ADVOCACY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Posted On: October 8, 2014

Media-Related Job

Media Organization: American Civil Liberties Union

Company Description

For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country. Whether it’s achieving full equality for the LGBT community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, ending mass incarceration, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. With more than a million members, activists, and supporters, the ACLU is a nationwide organization that fights tirelessly in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., for the principle that every individual’s rights must be protected equally under the law, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national origin.

Job Description

CAREER OPPORTUNITY
ADVOCACY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM [ASD-48]
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, NY

For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country. Whether it’s achieving full equality for the LGBT community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, ending mass incarceration, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people from government abuse and overreach. With more than a million members, activists, and supporters, the ACLU is a nationwide organization that fights tirelessly in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., for the principle that every individual’s rights must be protected equally under the law, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or national origin.

The American Civil Liberties Union in New York City is seeking one full-time Advocacy Communications Specialist.

OVERVIEW

For decades, the ACLU has been a leader in the state-by-state defense of reproductive freedom. It has responded to the assault on reproductive freedom with top-level policy and political expertise; a million members, activists, and social media followers; court challenges; and a nationwide network of ACLU affiliates lobbying on the ground in all 50 states. In 2014, the ACLU expanded its staff and launched a campaign to work intensively in states facing threats to abortion access.

Reporting to the Reproductive Freedom State Campaign Manager, the Advocacy Communications Specialist will develop communications strategies to advance our legislative and policy goals in key battleground states facing attacks on abortion.

As a member of a multidisciplinary team consisting of political strategists, political researchers, communications experts, and policy experts, the Advocacy Communications Specialist will provide strategic support to identify and execute media opportunities in battleground states. The ideal candidate has strong experience with communications, excellent writing skills, experience with state or legislative advocacy, and a keen understanding of how to strategically use earned and paid media to advocate for reproductive freedom.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
• Lead the development and execution of creative communications strategies to advance the ACLU’s efforts to protect access to abortion in states where that access faces legislative threats.
• Provide in-depth guidance and assistance to ACLU affiliates in their work to plan and execute communications components of their state legislative campaigns. Includes but is not limited to drafting news releases, statements, talking points, op-eds, letters to the editor, social media content and background documents.
• Actively monitor relevant media outlets and state legislative tracking, and identify opportunities for the ACLU to advance state advocacy goals.
• Develop political and advocacy media contact lists in key states, in partnership with affiliates, and cultivate relationships with key journalists in local and state outlets as needed.
• Produce weekly state political and advocacy media reports on battleground states.
• Participate in the planning and execution of media events and message trainings, and lead the production of these events as needed.
• Develop legislative advocacy content for web sites and social media properties. In partnership with an Online Organizer, ensure that all digital communications and online advertising align with overall communications strategies and messaging frameworks.
• Identify and train in-state spokespeople for media appearances and interviews.
• Liaise with the national office’s Communications Department.
• Participate in state legislative campaign planning with team.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience and a minimum of five to seven years of professional experience in media, public relations, or communications campaigns and strategy.
• Experience with state or federal legislative advocacy and policy work is strongly preferred.
• A proven track record developing strong relationships with journalists and advancing advocacy work through media outreach.
• Experience working closely with consultants, including on paid media, message research, and polling.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills; strong attention to detail, ability to write and deliver work product under deadlines, and commitment to high quality standards.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work effectively with others in a team environment.
• Superb training and collaboration skills and experience working across multiple states.
• Commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU.
• Experience working in reproductive rights and justice is preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of time during legislative sessions and to respond to media inquiries when needed for rapid response communications during occasional evening and weekend hours.

To Apply

Please submit a letter of interest (with salary requirements), a resume and a writing sample (no more than three pages in length) to HRjobsASAD@aclu.org. Please reference [Advocacy Communications Specialist for Reproductive Freedom/NYU] in the subject line.