POSITION TITLE: Communications Manager
REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Director of Communications
DIRECT REPORTS: N/A
WORK SCHEDULE: Full-Time
COMPENSATION: $70,000-80,000
LOCATION: Remote in DC or NYC
POSITION SUMMARY
Born out of a tragic school shooting, March For Our Lives (MFOL) is a courageous youth-led movement dedicated to promoting civic engagement, education, and direct action by youth to eliminate the epidemic of gun violence. In 2018, the March For Our Lives was the single largest youth-led protest since the Vietnam War, with 1.2 million people convening in DC and 800 sibling marches worldwide. MFOL turned a moment into a movement of hundreds of thousands of young people fighting for common sense gun safety reform.
In the past five years, MFOL has passed 60+ gun safety laws at the state level, helped secure the first federal legislation on guns in more than 30 years after a historic second march in 2022, lobbied in the courts to maintain gun violence prevention laws, and turned out hundreds of thousands of young people to vote.
The Communications Manager will take ownership of multimedia content and communications, focusing on press and new media that hit multiple target audiences: young people, political leaders, and the general public. The Communications Manager will also work collaboratively across departments to help amplify advocacy campaigns at the national and state level with a focus on raising awareness and driving action to change the culture on guns.
Responsibilities include:
PRESS AND MEDIA RELATIONS:
Write press releases to announce and explain MFOL activities and updates
Pitch media and secure exclusive stories with reporters on important MFOL activities
Respond to incoming media inquiries and facilitate interviews with spokespeople
Develop and maintain new relationships with reporters across various beats and geographic locations to reach diverse audiences
Use PR software to create and maintain dynamic, up-to-date media lists
Provide or assist in the development of talking points for interviews; provide coaching and training to staff and board to prepare for interviews, speeches, and other public appearances
Provide robust press and communications support to the MFOL chapter network
Serve as on-the-record spokesperson as needed
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Assist with or take the lead on creating collateral such as invitation letters, fact sheets, one-pagers, and op-eds
Lead projects on the communications team or across departments as a project manager
Own drafting copy for and updating the MFOL website
Support management of vendors like photographers and freelance designers
Work with the digital team to identify non-traditional media platforms (i.e. podcasts, YouTube shows) to reach youth
Assist with maintaining a communications calendar that captures all press activity
Assist with developing messaging for external audiences, including reporters
Additional responsibilities may be assigned at the discretion of the Communications Director
REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
Bachelor’s Degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or related field
An equivalent combination of experience and education sufficient to successfully perform essential functions will be considered.
Understanding of and commitment to a racial and economic justice framework as part of your workflow
4-6 years of experience in communications or public relations, preferably on social change issues or in the political advocacy space
Excellent writing skills and ability to synthesize information into clear, compelling points
A news enthusiast with the ability to predict how a story will develop and evolve
Sharp creative and critical thinking skills with the ability to tell a story from multiple angles
Proven ability to execute day-to-day tasks and independently manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment
Commitment and skill at finding consensus across multiple functions and driving work with multiple stakeholders
NICE TO HAVES
Written and spoken fluency in Spanish
Experience using Adobe Creative Suite
Qualified applicants who are Gen-Z or have experience working closely with Gen-Z colleagues are highly encouraged to apply. Our ideal candidate may hit most but not all of our requirements but will demonstrate a track record of quickly mastering new skills and an enthusiasm for taking on new challenges.
This position is based in New York City or Washington, DC. MFOL is a national organization; some travel will be required (10-15% of the time). Occasional work outside regular office hours is also required.
