Media and Communications Strategist

Job Description

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington (ACLU-WA) is seeking a Media & Communications Strategist to develop and implement communications and media strategies.

Overview

The ACLU of Washington is a leader among state affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union, the country's premier guardian of liberty. We work in courts, legislatures, and communities to protect and extend American rights to freedom, fairness and equality. The ACLU is both nonprofit and nonpartisan. We are supported by more than 135,000 members, activists, and donors.

The ACLU of Washington is committed to ending racism in Washington State and throughout the country. This includes how we work with each other, and with our partners and allies in the communities we serve. We are committed to bringing anti-racism to all aspects of ACLU-WA's internal and external functions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring and human resources, strategic planning, ally, donor, and volunteer relations, Board and committee processes, and deciding what cases to litigate. We are looking for candidates who share this commitment to advancing racial justice, both internally in our organization and externally in the communities that we serve.

The Media & Communications Strategist is responsible for creating statements, releases and other communications materials, collaborating with ACLU-WA staff and allies on communications efforts, and communicating with the media, the public and members on a wide variety of civil liberties issues by managing the ACLU-WA's robust media program and contributing content for social and digital media. The Media & Communications Strategist will work closely with the Online Communications Specialist and the Community Relations Director.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, socio-economic circumstance, or record of arrest or conviction. We do not conduct criminal background checks on our candidates.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participation in ACLU-WA’s race equity work. This may include utilizing ACLU-WA race equity tools, adopting ACLU-WA race equity practices, serving on the Race Equity Team or subcommittees, etc.

Copywriting and Editing

• Draft and edit news releases, media advisories, op-eds, blog posts, letters to the editor, fact sheets, talking points and other communications materials.
• Work with staff to help produce and edit high quality materials such as advocacy reports and the ACLU-WA annual report.

Public Relations

• Proactively cultivate relationships with reporters, editors, producers, bookers, bloggers and other media professionals through phone, email and in-person meetings, with an emphasis on Spanish language, Black press, and ethnic media, as well as large media outlets.
• Pitch news and feature stories to journalists and media outlets and actively follow up to garner maximum media coverage for our issues and for the ACLU as an organization.
• Respond to inquiries and keep track of journalist contacts to expand networks and measure success.
• Organize press conferences, teleconferences and other media events.
• Consult with the Director of Communications on appropriate spokespeople for media interview requests that best advance public perception of an issue.
• Provide support to the Advocacy and Executive staff, preparing advance materials or talking points for interviews, facilitating interview requests and identifying opportunities.
• Provide media training for clients and staff to prepare them for interviews.

Strategy and Messaging
Assist in developing and implementing an integrated, strategic communications plan that promotes the ACLU-WA's work across a broad platform of media outlets.

• Work with Department Heads, as well as our national office, on communications strategy and messaging.
• Participate in coalition communications work.
• Coordinate with the Online Communications Specialist for adaptation of content and distribution of workload, specifically regarding writing tasks.
• Exercise judgment to prioritize media opportunities.
• Supervise interns and assign them tasks.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Ideal candidates will have an awareness of, and willingness to engage in, the difficult and transformative work of challenging systems of oppression, institutional and structural racism, and implicit bias.
• Demonstrated experience and success in journalism, communications or related field.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including ability to draft materials on a wide range of topics in a timely manner.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with key national, regional and local news media. Ability to understand and grasp fast-changing media market and platforms.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage projects, such as reports, from inception through execution.
• Strong commitment to advancing the ACLU of Washington’s values, mission and goals, with an understanding of the range of civil liberties and civil rights issues and their implications.
• Ability to work independently and keep organized in a fast-paced environment, manage several projects simultaneously, and adjust strategy to frequently changing demands.
• Collaborative. Curious.
• Strong team-building and organizing skills.
• Committed to being an ambassador for the organization.
• Working fluency in Spanish, a plus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The ACLU-WA’s staff of 40+ employees and numerous volunteers generally work in a standard office setting in downtown Seattle between the hours of 9am and 5pm. The physical demands described below represent those required to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Ability to type on a keyboard for long periods of time
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods
• Ability to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Ability to periodically work long and extended hours
• Ability to view data on a computer screen for long periods of time

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU reserves the right to change the description and/or posting at any time without advance notice. This position is “exempt” under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The ACLU of WA is dedicated to centering equity in all aspects of the organization and, as such, has adopted a salary scale for measuring how to best compensate its employees. The salary for this position is $78,000 to 84,000. A range indicates the intention to accommodate those with varying years of relevant experience, as determined by the salary scale.

Benefits include three weeks of vacation, twelve sick days, eleven holidays, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, a generous retirement plan, and an ORCA card, the regional transportation pass.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To apply, email a cover letter and resume to [email protected] and include in the subject line of the email: your last name and Media & Communications Strategist. In your cover letter, please indicate where you learned of the posting. Applications will be accepted until July 7, 2020 , at which time the job announcement will be removed from our website at www.aclu-wa.org/careers

The ACLU of Washington comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, Inc. and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington Foundation. The two corporations share the same overall mission, office space, and employees. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU of Washington”.