Who we are:

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. For more information, visit vera.org.

Vera has a staff of 224 people, is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York and has offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity—both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people’s educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.

About the team:

As one of two Associate Directors of Media Strategy, you will be responsible for developing and executing media strategy for multiple initiatives and campaigns across Vera. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in and be comfortable pitching media daily and landing media appearances and stories as well as op-eds and letters to the editor. You will also have significant experience providing media training and writing and editing content for media purposes including drafting overall messaging and talking points. The Associate Director will also play a role in establishing best practices for media across Vera. This position will work directly with staff at all levels to ensure that media strategy team efforts are supporting institutional strategy and advocacy goals. As an Associate Director, you will also be responsible for overseeing the measurement of the media strategy team’s impact across your specific portfolio and identifying strategies to improve performance.

About the role:

Development and execution of communications strategy:    

  • Conceive, develop, and successfully execute a communications strategy to drive narrative and policy change at the national, regional, and local levels.
  • Ongoing monitoring of the media landscape for opportunities and to proactively pitch Vera based on news of the day.
  • Draft messaging, including talking points, to support initiatives’ work and Vera priorities.
  • Develop and execute a crisis communications plan for a variety of scenarios related to specific initiatives.
  • Ongoing daily pitching of Vera’s work and our experts on staff with all forms of earned media.
  • Providing media training, support and prep for interviews

Collaborate with and partner with a range of internal stakeholders:    

  • Collaborate with communications, advocacy, research, digital, and editorial and program staff to ensure coherent messaging development and delivery.
  • Collaborate with Vera’s digital and editorial teams to ensure coordination of communication strategies and tight integration with the Institute’s overall messaging.

People Management:   

  • Provide direct supervision of 1-2 media strategy staffers.
  • Supervision includes oversight of writing assignments, communications plans, and quarterly and annual goals, as well as career and skill development at the team and individual level.
  • Manage vendors, communications partnerships, and other consultants as needed.

Other job duties as assigned

What qualifications are we looking for?

  • Advanced degree with 9+ years of work experience in communications, including at least 5 years of experience in nonprofit, government and / or media sectors. In lieu of a bachelor's degree, applicable work or life experience may be considered.

Preferred:

  • Work experience that includes 2-3 years of direct supervisory experience of rising communications talent.
  • Strong background in media relations and nonprofit communications strategy.
  • We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace—specifically, we value diverse experiences regarding educational background and justice system contact.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring: 

  • Solid media pitching skills
  • Exceptional writing skills
  • Excellent managerial skills
  • Ability & experience in working collaboratively in a large organization with multiple stakeholders
  • Capacity for being flexible, adaptable, productive, and effective in a change management environment
  • Experience working with policy coalitions, community-based partners, and directly impacted individuals
  • Ability to consider multiple perspectives, think critically, provide an analysis, evaluate risk, evaluate time and resources, and implement solutions to complex problems
  • Influential communication skills, able to justify recommendations to diverse audiences in a compelling manner, and able to provide feedback
  • Highly proficient with Microsoft Office Suite
  • An uncompromising commitment to race equity

Preferred:

  • 1-2 years of experience managing crisis communications
  • 2-3 years of experience managing media for rapid response situations on behalf of a nonprofit and/or campaign 

Technical knowledge helpful for this role:

  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Media monitoring services (i.e. Meltwater, TVeyes)  

Location:

Please note this role will report to our Brooklyn, NY, office. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month.

Compensation and Benefits:

The compensation range for this position is $111,000 - $112,500. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute’s total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff - both personally and professionally - is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time. To learn more about Vera’s benefits offerings, click here.

Application Process:

To receive further consideration for this career opportunity, applicants are asked preliminary questions about logistics, their interest and qualifications. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional details about their experience via a phone screen/form in advance of an invitation for a virtual or in-person interview with the team. Some searches may explore scenarios during the interview process and/or an assessment prior to reference checks and a hiring decision.

Applications may also be faxed to:

ATTN: People, Place, and Culture / Associate Director, Media Strategy
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.

In order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability / medical contraindication or sincerely held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.

Vera is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status. 

Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission. 

For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org.

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