Communications Associate, The Petey Greene Program

About Us

The Petey Greene Program supports the academic and career goals of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people through high-quality tutoring and other educational programs while serving to educate our volunteers and the public on the manifest injustice in our carceral system.

We envision a world in which all people directly impacted by the criminal legal system have access to high-quality educational programming. The Petey Greene Program will inspire our alumni to become advocates and leaders in transforming the criminal legal system.

The PGP operates the largest multi-state volunteer tutoring program for currently and formerly incarcerated people. Since our founding in 2008, we’ve served over 21,000 students across more than 140 programming sites—including correctional and reentry programs—placed over 9,000 volunteers, and partnered with 40+ universities in seven states and Washington, D.C.

The PGP is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, but the majority of our 30 employees work in a hybrid arrangement in their respective regions.

The Opportunity

As the Petey Greene Program continues the implementation of an ambitious 5-year strategic plan that will affirm our organization as a nationally-recognized leader in carceral education by 2028, we are seeking a hands-on Communications Associate to support the growth and evolution of the PGP brand across social media, email, and other marketing channels. In this role, you'll be instrumental in amplifying our mission and expanding our reach as we work towards fulfilling the strategic plan.

The ideal candidate will bring both strategic thinking and tactical execution skills, helping us tell compelling stories that inspire action, attract volunteers, and build lasting connections with our community. Working from within the communications and development team, you’ll coordinate with program staff across our regional networks to capture and share the transformative impact of our work while building systems and processes that support our continued growth.

This role offers an excellent opportunity to develop communications skills while supporting meaningful work in criminal justice reform and educational equity.

This position reports to the Director of Marketing and Communications and is a member of the Development & Communications team. Preferred candidates will be located in the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic.

Key Responsibilities

Content Creation & Management

• Draft and edit content for newsletters, social media, website, and marketing materials
• Assist in developing and maintaining consistent brand voice across all communications
• Create engaging social media content and manage day-to-day posting schedules
• Support development of print and digital collateral including flyers, reports, and promotional materials

Communications Support

• Assist in executing annual communications strategy and campaigns
• Support regional program staff with communication needs and local storytelling
• Help coordinate volunteer recruitment materials and campus organization resources and social media accounts
• Maintain communications calendar and ensure timely delivery of materials

Digital Marketing & Analytics

• Implement email marketing campaigns and monitor performance metrics
• Support SEO efforts and website content updates
• Track and report on social media engagement and growth
• Assist with digital campaign management and audience development

Administrative & Collaborative Functions

• Coordinate with program staff to gather success stories and regional updates
• Support public relations efforts and media outreach as needed
• Assist with crisis communication protocols when necessary
• Provide communications support for events and presentations
• Help maintain brand guidelines and ensure consistent messaging across all materials

Qualifications

Required:

• 2-4 years of communications, marketing, or related experience, preferably in non-profit or education sectors
• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field or demonstrated equivalent work experience
• Strong writing and editing skills across multiple formats (social media, newsletters, web content, press materials)
• Experience with social media management and content creation
• Proficiency in email marketing platforms and basic analytics tools
• Knowledge of Google Workspace and content management systems
• Basic graphic design skills and familiarity with design software (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar)
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

Preferred:

• Experience working with system-impacted communities or social justice organizations
• Knowledge of SEO best practices
• Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred)
• Video production and editing skills
• Bilingual capabilities

The Petey Greene Program is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its personnel decisions based on race, ancestry, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/domestic partner status, religion, age, disability status, veteran status, or former incarceration status.

We are committed to ongoing learning and reflection and we are continuously working to ensure that the Petey Greene Program is welcoming and supportive of staff members of all identities, including system-impacted people, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ people. We also believe that this work should be led by system-impacted people, whose perspectives and direct knowledge of the problems are necessary to achieving freedom and educational justice.

The Petey Greene Program’s staff make our work possible and we are committed to providing a comprehensive benefits package to support employee’s well-being and professional growth. These benefits include:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits with the PGP covering 60-82% of premiums
• 100% employer-paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability benefits
• 401k retirement plan
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave
• Paid winter break between Christmas and New Year’s day, in addition to 10 paid holidays throughout the year
• Full-time employees accrue 20 days of vacation time, 1 floating holiday, and 12 days of sick time per year
• PGP closes at 1 PM on Fridays from June through August
• Dedicated funds for employees to use towards professional development each year
• Monthly phone and/or wifi reimbursement
• Access to a local coworking space