Senior Communications Associate

Position: Senior Communications Associate

Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Working alongside the Director, Strategic Communications, coordinate efficient processes across teams to help bring campaigns and strategic ideas to fruition.
2. Co-manage the Foundation’s editorial/content calendar and co-produce regular content for publication on social media channels, mass emails, the Foundation’s blog, and website.
3. Support the collection and amplification of community and grantee partners’ events and stories for use in regular communications.
4. Support the development and execution of special projects, including podcast and video production.
5. Generate first drafts of a variety of content (press releases, blog posts, statements), as needed.
6. Provide support in updating the Foundation’s branding and communications guides and help to ensure proper branding, writing, and style guidelines are consistently met.
7. Proofread and edit materials to ensure and promote clarity and consistency with spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting guidelines, as well as most current language within the DEIJ space.
8. Evaluate and publish multimedia content with respect to ADA standards, ensuring that alt text, captions, transcripts, and subtitles are accurate and included in posts.
9. Collaborate across teams to provide internal communications counsel and training.
10. Other duties as assigned.

Communications & PR Administrative Tasks:

1. Coordinate and manage the receipt of photo releases.
2. Compile regular reports on communications, email marketing, and website metrics.
3. Help to coordinate projects with external consultants, including graphic designers, photographers, web support, etc.
4. Help to research and manage the implementation of new communications programs, software, or equipment.
5. Liaise with grantee partners to provide support and tend to emergent communications requests.
6. Help to monitor Meyer’s communications email inbox to route questions or to respond to requests for logo.
7. Supports media engagement by helping to build and maintain media lists.
8. Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Experiences & Qualifications:

1. Deep and demonstrated commitment to equity and social justice, and strong alignment with the Meyer Foundation’s organizational values.
2. A strong desire to connect and engage with the communities Meyer serves.
3. Excellent written communication skills, with proficiency in AP Style guidelines and best practices within the DEIJ space.
4. Strong organizational and multitasking abilities with a keen eye for detail, ability to collaborate across teams, and meet tight deadlines.
5. Experience in content creation, editing, and project coordination; experience in content management systems and project management tools.
6. Experience with managing or contributing to a WordPress-hosted website and/or Beaver Builder.
7. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, and Zoom.
8. Proficiency in various social media platforms and best practices for achieving successful metrics.

Personal Characteristics and Values:

1. Proactive.
2. Collaborative and curious.
3. Creative and critical thinker; a problem-solver.
4. Excited and motivated to learn new communications frameworks and tactics.
5. Eager to interact with and work alongside community and grantee partners to support their efforts.
6. Committed to storytelling that honors the humanity of the communities we serve and seeks to challenge persistent dominant narratives.
7. Committed to the Foundation’s mission and racial equity stance.
8. Active and supportive participant in building and maintaining a collaborative and inclusive workplace culture.
9. Proven ability to listen, discern challenges, and identify solutions.
10. Partnership approach and ability to effectively work with different workstyles.
11. Open-minded and committed to honest and candid conversations and self-reflection about race, racial justice, and equity.
12. Enthusiasm for organizational change and patience during any change processes as part of the Foundation’s commitment to ongoing learning and adaptation.

Maintains Commitment to Values and Meyer Foundation’s Community Agreements:

1. Apply a racial justice lens: Raise issues of racial equity. Constantly seek to understand disparities and learn why they exist. Examine issues and create solutions through a systems framework.
2. Assume positive intent: Proceed with trust and seek to understand one another. Challenge perspectives, not each other.
3. Call people in: Avoid calling out - instead, call in. When we call in, we respect where people are and invite them to continue learning.
4. Create space for multiple truths and perspectives: Be diligent and patient with self and others. Be willing to step up and step back. Recognize and explore triggers.
5. Disagreement can be generative: Understand we will not always agree and that it is okay. Healthy discussion can generate new ideas when we're willing to engage and hear differing perspectives.
6. Honor different styles of communicating, learning, and processing: Understand that these happen in different ways for different people. Seek understanding if someone's style differs from yours.
7. Name and check assumptions: Use "I" statements and allow "we" to speak. Respectfully call in your peers when an assumption has been shared.
8. Recognize power dynamics: Be aware of the existence of power dynamics and how they can be used both positively and negatively, formally, and informally. Acknowledge your own privilege and how you use it.
9. Seek to expand your growth edge: Look for new opportunities to learn. Be open to perspectives that challenge your own.
10. Surface Elephants & Patterns: Support each other in raising uncomfortable conversations. Hold each other in kindness and rigor, while seeking ways to move forward.
11. Thoughtful risk-taking: Call on deep courage and be willing to take calculated risks without fear of failure or being wrong.

About Meyer Foundation:

The Meyer Foundation pursues and invests in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community in which economically disadvantaged people thrive. We envision a just, connected, and inclusive Greater Washington community in which systemic racism and its consequences no longer exist.

Meyer Foundation Values:

1. Racial Justice & Shared Humanity: We believe racial equity is a moral and justice imperative that benefits all humanity. We are committed to advancing racial equity in all our spheres of influence in the interest of building a just, connected, inclusive future in which everyone thrives.
2. Solidarity: We recognize solutions to racial injustice are built through the collective efforts of diverse people, perspectives, and sectors; and by shifting power and voice to our community members who have been most directly affected by racial injustice.
3. Regional Responsibility: We use our resources and relationships to create opportunities, build capacity, and contribute to the strength, resiliency, and equity of the Greater Washington region.
4. Stewardship: We manage the long-term financial well-being of the foundation consistent with our beliefs, mission, and vision while acting boldly to achieve racial equity.

How to Apply:

To apply for the Senior Communications Associate, submit your application after reading the information below. To complete the application, you will need to upload the following:

1. Your resume;
2. A writing sample that conveys your skills and/or understanding of equity and justice, such as an article, press release, op-ed, blog post, etc.;
3. A graphic design sample (such as social media posts or an ad) that demonstrates your ability to create compelling imagery for marketing, social media, etc.;
4. If available, a multimedia sample - this can be a link to a video, graphic portfolio, webpage/website, podcast, or something similar that you produced.

You will also need to respond to the following questions. Please do not include a cover letter.

1. How would you describe your experience communicating with a racial equity and/or justice lens on behalf of an organization?
2. How would you describe your experience leveraging social media to support an organization’s cause?