Description

Kentucky Equal Justice Center (KEJC) seeks a versatile communications specialist to enhance the impact of our advocacy, outreach, and fundraising. The Communications Coordinator will generate, gather, and distribute information and stories that:

• communicate the benefits and outcomes of health care access in Kentucky and demonstrate the value of a robust public assistance safety net

• affirm and support the right of Kentuckians to food, shelter, and workplace policies that make work pay, make it safe, and make it family friendly

• inform debate and engage a growing social media audience in policy issues that affect low-income Kentuckians and working families

• illustrate and foster equal access to justice

• support our fundraising and development

Duties and Responsibilities

The Communications Coordinator will work with our director, staff, and partner organizations to: 

• Establish and implement a communications calendar identifying audiences, topics, stories,  and distribution channels including paid media, earned media, and social media

• Develop down-to-earth, non-partisan stories and messages that share concrete and accurate information about the implementation and impact of health reform in Kentucky

• Help develop messaging themes and campaigns around advocacy topics from housing to hunger to immigration

• Find low-income Kentuckians and other stakeholders willing to tell their story; obtain consent; meet deadlines for posting; and manage the resulting story bank

• Create, schedule, and post KEJC social media messages consistent with the communications plan

• Participate in national social media campaigns consistent with KEJC advocacy

• Ensure reliability, consistency, clarity, and relevance in the use of data, including use of infographics to illustrate concepts and trends

• Engage and empower respondents to our messages to participate in advocacy on their own behalf

• Coordinate media outreach including press releases, press events, and editorial board contacts

• Monitor print, broadcast, and social media for project-relevant articles and postings to share

• Track relevant metrics to see whether messages reach and engage intended audiences

• Keep up to date on state and federal programs and proposals that affect low income Kentuckians

• Assist in reporting to funders and our board

Location

Remote work permitted.  KEJC has offices in Lexington and Louisville.  We seek to hire the most outstanding candidate for the position.  We consider geographic diversity within Kentucky both a strength and a challenge.  We will explore it with candidates invited to interview.

Salary and Benefits

Salary based on experience and our salary scale.  Illustrative examples:  $40,956 at three years, $51,620 at 10 years.  Generous fringe benefits include health and retirement, dental, life, and disability coverage.  KEJC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but we provide health and retirement benefits through participation in state employee plans.

Note that we will consider proposals from candidates who operate as and meet the criteria for independent contractors, as well as candidates available for part-time work up to 20 hours a week who can succeed with project deliverables.  $18.75 to $33.71 an hour DOE for part-time employment (benefits not included). 

Grant Funded Position

The Communications Coordinator position is made possible by a diverse set of grants.  We anticipate the position will remain full-time for several years, but continuation is contingent on successful renewal of grants and our annual budget process.

Diversity Statement

KEJC encourages your application.  Employees shall be selected entirely on a nondiscriminatory basis with respect to age, ancestry, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender identity, limited English proficiency, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status and all other categories provided nondiscriminatory treatment by law, statute, or ordinance.  See our full diversity statement.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will demonstrate: 

• Outstanding communications skills, both written and oral, including ability to craft messages for diverse public audiences

• Organizational skills sufficient to manage a project with multiple contributors, tasks, and deadlines

• Comfort and experience reaching out to both affected Kentuckians and professionals in multiple and diverse community settings

• Experience and skill in creating, scheduling, and maximizing distribution of content for web-based and social media, including websites, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and broadcast email

• Knowledge of print and broadcast media outlets in Kentucky, especially through internships or past employment

• Skills in gathering, managing, and posting audio and video content on social media  

• Successful experience with a communications, marketing, or other short-term informational campaign

• Ability to work with a high level of independence while part of a team

• Knowledge of low-income issues and a commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion

• A valid drivers’ license and reliable transportation

The ideal candidate will have completed undergraduate studies in journalism, communications, or marketing and participated in at least one prior relevant project or campaign.  Substantive knowledge of low-income policy issues a plus—especially health, hunger, housing, consumer protection, and public benefits.