Job Title

Communications Associate

Reports To

Senior Communications Manager

Basis

Full-time, regular, exempt

Salary

Dependent on experience (range of $55,000 – $65,000)

Date Call Released

July 20, 2023

Deadline For Applications

August 3, 2023 (applications will be reviewed on a rollingbasis)

Start Date

ASAP

Location:

Washington, D.C. or New York, NY

About The Responsible Business Initiative For Justice

The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) is a groundbreaking and growing criminal justice reform organization.

Our Work Falls Into Three Broad Categories

RBIJ supports organizers, advocates, and campaigners in the criminal justice reform space in the United States – and increasingly in the United Kingdom – by bringing businesses to the table. Our work is designed to champion fairness, equality, and effectiveness in systems of punishment; to end mass incarceration and the collateral consequences of a criminal record; and to stop extreme sentencing. We do this by combining a network of issue experts and community-based organizations with the social capital, influence, and operational capacity of businesses and their leaders.

System change: We help businesses use their voice, platforms, and leverage to move critical criminal justice reform initiatives at both the state and federal level through both public and private advocacy. Since our founding, RBIJ has worked in 20 states across nearly a dozen policy reform areas, including Clean Slate, bail reform, expanding access to occupational licenses, ending Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP) sentencing, death penalty abolition, and more.

Narrative change: We build and entrench the narrative that fair and equal systems of justice are good for business. Our communications help engage businesses, promote awareness of us and our programs, drive narratives that employers and investors care about justice issues and justice-involved individuals, and provide invaluable support to campaign partners on the ground. RBIJ’s work has been featured in CNN, Forbes, Vice, The Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, The Independent, The Hill, and state publications across the country.

Implementation, restoration, and repair: We work with businesses to ensure systemic change is translated into real-life impact for justice-involved individuals. We believe that businesses are essential stakeholders in the implementation phase of criminal justice reform and that companies’ internal policies and practices must match their advocacy. We work with companies to address their supply chains, investments, and recruitment practices so they can be effective partners in rebuilding and restoring communities that inequitable systems of justice have disproportionately impacted.

About The Role

RBIJ is looking for an exceptional person to join our growing communications team. For this role, RBIJ is seeking candidates based in the United States only and preferably in Washington, DC.

Our work engages businesses in the fight for fair and equal justice systems and helps them use their voice to create real change. RBIJ’s new Communications Associate will play a crucial role in this effort. RBIJ works with business leaders from companies of all sizes – including Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and Virgin – to drive national, state, and international narratives and deliver a wide range of campaign objectives.

RBIJ’s communications are critical in this effort. They help engage businesses, promote awareness of us and our programs, drive narratives that employers and investors care about justice issues and justice-involved individuals, and provide invaluable support to campaign partners on the ground. The importance of this work to RBIJ’s central mission cannot be understated – communications activities make up almost our entire public output.

RBIJ is a growing organization and we are looking for a proactive and entrepreneurial candidate who is excited by the prospect of joining a dynamic organization during a period of intense growth. You will be enthusiastic about utilizing your storytelling and technical skills as a key member of the RBIJ Communications Department, as it engages some of the world’s most influential stakeholders in some of the world’s most timely and urgent issues.

The ideal candidate will be an adept storyteller and an excellent verbal and non-verbal communicator, capable of producing relevant content for different audiences (articles, press-releases, copy etc.) under the supervision and guidance of the communications team. You will also understand the nuance and sensitivity of conveying complex and often politically charged issues in a credible, authentic, and impactful way. The position will also have social media, database, scheduling, and website management responsibilities, so any experience in this area is welcome. As a growing team, RBIJ’s communications department is looking for candidates who are willing to learn, grow, and lend their perspective to an evolving landscape of communications activities.

A self-starter, you must have good judgement and be able to execute tasks and projects autonomously and without excessive supervision – showing both initiative and efficiency in equal measure. You will be a fast and eager learner, one who is keen to develop new skill sets and apply them to a variety of evolving communications challenges.

Most importantly, you must be passionate and curious about justice issues, as well as committed to RBIJ’s mission of using the power of business to fix broken justice systems. You will be a team player, with excellent interpersonal skills and capable of adapting in a fast-paced and multi-faceted organization.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Senior Communications Manager, RBIJ’s Communications Associate will provide a critical role in delivering campaign objectives and showcasing RBIJ’s work through strategic and targeted output.

This Will Involve

Producing RBIJ’s monthly publications to its network, including our monthly Spotlight Blog and Newsletter, under the guidance of the Senior Communications Manager.

Managing RBIJ’s owned media output, regularly producing and publishing content across RBIJ’s website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

Working collaboratively with the RBIJ team, helping to execute communications strategies for legislative, employment, and narrative campaigns.

Working with the communications team to help produce business-led content on criminal justice issues – including op-eds, press releases, scripts, speeches, blog posts, and other copy.

Reaching out to and cultivating relationships with journalists and other key media contacts across different media markets and geographies, to successfully pitch stories, assist with commentary and showcase RBIJ’s work.

Researching and helping to secure speaking opportunities for RBIJ and its network of engaged businesses – including events, webinars, and podcasts.

Helping to equip RBIJ’s staff members and external partners ahead of media opportunities, including the preparation of briefing materials.

Assisting with the management of RBIJ’s content calendar, aligning our output with key awareness days and other significant external events.

Monitoring the news and identifying opportunities for media engagement and impact.

Helping to manage RBIJ’s main and affiliate websites.

Public health permitting, the role will involve occasional travel (5-7 times per year) and occasional working outside of traditional office hours.

Qualifications

The following qualifications are required for this role:

A minimum of 1-2 years’ experience in the communications space, ideally working on policy or issue-based comms.

A keen interest in criminal justice systems and the role business plays in creating a fairer and more equal society.

Demonstrable experience of producing relevant content for different audiences (articles, press-releases, copy etc.).

Excellent attention to detail, as well as an ability to express ideas clearly and succinctly via verbal and written communications.

A great team player, able to work efficiently and cohesively within a team and maintain excellent communication with other team members, with a get it done mindset.

A self-starter with the ability to work flexibly and respond to changing priorities.

A demonstrable track record of building networks and creating effective relationships.

Experience with calendar management and planning, including the use of web-based meeting software, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet.

Experience of managing social media accounts and platforms including Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc.

Experience of internal database management and administration including the use of platforms such as Google Drive, Airtable etc.

Willingness to travel across the US (occasionally internationally).

The Following Qualifications Are Desirable

Experience with graphic design and graphic design software e.g., Canva, Photoshop.

Experience with web design and Squarespace.

Experience with video/audio/graphic content production.

Experience with photography and videography.

We encourage candidates who meet the majority of qualifications to apply. We especially encourage formerly incarcerated or justice-involved individuals and those with family members impacted by the justice system to apply.

Vaccine Requirement

RBIJ, as a fiscally sponsored project of NEO Philanthropy, follows CDC guidance regarding staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters. Accordingly, and in order to ensure the wellness and safety of our staff to the greatest extent possible, NEO requires the COVID-19 vaccination and boosters for all staff. Requests for medical and/or religious exemptions from the vaccination requirement will be considered on an individual basis.

How to apply

To apply please submit a copy of your resume, along with a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) detailing your interest in RBIJ, its work and the role, your relevant experience, and what you hope to gain from the position. Please attach application documents into a single PDF document and send to: applications@rbij.org by 5pm EDT on August 3, 2023.

Candidates who perform well in preliminary interviews will be asked to submit a writing sample and/or respond to a prompt to assess their critical thinking and communications abilities.

Salary and Benefits

Compensation for this role will be commensurate with experience, but is expected to be in the range of $55,000 to $65,000.

We are seeking candidates in Washington, DC or New York, NY to work in a hybrid setting (combination of working from home and with colleagues in a shared office). Applicants must have the right to work in their intended working location.

RBIJ is a fiscally sponsored project of NEO Philanthropy. This position is offered a full benefits package, including: 100% medical coverage for the employee and 90% medical coverage for dependents; 100% coverage for vision, dental, life/AD&D, long-term disability. NEO also offers a 401K retirement savings plan, Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), Medical FSA, Dependent Care FSA, commuter benefits, Employee Assistance Program, other supplemental benefits, and paid time off.

RBIJ and NEO Philanthropy are equal opportunity employers and candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We especially encourage formerly incarcerated individuals and those with family members impacted by the justice system to apply.

We respect and value a positive work-life balance and we strive to offer employees the opportunity for growth and self-fulfilment while working with us.

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