentialing process.
- Select materials for posting on website and Facebook page.
- Provide information to the public through a social media campaign using Facebook, MySpace, and online advertising.
- Advise and brief both military and civilian organization leadership on marketing and advertising positions for veterans, retention and employee relations.
Communications/outreach manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Communications/Outreach Managers are proficient in Patients, Project Management, and Community Health. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Managerial skills, and Time-management skills.
We break down the percentage of Communications/Outreach Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 14%
Initiated relationships with community service providers and patients.
- Project Management, 6%
Project Management duties include, coordinating general outreach activities and education designed specifically for members.
- Community Health, 5%
Developed and executed the community health needs assessment and education programs.
- Community Events, 5%
Established a good rapport with other agencies and promoted positive community relations through involvement in community events.
- Community Engagement, 4%
Design community engagement programs for the urban and rural population we serve.
- Outreach Events, 4%
Coordinated and managed all homeowner facing outreach events, which focused on providing foreclosure alternative assistance.
Most communications/outreach managers use their skills in "patients," "project management," and "community health" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential communications/outreach manager responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a communications/outreach manager to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "social and community service managers need to understand and evaluate data in order to provide strategic guidance to their organization." Additionally, a communications/outreach manager resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "extracted metrics and tracked data to write grants applications and provide financial support to community programs. "
Managerial skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling communications/outreach manager duties is managerial skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "social and community service managers spend much of their time administering budgets and responding to a variety of issues." According to a communications/outreach manager resume, here's how communications/outreach managers can utilize managerial skills in their job responsibilities: "managed communications department; managerial responsibility for corporate communications strategy including external communications and media relations. "
Time-management skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of communications/outreach managers is time-management skills. This skill is critical to many everyday communications/outreach manager duties, as "social and community service managers must prioritize and handle numerous tasks, often in a short timeframe." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "managed all deadlines for hoa: financial, administrative, legal, client services. "
Communication skills. For certain communications/outreach manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of a communications/outreach manager rely on this skill, as "social and community service managers must be able to speak and write clearly." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what communications/outreach managers do: "write press releases, faq s, and other company communication pieces. "
Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for communications/outreach manager responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of communications/outreach managers all the time, as "social and community service managers must be able to address client, staff, and agency-related issues." An excerpt from a real communications/outreach manager resume shows how this skill is central to what a communications/outreach manager does: "developed sustainable relationships by providing technical assistance and micro-volunteering solutions for more than 100 organizations. "
The three companies that hire the most communications/outreach managers are:
- Heritage Operations Group3 communications/outreach managers jobs
- Goldbelt Falcon
3 communications/outreach managers jobs
- Americorps2 communications/outreach managers jobs
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Compare different communications/outreach managers
Communications/outreach manager vs. Director of social services
A director of social services or social services director is an individual who works with the community to identify the suitable programs and services. Social services directors provide overall leadership for certain departments within organizations. Essentially, they take charge of the daily activities of a program or an organization. They perform as social services board secretary and executive officer. In nursing homes, the directors assess patients, develop care plans, and help patients adjust along with their respective families.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between communications/outreach managers and director of social services. For instance, communications/outreach manager responsibilities require skills such as "project management," "community health," "community events," and "community engagement." Whereas a director of social services is skilled in "discharge planning," "rehabilitation," "long-term care facility," and "nursing home." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Directors of social services tend to reach higher levels of education than communications/outreach managers. In fact, directors of social services are 7.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Communications/outreach manager vs. Trustee
A program officer is an essential part of a foundation or charitable organization. It is up to program officers to supervise program progress and proposals, seek grants, manage projects, and oversee budgets. They generally guarantee that an organization's activities and programs are met with the vision and mission statements of that foundation. It is the program officer's responsibility to complete various tasks in completing the demands of this position. Moreover, their job includes developing their staff, implementation, and daily management of activities.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that communications/outreach manager responsibilities requires skills like "patients," "project management," "community health," and "community events." But a trustee might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "financial statements," "real estate," "debtor," and "bankruptcy court."
Trustees earn lower levels of education than communications/outreach managers in general. They're 9.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications/outreach manager vs. Program officer
A youth coordinator is mainly focused on developing and facilitating programs for children in various settings that enhance and support personal youth education and development. As a youth coordinator, you need to understand recreational and Educational Services and activities with strong leadership skills. It will help if you are a compelling communicator because you will be communicating with youths and various services. Youth coordinators can possess a university degree to enhance their career, but it isn't necessary for this job.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a communications/outreach manager is likely to be skilled in "patients," "community health," "community events," and "community engagement," while a typical program officer is skilled in "program management," "excellent interpersonal," "powerpoint," and "public health."
Most program officers achieve a higher degree level compared to communications/outreach managers. For example, they're 6.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Communications/outreach manager vs. Youth coordinator
Types of communications/outreach manager
Updated January 8, 2025
