Communications Strategist

For over one hundred years, the ACLU has been at the forefront of every major civil liberties fight in our country’s history. The ACLU of Michigan, founded in 1959, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public interest organization dedicated to the defense and expansion of civil liberties and civil rights in Michigan.

About the role

The Communications Strategist works closely with colleagues across the Communications, Legal, and Political departments to create and execute media strategies and support digital strategy. This person should have a keen sense of how media relations work, expert writing skills, and a deep passion for social justice issues. This is a full-time position reporting directly to the Deputy Communication Director and based at our Detroit office.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute communications strategy in concert with program staff and across departments.
• Build an effective communications strategy that mobilizes supporters, inspires and persuades target audiences, and isolates opposition to advance advocacy goals.
• Proactively lead production of communications content, including talking points, media advisories, press releases, op-eds, letters to the editor, blogs, emails, remarks and quotes, in addition to providing digital content support.

Media Strategy and Editorial Support

• Collaborate across departments and teams to create and execute traditional media plans for priority issue areas, litigation, legislative advocacy, reports, and special projects.
• Cultivate relationships with reporters, secure media coverage and respond to incoming media requests; develop and pitch stories.
• Respond to breaking news and lead rapid response, often requiring sensitive judgment calls in emerging civil liberties and civil rights crises, including occasionally after hours and on weekends.
• Develop messaging that is guided by ACLU values, best practices, research, and polling.
• Identify opportunities for ACLU involvement and amplification through media monitoring.
• Support spokespeople, including clients and colleagues, through media preparation and training.
• Plan, staff, and manage events with media, including press conferences, rallies, and reporter briefings.
• Draft collateral for media, including press releases and advisories.
• Draft letters to the editor and op-eds as needed.

Digital Support

• Support the execution of digital strategy across campaigns, litigation, legislative advocacy, reports, and special projects.
• Propose and/or co-develop digital collateral, including multimedia products, blog posts, website and social media copy, reports, and one-pagers.
• Ensure the Communications Department’s digital team is aware of key moments, messages, and updates for your assigned issue areas.
• Co-lead the tracking of communications activities, including media engagement and outreach, press events, and building analytics reports.
• Identify digital opportunities and work in coordination with digital colleagues to conceptualize, script and produce content relating to civil liberties and civil rights issues.
• Help flag social media developments requiring press or social media responses for colleagues during rapid response moments.
• Support paid digital ad plans that supplement communications strategy.

Requirements

• At least three years of media experience or related field including public relations or marketing.
• Exceptional writing and communications skills, including ability to translate complex ideas into understandable messages that inform, engage and persuade targeted audiences.
• Ability to apply political acumen in identifying target audiences for communications tactics that influence policymakers and shape policy decisions on key ACLU issues.
• Strong news judgment and ability to understand and stay abreast of an evolving political landscape.
• Exceptional organization skills with an ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment while managing several projects.
• A strategic, creative, and forward-looking thinker, who is nimble in their approach and able to manage shifting priorities.
• Experience using public opinion research to frame issues and develop messages a plus.
• Experience with or commitment to ethical storytelling.
• Ability to work flexible hours and travel when necessary.

Personal Characteristics

• Committed to advancing the ACLU’s values, mission, goals and programs, with an understanding of the range of civil liberties issues and their implications.
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.
• A team player that inspires collaboration, functions decisively, and aspires to grow professionally.

Pay

$75,000 annually.

Benefits

• Excellent benefits, including health, vision, and dental insurance.
• 401(k)-retirement plan with matching contributions.
• Individual professional development budget.
• Employee assistant program.
• Facilitation of a wide range of nationwide employee resource groups.

Schedule

The ACLU of Michigan values the flexibility of hybrid work while maintaining strong in-person collaboration. Team members are expected to work at the office one day a week and live within reasonable commuting distance to ensure they can support urgent onsite needs when necessary.