DESCRIPTION
ReThink Media is a unique, non-profit organization focused on building the communications capacity of nonprofit think tanks, experts, and advocacy groups crafting a more constructive US foreign and national security policy, protecting human and civil rights, and strengthening our democracy. The communities we serve include the foremost experts, leaders, and organizers in the fields of arms control and nonproliferation, conflict prevention, human and civil rights, and democracy reform.
ReThink Media is seeking qualified applicants for our Media Associate position with our Communications Collaborative comprised of more than 100 organizations working to strengthen our democracy by reducing the influence of big money in politics, ensuring an independent judiciary and expanding and protecting voting rights. The project seeks to strengthen the communications capacity of organizations in the sector, to broaden the movement for reform, and to develop shared messaging and media strategies that advance a more inclusive, participatory, and genuinely representative democratic process.
We provide our member organizations with access to a state-of-the-art media database and press distribution system. We provide ongoing training in critical media and communications skills. We monitor and conduct extensive media and opinion research on the issues our organizations work on and assist our member groups with message development. We also work to improve collaboration and coordination cross the sector and assist groups and campaigns with direct media and public relations support, including coordinating rapid response, assisting with op-ed and editorial campaigns, and the pitching and placement of spokespeople.
The Media Associate is responsible for coordinating, training, and assisting Rethink Media's member groups in monitoring both traditional and online news coverage, and in responding rapidly and effectively to breaking news. This includes tracking all of the key reporters, Hill communications staff, and opposition spokespeople, building and maintaining shared press lists, assisting groups in building individual press lists, and where appropriate assisting with the editing, pitching and placement of content and spokespeople.
The ideal candidate will have 2-3 years of experience working in the fields of media, communications, and press or public relations, and have an established commitment to the aforementioned issue areas. Experience working as a Hill or NGO communications staffer, in campaign or advocacy communications, or in pitching and placing content and/or spokespeople in the media a plus. This position will be supervised by the Associate Director, Voting Rights.
PRINCIPLE DUTIES:
Specific goals will be set quarterly, corresponding to the following duties:
• Monitor daily news, opinion, and social media coverage and review daily news digests from the sector in order to identify key opportunities for rapid response. Draft daily clips related to top news stories in the voting rights arena with relative talking points and social media content.
• Assist in the development of timely and effective talking points, messaging tips and where appropriate draft statements, op-eds and letters to the editor, to be distributed in response to breaking news developments and ahead of known media opportunities.
• Develop an expertise of all of the key reporters and outlets covering the issues, with particular attention paid to developing relationships with ethnic and specialty media. Assist in training groups on developing and maintaining tailored press lists. Assist in updating ReThink Media's press lists and its unique online Journalist Profiles site, including updating reporter pitch notes according to coverage and identifying additional outlets/ reporters to target.
• Develop an expertise of all of the voting rights member groups and the specific issues they work on, their unique media profiles, their key spokespeople, areas of expertise, and access to validators in order to be able to quickly identify who the best organizations or experts are to connect to a reporters or to write an op-ed, LTE etc., on a breaking story.
• Coordinating, with the Democracy Collaborative's Digital Content and Design Associate, social media strategies and tactics for the voting rights field, including both longer-term efforts and rapid response opportunities.
• Assist senior staff in ensuring a consistent online voice for ReThink's work with the collaborative and provide the best social media analysis to inform the online strategies of ongoing advocacy and collaborative communications campaigns.
• Assist in identifying opportunities for collaborative multi-organization media initiatives and support ongoing campaigns and issue/policy initiatives. These often include developing and implementing strategies for op-ed, LTE and editorial initiatives, assisting with pitching and placement of spokespeople and content, developing online strategies, implementing strategies for outreach to Hill communications staff and tracking our efforts.
• Assist senior staff with supporting the individual media work and communications capacity of each of our member groups. This often includes assisting groups in developing a strategic communications plan, in implementing media strategies, in building press lists, assisting in the editing and development of media content, assisting with pitching and placement, providing media training, conducting audits of coverage and expert profiles, identifying and creating content for relevant rapid response opportunities, etc.
• Assist with longer-term research projects such as media and public opinion audits and coverage analysis of specific issues, frames, editorial coverage and outlets.
• Assisting in training targeted experts and groups in building rapid response media capacity including improving their outreach to editorial page editors and tips in developing editorial packets, and in writing and placing op-eds and letters-to-the-editor.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Advertising, or other applicable field, or demonstrated equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 2-3 years experience working in a communications or PR capacity. Experience working as a Hill or NGO communications staffer, in campaign or advocacy communications, or in pitching and placing content and/or spokespeople strongly desired.
• Demonstrated experience or commitment to one or more of ReThink Media's issue areas or organizations, in particular those in the voting rights field.
• Experience monitoring and analyzing news coverage, writing press materials, developing traditional and social media strategies and/or pitching stories.
• Strong writing, editing, communications and presentation skills.
• A creative and strategic ability to frame ideas, develop stories and synthesize complex policy issues in a way that appeals to the news media and a wide variety of audiences.
• Experience with digital content and design for social media, including an ability to capitalize on trends; produce compelling graphics and analyze metrics and performance.
• Demonstrated experience in public interest communications, public relations or advertising, with preference for experience in advocacy/political public relations.
• Excellent news sense and political savvy.
• Knowledge of print, broadcast, and electronic news media.
• A proven track record managing a fast-paced, multi-faceted workload, ideally involving media and communications and/or client relations.
• Strong training, mentoring, and/or supervisory skills.
• Proven track record as a strong team player, in team building, and in project management skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, with varying levels of organization staff, clients, contractors, foundations and the media.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness and flexibility in approach to project assignments.
• Strong research and administrative skills.
• Experience with Cision, Mailchimp, CRMs, Sysomos, Webex, and Drupal a plus.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ReThink Media is an equal opportunity employer and it is a fundamental policy of the Organization not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (including religious dress and personal appearance), political affiliation, sex (including pregnancy, breastfeeding women, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, age, mental or physical disability, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression) legally protected medical condition, family care or medical leave status, military or veteran status, marital status, genetic information, genetic expression or any other basis protected by state or federal laws. Reasonable accommodation, when necessary, for disabled employees and pregnant employees who request an accommodation with respect to recruitment, hiring, training, promotion and other terms and conditions of employment.
HOW TO APPLY
opportunities@rethinkmedia.org
To apply, please carefully follow these instructions. Send your cover letter in the body of the email, do not send it as an attachment. State the reason for your interest in the position, provide a brief summary of your professional experience, your stated salary requirements and address your background in relation to working on these issues. If you have applied for a previous position with ReThink Media please indicate this in your email. Attach your resume to the email and make sure to include your name in the title of the attachment (eg: resume.Jones.doc). Email your application to opportunities@rethinkmedia.org, Subject: Media Associate, Voting Rights.
All applications will be acknowledged and qualified applicants will be asked to answer a brief questionnaire and writing exercise prior to the scheduling of a final round of interviews. This position is open until filled, but we expect to complete this hire by May 12, 2017
BENEFITS
Additional Qualifications & Salary:
This is a full-time position based in our DC office with modest travel to our California office, New York, and key member states for conferences, funder meetings, training workshops, and periodic staff meetings. This is a mid-level position based on 2-3 years experience, which comes with a generous benefits, vacation, sabbatical, and retirement packet.
PROFESSIONAL LEVEL
Professional
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED
4-year degree
Jobsthatareleft is a listserv run by Democratic GAIN. Membership dues keep us going. Please consider becoming a full member of Democratic GAIN by checking your membership status at https://www.democraticgain.org/members/membership.asp .
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