DIRECTOR OF PR & COMMUNICATIONS

Reports to: VP of Communications & Marketing 

Compensation: $100,800 - $113,400
Location: DoSomething.org is headquartered in New York City with a distributed work force across the country. Preferably, candidates will be based in the New York City Metro area, but candidates in other locations within the U.S. will be considered. Tri-state area employees are expected to observe a hybrid schedule (3 days in-office: TU, W, TH).

WHO WE ARE

DoSomething is a thirty-year-old nonprofit fueling young people to change the world. These young activists have made a real difference from donating over 1 million jeans to homeless youth; to over 4,600 young people powering the petition that compelled Apple to create emojis representing people of color; and providing 585,965 menstrual products to achieve gender equity! On top of all that, DoSomething has registered 365,000 young people to vote and claim our democracy since 2018, with our voter turnout rate, above the national average, at 62 percent.

Want to know more about our impact? Check out our 2023 Year in Review.
 

THE ROLE

The Director of Communications will lead the development and implementation of our communications strategy, including earned media and public relations, across DoSomething and manage the team and resources to keep it all on track. This will include building media relationships to make DoSomething more visible and creating impactful communications from pitch materials to thought leadership to brand storytelling that will elevate the voices of young people and our mission in powerful ways. You will plan, execute, and evaluate a variety of communications initiatives, projects, and platforms that strategically align with our priorities to know and activate young people for social good and civic action. You will play an essential role in centering the DoSomething brand as a thought-leader and center of excellence in the youth leadership development and civic engagement sectors.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Communications Strategy (25%)

• Partner with the VP, Marketing & Communications to define and implement the communications strategy for the organization on a quarterly basis
• Collaborate with all areas of the organization, including the CEO, Development and Programming & Impact teams to assess needs and identify communication solutions
• Conduct research to suggest new communications methods and strategies to amplify the voices of young people and increase the reach and awareness of DoSomething’s brand & programming 
• Establish protocols and processes for the team to proactively monitor social trends and identify opportunities for DoSomething to be part of the news cycle and active in timely conversations shared by young people and the social impact sector 
• Support the refresh of the DoSomething brand and communications strategy by defining our messaging platform, how we speak about our strategic pillars, etc.
• Analyze key metrics and keep up-to-date with media innovations in order to assess efficacy of our communications strategies and maximize our reach

Earned Media & Public Relations (30%) 

• Develop and manage a robust earned media and public relations plan to raise the profile of DoSomething and its leaders, including developing our events and speaking engagement strategy, thought leadership, and media pitch calendar
• Draft, edit and submit press materials including press releases, media advisories, event abstracts and EPKs and/or guide external contractors in producing these materials 
• Cultivate ongoing relationships with a growing list of media contacts to explore deeper partnerships and help increase consideration for DoSomething pitches
• Collaborate with the Programming & Impact team to build and train a bench of DoSomething members and thought leaders who can serve as ambassadors for DoSomething programs by sharing their expertise or personal stories publicly and with media
• Author or contribute to articles, think-pieces, presentation decks, op-eds, scripts, and whitepapers for publication, and provide ghostwriting support to DoSomething leadership as needed 
• Liaise with external PR consultants as needed to develop and drive forward elements of the earned media plan 

Content Creation (25%)

• Under the direction of the VP of Communications & Marketing and in partnership with the Director of Marketing, serve as the editorial lead for all DoSomething content and messaging 
• Develop and maintain our overall organizational communications calendar to help prioritize and streamline the development of communications materials 
• Drive content creation across print and digital, including our impact reports, thought leadership, newsletters, video production, etc. with an emphasis on elevating the stories and experiences of BIPOC, historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
• Revise content and communications guidelines and provide oversight on communications platforms to ensure branding and messaging continuity and best practices

People Management (20%)

• Serve as both a manager and mentor to the Senior Communications Associate, Associate Web Producer and other staff as the Communications team grows
• Support in cultivating a team culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and help advance our DEIB commitments to better reflect the communities we serve and seek to serve
• Set objectives and performance development goals for team members consistent with our strategic plan linked to performance outcomes and advocate for continuous growth professional development of reports.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• A minimum of 8 years cumulative experience in an editorial or communications role with a demonstrated track record adhering to style guidelines and producing content with a consistent tone across multiple formats and mediums. Direct experience creating content for young people is strongly preferred. 
• People Management. You have at least 3 year’s management experience with a proven track record of retaining and developing diverse teams, and consistently employing inclusive and equitable leadership practices to engage and grow reports. 
• Solid communications skills and storytelling abilities. You must be able to synthesize and distill complex, detailed insights into meaningful and relatable narratives for a diverse set of audiences including our members, our partners, and the media. Direct experience developing creative briefs, press pitches, blogs, concept notes, and/or whitepapers, required. 
• Media savvy. You’re well versed in building relationships with the press, can appreciate the nuance of what will make for a good pitch and are familiar with a wealth of media outlets that you have strong instincts for where to reach our target audience.
• A high degree of comfort speaking and presenting in public. You have experience representing a brand publicly, understand how to adapt your communication for different contexts and are energized by the opportunity to share a brand’s story at conferences and events.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration. You come with finely tuned interpersonal, negotiation and communications skills to collaborate seamlessly across multiple stakeholders and teams and understand how to align and operationalize teams around your vision. 

WHO YOU ARE

• On top of your inbox. You have a known knack for the kind of follow-up and follow-through that makes stakeholders swoon. You’re responsive with the communications that keep things on track, and judicious in managing expectations and setting boundaries.
• Detail oriented. You have a proven track record of prioritizing and delivering on critical tasks with a high degree of accuracy and minimal oversight. 
• An affinity for efficiency. You’re proficient in the project management tools (e.g. Trello, AirTable, Slack) and techniques to keep things running smoothly.
• Deadline-driven and results-oriented. You have the ability to prioritize multiple stakeholder requests, create efficient editorial workflows, and manage up to keep projects moving along.
• Pop culture conscious. You know how to keep your finger on the pulse of current events and trends among our primary demographic, and you’re practiced in applying a race-intentional and inclusive lens to inform your understanding of youth culture throughout the identity and political spectrum. 
• Skilled in reporting. You are comfortable tracking information and navigating spreadsheets, distilling insights from data, and communicating data-backed recommendations for continuous process improvement. 
• Value a team culture of belonging. You take accountability for your work and the way you work with others, lean into continuous learning about your own filters and blindspots, and you’re fully committed to creating a more race-intentional, equitable and inclusive workplace for our team, and organization for our members.

BENEFITS & PERKS

• 3 weeks vacation, 11 paid federal holidays, paid winter holiday break (from Christmas to New Years), and ½ Day Summer Fridays (Memorial Day to Labor Day)
• Medical and dental premiums fully covered by us 
• $1000 personal stipend each year for your professional development - additional funds available at departmental level.
• An incredibly compelling reason to wake up and make it to work every day

DoSomething.org is an equal opportunity employer. 

Please, no calls. 

DoSomething.org and DoSomething Strategic (“we”, “us”) are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains when and why we collect personal information on candidates, and how we keep it secure.

Who are we?

• DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the world focused on young people and social change. DoSomething Strategic is the consulting arm of DoSomething.org. Our 6 million+ members take action, online and offline, to better their communities by participating in one of our 250+ cause campaigns.

How and why we collect data from you.

• We collect and retain data that is included in your job application. This includes your full name, contact information, and any personal information disclosed in your resume, cover letter, and other supplemental application materials.
• Data is collected for evaluation criteria when seeking employment at DoSomething
• We will only use your data for what was originally intended -- for purposes of seeking and gaining employment at DoSomething. Your data will not be “recycled” for marketing emails or to sell to third parties.

How long do we retain this data?

• DoSomething will retain candidate profiles for 3 years.
• Annually on August 1, candidate profiles from 3+ years prior will be entirely deleted from our system.

Is your data secure?

• JazzHR maintains secure job board pages. Job boards will default to HTTPS. Additionally, if we were to terminate our contract with JazzHR our candidate data is deleted from JazzHR’s systems in accordance with JazzHR’s Terms of Service.