Position Description

America’s Promise Alliance is seeking an experienced and compelling storyteller to serve as our lead writer and editor for the work of America’s Promise Alliance and its partners. The Director oversees all content production, including news and opinion pieces, works with the America’s Promise research center and program directors to promote the latest campaigns, reports, and initiatives, manages and produces the biweekly digital newsletter, and collaborates with senior executives and organizational leadership on external speeches, op-eds, and blog posts. The Director works in close partnership with a cross-functional communications team on concept, strategy, and promotion. This position reports to the Senior Director of Communications.  

About America's Promise Alliance

With over 450 national partners and 250 state and local communities, America’s Promise leads the nation’s largest network dedicated to improving the lives of young people. By leveraging our unique ability to raise awareness, forge connections, and create new knowledge, America’s Promise activates our Alliance and the broader field to spur national-level change no single organization can achieve.

America’s Promise is committed to creating the conditions of success for all children and youth through Five Promises – caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education and opportunities to serve. We recognize that historical and systemic inequities create barriers that keep many young people from experiencing these Five Promises and limit their ability to realize their full potential. We affirm that every child deserves the opportunity to pursue their American Dream and every adult has the responsibility to make it happen. To learn more visit, www.AmericasPromise.org.

Qualifications

• Strong writing, editing, and research skills.
• Strong organizational skills; must be able to multi-task, handle a wide variety of projects and work under tight deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills. Must be both diplomatic and firm, able to work with everyone from high school students to senior executives.
• Sensitivity to vulnerable populations and young people who have experienced trauma. 
• The ability to not only spot problems but articulate solutions—and guide and empower others in executing them.
• The ability to collaborate and work closely with other teams.
• Creativity, curiosity, and eagerness in taking initiative with a solutions-based approach to writing and messaging.
• Experience with advocacy journalism, content marketing, blogging, or traditional journalism.
• Experience or interest in audience engagement and content promotion.

Responsibilities

• Lead advocacy journalism efforts for organization’s website. This includes writing, editing, and soliciting news and opinion pieces.
• Collaborate with project managers, program directors, researchers, and senior executives to tell the story of the work of America’s Promise.
• Empower young people from marginalized communities or disadvantaged backgrounds to share their voice, stories, and opinions.
• Conceptualize, execute, and oversee digital newsletter publication of more than 25,000 subscribers. This includes creating and managing an editorial calendar and determine which pieces are featured in each issue.
• Build and cultivate relationships with youth leaders, freelance writers, researchers, advocates, and funders across the country. 
• Monitor the latest research, campaigns, and events of America’s Promise 400 + national partners for potential story ideas and coverage.
• Edit news stories and opinion pieces from writers with varying levels of experience, from first-time writers to established researchers and experts.
• Work with research center, Center for Promise, on copyediting reports, framing of messaging, and follow-up blog posts and op-eds. 
• Work in partnership with communications and marketing team to analyze, engage with, and listen to audience to improve content strategy and promotion.
• Stay abreast of current trends in digital storytelling and adhere to ethical and stylistic standards of advocacy journalism.
• Produce speeches, talking points, and op-eds for CEO John Gomperts as well as other senior leaders and members of the Board of Directors. 
• Work with events team to conceptualize script and talking points for fundraising events and thought leadership conferences.

Specific requirements include

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, marketing, or any discipline that fosters strong writing skills. Graduate degree in related field a plus.
• Position requires at least 5-7 years of work experience in journalism, advocacy focused writing, or a related field emphasizing persuasive storytelling. 
• A strong working knowledge of creating original content across digital platforms – web, social media, e-marketing, video – and how it integrates within a high-functioning communications team.
• A strong interest in youth development/education ideal.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary and benefits will be competitive and commensurate with experience.

To Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your interest in this position to [email protected]icaspromise.org. Please include the position title in the subject line of your e-mail.

America’s Promise Alliance actively seeks and welcomes diversity of all types on the America’s Promise Team and is committed to an inclusive environment that allows all team members to thrive. While we sincerely appreciate all applications, only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted.