Communications Specialist, Editorial and Publications

Job description

Protect Democracy seeks a Communications Specialist to support our exceptional in-house editorial team with writing and editing content for our flagship newsletter, website, social media, and more.

Protect Democracy was formed in late 2016 with an urgent and explicit mission: to prevent American democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. We are a cross-partisan team that defend our institutions and work to make real the full promise of our democracy by using the courts, legislatures, media, and every other tool available at the state and federal level. 

In this position, you will play a key role in translating policy, legal, and technical expertise across the organization into readable, accessible, and actionable newsletter, website, and publication materials. This is a fast-paced, writing-heavy role that requires a strong and authoritative written voice matching our unique brand. This is an excellent opportunity for published writers with backgrounds in journalism or policy analysis, or for strong creative writers looking to expand their publication experience. By joining this team, you can expect to work directly with prominent experts across the pro-democracy ecosystem to advance key insights and analysis. In doing so, you will help shape public debate around the authoritarian threat in a way that — hopefully — helps ensure our democracy survives. 

We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply. A commitment to our mission and cross-ideological strategy for defending our democracy is essential. You can work remotely from any location in the United States. We are accepting applications for this position until December 15, 2024.

The Communications Specialist, Editorial and Publications will:

• Be a central member of the team developing, writing, and editing our weekly newsletter;
• Edit and manage the pipeline for weekly Insights posts by various experts;
• Regularly write articles, op-eds, blog posts, website copy, and other materials — both ghostwritten and under your own byline;
• Collaborate with other writers and experts on standalone special series, symposia, and long-form pieces;
• Draft social media copy, especially in connection with edited articles and newsletter pieces;
• Coordinate with members of the design team on graphics, interactives, and other design-heavy products;
• Strategize with other team members and actively contribute ideas during project brainstorming sessions;
• Propose new impact projects to advance Protect Democracy’s mission;
• Contribute to culture-building initiatives across the organization.

Job requirements

The ideal candidate brings:

• At least 3-5 years of professional communications experience in a fast-paced environment;
• Exceptional writing skills, including the ability to distill complex topics quickly and accurately on tight deadlines;
• Experience writing about policy and/or legal issues for external audiences;
• Experience with copy-editing and proofreading according to a style guide;
• Ability to foster collaborative relationships and work in a team environment with people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives;
• Ability to track, prioritize, and drive forward a diverse pipeline of pieces, projects, and responsibilities;
• Growth mindset and enthusiasm for giving and receiving feedback up, down, and sideways;
• A passionate commitment to the preservation of democratic norms and institutions, and to improving those institutions to ensure they fully represent communities of color. 

Pluses, but not requirements:

• Fluency with social media and alternative media platforms.

Compensation

The starting salary range for this role is $71,144-$83,699, commensurate with the candidate’s relevant experience, capabilities and skills and in alignment with internal equity.

About Protect Democracy

• Flexible location. You can work from any location in the United States as long as your location allows you to complete the demands of the position and mission. All staff are required to travel at least two times per year to internal team retreats. (Accommodations to this requirement will be made only in exceptional circumstances.) We currently have staff in Washington, DC, New York, Massachusetts, California, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Utah, Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Washington, Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Colorado, Maryland, Wisconsin, Louisiana, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Texas. We offer shared workspaces in many of these locations for staff members who enjoy working in an office environment.
• Commitment to a diverse workplace. Protect Democracy is an equal opportunity employer by choice. Our culture principles emphasize that there is strength in diversity as we believe diverse teams are more innovative, creative, and productive. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.
• Phenomenal benefits. Our benefits package includes unlimited sick leave and a flexible vacation policy where we encourage team members to take 4-5 weeks every year, along with 12 paid holidays, 4 weeks of paid family medical leave, and 18 weeks of paid parental leave. We also offer a 401(k) plan with up to 6% employer match that vests immediately, full coverage for an excellent health care plan that includes both dental and vision insurance, long-term disability and life insurance for all employees, a home office stipend, and as budget allows, discretionary bonuses.
• Ample opportunities for personal & professional development. Candidates who do not meet all listed criteria should still apply, as our organizational structure focuses on providing mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.

To Apply

Please follow the application button below. As part of your application, you will be asked to upload your cover letter, resume, and a writing sample as PDFs. Applications missing any of the required materials will be considered incomplete and not reviewed. We are accepting applications for this position until December 15, 2024.

In your cover letter, please address 1) why Protect Democracy’s mission appeals to you, and 2) how this role would move you toward your professional goals. For your writing sample, please share 1-3 pages on a policy or legal topic, ideally for a non-specialist audience. This could take the form of a blog post, article, remarks, op-ed, or any other external-facing content.

Additional Information for Applicants

• Contact hiring@protectdemocracy.org if you require accommodations at any point in the application process.
• The application will include a voluntary EEO survey so that we can monitor the applicant pool as a whole for representation and equal employment opportunities, and to evaluate our progress as an organization toward a diverse and inclusive workforce, which we believe is a pillar of a thriving democracy. The categories used by the EEO survey are limited and may not reflect your lived experience; please feel free to opt out of any of the questions. Your responses to this survey are entirely separate from your application materials, are not accessible to those responsible for hiring decisions, and will not affect your candidacy in any way. 
• Please keep an eye on your promotions/spam folders to avoid missed communication.
• We are unable to provide status updates for each application we receive; if you reach out and do not hear back, please know it is not for lack of appreciation or interest, but simply for lack of staff capacity to respond to individual inquiries.
• Thank you for your commitment to protecting our democracy!

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