Press Secretary

About the Green New Deal Network (GNDN)

GNDN unites diverse national organizations and allied local coalitions across states, tribal nations, and in commonwealths & territories to win local, state, and federal Green New Deal legislation. The GNDN members are working in concert to build a powerful organizing, policy, and political campaign to demand and win bold change.

 

Overview

 

The Press Secretary leads GNDN’s engagement with journalists, ensuring media coverage and helping construct a narrative of grassroots energy and cross-movement support for climate, care, jobs, and justice, and inserting frontline, worker, and grassroots voices as well as state-level coalitions and the national GNDN into the news. This role also leads the day-to-day advocacy comms work that is responsive to the news cycle. This is a full-time, exempt position, and the person hired will report to the Communications Director.

 

Essential Functions

 

Press Strategy (70%) 

 

• Developing, building alignment around, and leading implementation of earned media strategy and tactics to meet the goals of the network, carrying our messages and narrative, building grassroots power, driving action, and winning campaigns and progress;

   

  Building our press list, identifying priority journalists and media outlets, and then maintaining regular contact with those journalists, following their reporting, and making proactive pitches, as well as engaging in reactive and rapid-response outreach, in addition to building a process for responding to media inquiries;

   

  Informing our advocacy, organizing, and communications planning before we decide to pursue tactics, infusing your judgment about what’s likely to be newsworthy;

   

  Drafting and editing statements, tweets, talking points, press releases, FYI notes, op-eds, and other media content, including on short notice in rapid response moments, in line with our broader communications and messaging guidelines;

   

  Uplifting frontline, grassroots, and worker spokespeople;

   

  Supporting 15+ national organizations that are part of the network in leveraging their existing comms and press capacity to meet our shared objectives;

   

  Supporting 20+ state coalitions that are part of the network in building and leveraging effective state-level comms and press capacity and strategy to advance shared national objectives as well as unique state-level objectives;

   

  Compiling and maintaining data about the impact of our outreach and who we are uplifting, including equity data, and contributing to regular clips tracking and updates process driven by comms associates;

   

  Manage and work in conjunction with the Press Associate to implement press strategy, nationally and at the state and regional levels.  

   

 

Communications Team Support (20%)

 

• Managing relevant vendors, such as media relations and communications firms.

   

  Assessing and acquiring media contact databases, subscriptions, and press clipping services as needed. 

   

  Working with other communications team members to develop cross-team tactics for organizational success. 

   

  Being a respectful, collaborative, effective partner with the organizations, coalitions, and grassroots activists in our network, listening, building relationships and trust, and finding ways to land on alignment and clear plans of action in the presence of, at times, differing perspectives and priorities; in particular, build effective collaboration between the digital teams at organizations that are part of the network. 

   

  Being attentive to how identity and oppression play out in organizations, movements, and interpersonal interactions, and advance equity in how you show up.

   

  Being receptive and responsive to feedback and providing clear and respectful feedback to your colleagues.

   

 

Supervision (10%)

 

• Cultivate and lead a cohesive and supportive press team.

   

  Provide coaching, mentoring, and regular feedback to direct reports.

   

  Supervise projects and other efforts on assigned issues by consultants and vendors.

   

 

Required Experience, Skills, and Characteristics

 

• 3-5 years or more of prior relevant experience in media relations and/or communications.

   

  Strong communications skills—listening, speaking, and written—able to anticipate how communications travel through digital media, political, and movement ecosystems and the varying impacts they may have on diverse audiences;

   

  Knowledge of journalism and the media ecosystem, including how various media outlets are structured and function, the incentive structures facing journalists, and how to develop and deploy effective PR and media outreach strategies and tactics;

   

  A record of consuming and critically evaluating traditional and/or social media and a well-honed intuition about what’s news and/or what will share and get views;

   

  A collaborative approach, interpersonal relational skills, and the ability and desire to succeed as a member of a team;

   

  Attention to detail, including design, presentation, consistency, and accuracy;

   

  Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and remain productive amidst sometimes rapidly shifting priorities and assignments;

   

• Ability to possess patience and urgency at once;

   

• A demonstrable record of generating on-message media coverage;

   

  Relationships with relevant reporters;

   

  Demonstrated commitment to progressive values including but not limited to, racial justice, gender justice, LGBTQIA justice, and other marginalized justice;

   

  Desire and ability to contribute to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.

   

 

Preferred Experience, Skills, and Characteristics

 

• A working understanding of American politics, grassroots movement, climate policy, racial and social justice, the legislative process, and the context in which we operate;

   

• Experience working with, and demonstrated understanding of, the specific nuances associated with Indigenous peoples. 

   

 

Location and Working Conditions

 

This position is remote. This position is expected to work Monday through Friday, 10 am - 6 pm ET, but hours are flexible. There is occasional travel for work-related responsibilities and needs. 

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

 

GNDN requires all full-time, exempt employees to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination unless a medical or religious accommodation is requested and approved. Please contact jobs@greennewdealnetwork.org if you have further questions or concerns about this policy and how it may apply to your candidacy at GNDN.

 

Compensation and Benefits Package: The annual salary range for the Press Secretary, depending on experience, is $78,200 - $90,000. The GNDN provides a generous benefits package, including health, vision, and dental insurance; vacation, sick, and personal time off; a retirement plan; and other benefits.

 

Application Process: Submit a cover letter and resume, saved together as a single PDF attachment, at http://bit.ly/GNDNapplicants. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

 

Please reach out to jobs@greennewdealnetwork.org if you experience technical difficulties submitting your application or need a reasonable accommodation to complete the application, interview, or some other portion of the selection process for a job at Green New Deal Network (with the subject line "Application Accommodation").

 

Equity Statement: The Green New Deal Network is an equal opportunity employer committed to racial, economic, and social justice. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to a diverse workplace and supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities.