Nonprofit Remote Digest - Issue #323
At Democracy Works, we believe that voting should fit the way we live. To that end, we build technology for voters and election administrators that simplifies the process and ensures that no one should ever have to miss an election.
Serving voters. Powering elections. — www.democracy.works Democracy Works is a team of software developers, public policy wonks, and civic organizers building the tools needed to upgrade the infrastructure of our democracy.
Communications Associate
Location: Brooklyn, NY or remote within the US
Target Start Date: April 28, 2020
Salary Range: $58,000 - $68,000 (Offers will vary based on experience and location-based cost-of-living calculations)
Benefits: Vision, dental, & medical insurance; 403(b) retirement savings plan; generous vacation policy; parental leave; long-term disability; employee assistance program
Level: Junior
Organizational overview
At Democracy Works, we believe voting should fit the way we live. To that end, we build technology for both voters and election administrators that simplifies the process and ensures that no voter should ever have to miss an election.
TurboVote, our first service, helps voters register, stay registered, and cast a ballot in every election, from municipal to national. We’ve signed up more than seven million voters for TurboVote by building the largest college, nonprofit, and corporate voter engagement coalition in the country, including more than 300 campuses, nonprofits, like Headcount, the Sierra Club, Climate Strikes, and the Hispanic Federation, companies like Starbucks, Univision, Facebook, Google, Snap, and dozens more. We also helped (basically) everyone find their polling place through the Voting Information Project. Its data had 123 million impressions in 2016, and over 11 million voters looked up where to vote on GetToThePolls.com. Ballot Scout helps election administrators track absentee ballots through the mail, providing transparency in the vote-by-mail process and making it easier to follow up when things go awry. And in 2018, we became the organizational home of the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED).
The communications team ensures the vision of Democracy Works is clearly and creatively articulated to our stakeholders in a variety of contexts. We develop strategic communication plans and programs for our internal and external audiences, promoting the mission and brand of Democracy Works across several channels. We love democracy and are excited to communicate our work to strengthen it.
As a part of the team, you will:
Support and maintain a strategic, goal-oriented vision for all Democracy Works internal and external communication projects
Develop fresh story ideas: Proactively research and write materials to tell our story and engage a variety of audiences (i.e. website, blog and social media content)
Produce communication materials: Prepare executive talking points and bios, briefing materials, newsletters, and presentations that align with our organization’s strategic goals and branding
Assist other teams by copy-editing and proofreading written content
Brainstorm strategic outreach ideas, and produce creative content for new and ongoing projects
Media outreach: Identify strategic narratives and compelling storylines to pitch relevant reporters and secure timely media coverage
Media monitoring: Track and report media coverage of Democracy Works, our products, campaigns, and industry trends
Press lists: Build and maintain comprehensive press lists to develop relationships with reporters
You are:
An effective communicator who takes pride in translating complex information to a variety of audiences
A self-starter: a proactive and strategic thinker who prioritizes goal-oriented content creation
A strong and persuasive writer who is passionate about the creative process of storytelling—from brainstorming to execution
A fast learner: excited to learn about the voter engagement process and fixing our voting infrastructure
Eager to share your ideas, build a unique brand with a strong voice, and work with a fast growing organization
Able to think quickly and strategically
You have experience:
Creating content in many forms, for multiple platforms, and for a wide range of audiences
Writing for the digital world, using clear and concise language
Managing social media platforms for brands or organizations
Working independently, taking initiative, and providing close attention to detail
Bonus:
You have supported the creation of strategic communications and outreach plans for various audiences
Previous experience working with nonprofit organizations, political organizing, public relations, or government outreach
Physical demands
This position requires regular, daily use of a computer to conduct work and communicate with colleagues.
Social expectations
This position involves regular check-ins with your manager and your team. We also encourage developing coaching relationships with members of other teams. The communications team frequently collaborates with other departments to work on multiple projects, and develop communication materials that match our organization’s branding.
Time and travel expectations
Democracy Works’s regular operating hours are 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Two times a year, all full-time staff members participate in a five day retreat in our Brooklyn offices. All-staff is held each year in May and November.
How to Apply
To apply, please send a resume and respond to the following questions (instead of a cover letter) using the linked application form. In your responses, please include only the following information:
How did you find this job listing?
In one sentence, what makes you interested in Democracy Works?
In one sentence, what makes you interested in this role?
Would you be available to start by April 28, 2020?
Are you willing to work at a nonpartisan organization?
In one sentence, please describe your experience creating content for a range of audiences.
As part of our application, you’ll see an optional form used to collect EEOC demographic information. The data collected in this form is useful in our EEOC reporting and in our assessment of our recruitment practices. However, please keep in mind that the standardized EEOC language used in this form does not reflect the values of Democracy Works--for example, we don’t view gender as binary. We also encourage all applicants to state their pronouns when applying for any job opening at Democracy Works.
Democracy Works is committed to diversity and inclusion in everything we do and aspires to have a team that's representative of the voters we serve. When hiring, we practice proactive outreach to top talent that’s underrepresented in our sector. We conduct an anonymized skills evaluation, to reduce implicit bias and resume-dependency in our process. We're a woman- and gay-founded nonprofit, and promote an inclusive culture that stands against racism, sexism, homophobia, and ableism (to name a few). To be explicit, we strongly encourage applicants of all races, ethnicities, political party associations, religions (or lack thereof), national origins, sexual orientations, genders, sexes, ages, abilities, and branches of military service.
Feel free to contact work@democracy.works if you have any questions about our commitment to inclusion or about general hiring practices, or if you need an accommodation for a medical condition during the hiring process. Democracy Works posts all current career opportunities at democracy.works/careers.