Director of Communications - Historical Society of Michigan

Posted on 1/20/26

The Historical Society of Michigan (HSM) seeks a qualified individual to serve as Director of Communications. This is a full-time position that plays a key role in the public profile of the organization and supports the educational mission of the nonprofit and nongovernmental Historical Society of Michigan, the oldest cultural institution in the state, founded in 1828.

The Director of Communications is responsible for maintaining the organization’s production calendar for department projects and campaigns; design and implementation of HSM outreach and publicity; managing all public relations and external communication efforts; producing print and digital materials for conferences, events, and programs; managing advertising initiatives and partnerships with exterior entities; supporting organization marketing initiatives; managing the HSM website via content editing, graphics, and working with outside developers to update the site’s functionality; providing graphic design assistance for HSM Publications, including Michigan History and Chronicle magazines; supervising all email marketing and social media campaigns; and other duties as assigned.

In addition, the Director of Communications will directly supervise the following staff members: the Communications Manager, who creates email campaigns, produces graphic design materials for other departments, assists with HSM Publications for content and design efforts, and other communications duties as assigned; and the Development and Digital Manager, who produces content and manages all of HSM’s social media content. This position also works closely with the Editor in Chief of HSM Publications with image-based needs, graphic design support, and some editorial support for our publications.

About the Historical Society of Michigan: HSM helps connect Michigan’s past to students, educators, historical organizations, and the public through educational programs, conferences, publications, awards, workshops, referral services, networking opportunities, and support for local history organizations. HSM is the publisher of Michigan History and Chronicle magazines, the Historic Michigan Travel Guide, and other publications. HSM is a member-supported educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. HSM is not collection-based and does not operate the state museum or archives housed at the Michigan History Center in downtown Lansing. The Center is a part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Duties and Responsibilities

Communications

• Develop and implement marketing and communication plans, including project management of seasonal campaigns, projects, and programs, as well as new program introductions and other recurring marketing projects
• Create and manage press releases and press contacts
• Lead the development of HSM branding, including maintaining HSM’s brand standards across all communications, departments, and materials.
• Write, edit, and design direct mail, flyers, brochures, annual reports, etc. for both print and digital use.
• Design conference booklets and other conference material in Adobe InDesign and lead the print and digital marketing for all HSM conferences.
• Provide design and marketing support, alongside the Communications Manager, for other educational events such as History Hounds® lecture series, Michiganders on The Road® bus tours, the Michigan History Alliance® program, Centennial Farm Program, and other public-facing events and programs.
• Oversee the production of the triennial Historic Michigan Travel Guide and Michigan History Directory
• Design the HSM Update (annual report) with the development team
• Develop and/or collaborate with the Editor in Chief of HSM Publications on other materials as needed.

Website and Digital Services

• Oversees, produces content for, and curates all front-facing material on the HSM website, hosted on Drupal.
• Works with other staff as they interact and update the website in areas of their responsibility.
• Coordinates with HSM’s contracted website developers to ensure system updates, address back-end Drupal issues, and keep the site running smoothly.
• With the help of the communications team, design and manage all digital advertising on Meta platforms, including seasonal campaigns, organization brand-awareness initiatives, and other digital advertising on social media.
• Analyze all digital advertising and web initiatives to assess metrics, provide reports to HSM leadership, and grow HSM’s digital advertising presence.
• Oversee all email marketing campaigns, including analytics, reporting, and future success goals for continued audience growth.
• Work with HSM staff to produce material for HSM’s online storefront, hosted on Shopify.
• Brainstorming and implementing new digital growth efforts to broaden HSM’s online impact and reach new audiences.

Advertising

• Assist HSM’s outreach staff in identifying effective advertising outlets for HSM to recruit new members and subscribers.
• Work with HSM’s membership and development team to analyze membership and subscription trends and determine effective outreach opportunities.

Other

• Assist at various HSM events, including conferences. Some overnights required.
• Other duties as assigned

Salary Range: Director $60-65,000

Reports to: Executive Director and CEO of the Historical Society of Michigan

Education and Professional Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, or related field
• Minimum of 5-8 years of progressive experience in strategic communications, marketing, or public relations, preferably in the nonprofit field.
• Minimum of 2-4 years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience in brainstorming, designing, and implementing print and digital campaigns
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• Proficiency in digital communications platforms, including website management, social media, and email marketing tools.
• Experience with Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite. The ideal candidate will be proficient in Adobe InDesign.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, lead a team, and collaborate across departments.
• Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to develop long-term relationships with a variety of individuals, including board members, executive staff, media contacts, contributors, and other industry professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team member
• Interest in or experience working with nonprofit organizations
• Interest in Michigan history is a plus

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. We encourage applications from under-represented groups, including minorities, women, and people with disabilities.

To apply please email a cover letter and resume to resume@hsmichigan.org. The position will remain open until filled.