Press Strategist

Who we are:

Situated at the forefront of the national stage in the racial justice movement, Advancement Project is a cutting-edge, no-holds-barred national organization dedicated to building local power in communities of color. Centered on a movement lawyering approach, defined as community-centered racial justice lawyering, Advancement Project supports power building in grassroots organizations working to eliminate oppressive structures in our laws and institutions and shift narratives towards transformative change. From ending the school-to-prison pipeline to the fight to expand the right to vote, from calling for a complete overhaul of how we view the police and carceral state, to fighting for immigrant justice, Advancement Project impacts real change from the ground up. Building on more than 20 years, we continue to evolve our strategic thinking and creativity to imagine a more just world in which people of color can thrive, be safe, and free.  – and we are excited to bring on new talent to forward our vision.

The Advancement Project’s track record of success includes:

• Pioneering the school-to-prison pipeline movement, winning significant victories in several school districts across the country to reform disciplinary policies and practices and remove police from schools entirely, including building and nurturing a grassroots movement of parents and youth. This work led to federal guidance on racial discrimination in school discipline.
• Launching the National Police Free Schools Campaign with the Alliance for Education Justice, supporting local youth-led campaigns to end policing in their schools and calling for national demands for change for safety in public schools.
• Serving as legal counsel in the 2000 presidential election case in Florida, successfully challenged North Carolina’s voter suppression law, and was the founding member of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition that won the ballot initiative to strike down the state’s ban on voting for those with felony convictions. Supported legislative efforts to pass the Virginia Voting Rights Act, the first voting rights anti-discrimination law in the South.
• Supporting Close the Workhouse Campaign in St. Louis, led by Action St, Louis, secured the city’s agreement to close a jail and reinvest money into the community.
• Working with survivors of Hurricane Katrina from New Orleans to ensure their voices were being heard in the reconstruction process.
• Partnering with Ben& Jerry's to launch a new flavor of ice cream, Justice Remix’d, the first time the company put an organization’s name on its containers.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a passionate press strategist to develop and implement an ambitious media strategy for one of the organization’s program areas (policing and criminalization, voting rights, and education justice). The press strategist will develop and maintain key relationships with top journalists, editors, producers, editorial boards, and publications and create press materials. They will also collaborate across organizational teams and local grassroots partners on press strategy for national, state, and local campaigns and initiatives. We are looking for a strong writer with a solid background in media relations with previous work experience in a grassroots social justice organization as a plus. This role will sit in the Communications team and will collaborate with communication staff on broader press, design, and narrative change strategies.

Advancement Project is a unionized organization. This position reports to the Deputy Director of Communications and will be part of our bargaining unit with compensation determined by the bargaining unit’s compensation structure.

What you’ll do:

Develop an ambitious media strategy for the organization’s work on one of three program areas (policing and criminalization, voting rights, or education justice) and collaborate with other press staff.

• Analyze narrative trends in the media to inform press strategy, as well as broader communication strategies.
• Raise the profile of staff and local partner organization spokespeople in the media.
• Coordinate onsite press management including staffing and roles.
• Manage media monitoring and reports on successes and opportunities for growth for staff.

Develop and maintain key relationships with key journalists, editors, producers, editorial boards, and publications and create press materials.

• Pitch stories and features to print  TV, radio, podcasts, and digital platforms.

• Maintain press lists and media contacts, as well as cultivating relationships with media contacts.

• Access breaking news and support rapid response/crisis communications.

• Create press materials, including news releases, statements, quotes, op-eds, LTEs, advisories, talking points, lines of responses, and notes to reporters.

Collaborate with cross-organizational teams and local partners on press strategy for national, state, and local campaigns and initiatives.

• Contribute to external partner campaigns by acting as a thought leader and providing necessary support.
• Support partner communications needs, including developing and implementing strategies, and providing onsite support, and training, as needed.
• Work closely with internal teams to implement planned strategies, special projects, and events.
• Develop, organize, and sometimes lead internal and external media training.

What you need to be considered:

• At least 3 years of relevant experience in a similar position and/or performing similar tasks.
• Bachelor's Degree
• Ability to frequently travel locally and frequently travel regionally and nationally.
• Ability to occasionally work evenings and occasionally work weekends, as needed.

Please submit a writing sample with your cover letter.

This position pays between $70,400 and $84,500 depending on experience