External Media Specialist

Position Title: External Media Specialist

Tier / Category: Tier 4 / Specialist

Reports to: Communications Director

Employment Status: Full-Time

FLSA: Exempt

Location: Remote

NLRA: Bargaining Unit Member

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a national organization that brings white people into fights for racial and economic justice. We work to undermine the power of the Far Right and build the white flank of multiracial majorities fighting for the things all communities need. We organize white people by engaging their shared interest-- what they stand to gain by joining alongside people of color. We do this through 150+ local chapters across the US and Canada, a National Membership base, and local base building projects in the South.

Summary of Position:

SURJ is seeking an External Media Specialist to support the work of the Communications Department by driving the implementation of the organization’s earned media and press relations program. Our ideal candidate will bring strong communications chops working with diverse audiences in a political/movement context and a detailed and relational orientation to communication tasks.

This position reports to the Communications Director in a team-based environment, providing back up on social media and other team functions. This is a union job, and specific terms and conditions of employment are subject to the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES — Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:

Priority 1: Earned Media and Press Work, (70%)

• Collaborate with the Comms Director closely in the creation of earned media campaigns.
• Write and send pitches to members of the press in direct coordination with the Communications Director.
• Write press release/media advisories.
• Organize press conferences and other media events.
• Monitor and vet press intakes (press email, queries etc)
• Complete phone and email follow up with journalists on earned media work.
• Write timely copy on SURJ’s work for external donor audiences in coordination with the Development and Communications Directors.
• Maintain a calendar for earned media program alongside Comms Director.
• Coordinate with National Organizing and Grassroots Organizing staff to highlight and feature key aspects of their work to a public audience.

Priority 2: Organize earned media backend and execute content creation, (20%)

• Cultivate and maintain ongoing relationships with journalists, publication editors, and corresponding movement organization partners as needed.
• Maintain media contacts and engage in regular listwork.
• Conduct media training and spokespeople prep with members and volunteer leaders.
• Provide social media posting back-up for the communications team.
• Copyedit comms department copy.
• Assist in keeping the SURJ website updated with current campaigns, news updates, and timely information from the organization.
• Support social media and email writing with comms team members.

Priority 3: Participate in SURJ team, (10%)

• Active and timely response on all communications (email, phone, texts, messaging apps).
• Attend weekly virtual meetings with staff, members and allies.
• Participate in and support preparation for in-person staff meetings, Leadership Team meetings, and other events as necessary.
• As the communications department grows, may need to serve as a Peer Leader for other communications positions. Holds “Peer Leader” designation at SURJ.
• Compliance with SURJ remote working policies and procedures (calendaring, availability online, response time to communications, receipts, etc.)

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 5 years managing online grassroots digital campaigns and/or working with or in the press in a professional capacity, preferably in a non-profit organization.
• Experience representing an organization to press members and media outlets.
• Alignment with the core values and strategy of SURJ and a heart for organizing in white communities.
• Alignment with the strategic and political values of a movement-oriented communications team.
• Experience with using data and analytics from social media, email, website, and other communications platforms to help set communications strategy
• Experience working with grassroots leaders and building community in a social justice environment, and sensitivity to a broad range of races, class backgrounds, cultures, faiths, and identities.
• Experience supervising or overseeing others.
• SURJ policy requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to reasonable accommodation under federal, state, and local law. Accommodations may be not possible for positions that require in-person contact with other staff or members of the public.

KNOWLEDGE:

• Deep knowledge in the area of earned media and how media outlets work.
• Knowledge of video creation/editing/production (optional)
• Willingness to adjust hours to occasionally work on weekends or after hours based on rapid response moments.
• Willingness to travel occasionally for campaigns and group meetings, up to six times per year.
• Spanish fluency (optional)

SKILLS:

• Fluent in with Muck Rack (or other media crm)
• Strong visual design intuition and familiarity with Canva (Photoshop/Illustrator a plus)
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to consult and coordinate among multiple teams to produce content that is engaging and powerful
• Experience navigating competing interests, multiple stakeholders, conflicting rules, a range of possible solutions and other complex elements
• Excellent written and verbal communication with the skill and desire to to write compelling digital content. Experience writing for a wide range of audiences.
• High-level professional skills and ability to develop these skills in others.
• Experience with leading and training volunteers and/or staff with little comms experience.

ABILITIES:

• Flexible - open to new ways of doing things and experimentation
• Reliable - follows through on what they said they are going to do
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision
• Ability to analyze current events, social movement developments, and the political landscape to create relevant comms interventions.