Background

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) works to improve the lives and defend the rights of refugee and internally displaced women, children, and young people. As a research and advocacy organization, WRC is dedicated to securing systemic changes in policy and practice that ensure uprooted women, children, and young people can fully exercise their rights to protection, services, and self-sufficiency.

The #WelcomeWithDignity (WWD) campaign is a national campaign for asylum rights in the United States. It is composed of more than 100 organizations committed to transforming the way the United States receives and protects people forced to flee their homes to ensure they are treated humanely and fairly. WWD and its core staff are housed at WRC.

Scope of Work

The communications coordinator is responsible for developing and managing all communications aspects of the WWD campaign. This position will report directly to WRC’s senior director of external communications and will work closely with the WWD campaign manager and communications strategist, and the Migrant Rights and Justice (MRJ) team at WRC to develop strategic and effective communication strategies and tactics to advance WWD’s mission. The communications coordinator will serve as the primary point of communications contact for the coalition of organizations involved in the campaign.

The communications coordinator will coordinate the drafting of the campaign’s communications resources, including talking points and messaging documents, across the coalition and will craft WWD’s press releases, media advisories, and briefing documents for media work related to the campaign. The communications coordinator will also support the work of the campaign communications strategist. Under the supervision of and in collaboration with the senior director of external communications and the campaign manager, and in close coordination with the MRJ team, the communications coordinator will serve as the liaison for external partners, including public relations firms, and on all WWD press calls; manage rapid response communications efforts, press briefings, and events; and work with the senior director of external communications on paid media content production for the campaign.

Essential Job Functions

• Craft talking points, press releases, press memos, and official statements for distribution to media and other constituents.
• Ensure coordination across a diverse coalition of partners to ensure message discipline, press coordination, and research-informed persuasion.
• Support the work of the communications strategist, including with social media strategy and output.
• Build and maintain WWD press contacts.
• Proactive flacking: Engage and pitch media on asylum issues.
• Serve as primary communications coordinator with coalition members.
• Liaise with public relations firms and other external vendors.
• Work closely with MRJ program staff members and other campaign partners to identify opportunities and develop related communication materials.
• Manage the campaign’s editorial calendar.
• Manage all communications aspects of rapid response efforts, including crafting talking points, press releases, social media copy, media engagement.
• Represent WWD in coalition and movement calls and spaces as needed.
• Performs related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

What We’re Looking For

• A minimum of five to seven years’ experience in political or advocacy campaign communications required, experience in rapid response efforts preferred.
• Excellent press contacts.
• Knowledge of US asylum and/or refugee and/or international humanitarian and human rights work, with personal or lived experience preferred.
• Outstanding verbal and written communications skills and the ability to grasp and communicate asylum policies to targeted audiences via traditional and social media.
• Excellent organizational skills, including ability to conduct and coordinate multiple tasks under pressure to ensure rapid response deadlines are met.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Proven experience working with large coalitions.
• Strong commitment to the mission and goals of WRC and the WWD campaign.
• Spanish proficiency a plus.

Reports to: Senior Director of External Communications
Position: Regular, full-time for 6-month period (with possibility for longer depending on funding)
Salary: Band Level 6: $56,305 – $89,844* (commensurate with experience)
Work Schedule: Hybrid – two (2) days in the office, three (3) days remote
Location: Washington, DC
Reposting Date: November 15, 2023
Closing Date: Until filled

How to Apply

Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume via this link.

APPLY NOW

*The range listed represents just one component of WRC’s total compensation package. The salary range as depicted above represents the low and top-level values for the given salary band for the role. The actual salary of someone hired into the position will be based on various factors that will include but will not be limited to professional and academic experience, training, associated responsibilities, and other business and organizational needs. Individual salary decisions remain dependent on the circumstances of each individual hire.

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, veteran status or disability. All qualified persons, including those with lived experience relating to a particular role, are encouraged to apply. The Women’s Refugee Commission is a registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.