Development and Communications Associate

Help make education and democracy work better. The Right Question Institute (RQI)  is seeking a Development and Communications Associate to assist in RQI fundraising efforts and all facets of the organization's communications work.

As the Development and Communications Associate, your contributions will help bring strategies for curiosity, engagement, and lifelong learning to classrooms throughout the United States and world. You will also be part of a team that advances effective use of democratic skills in communities across the country —  so that more people are able to advocate for themselves, participate in decisions that affect them, and vote.

About the Right Question Institute

The Right Question Institute occupies a unique place in the landscape of nonprofit organizations. Over the past 30 years, RQI staff have created and continue to refine transformative educational resources and programs for teaching, learning, and participating in democracy.

The Right Question Institute provides simple, dynamic, and powerful methods for improving teaching and learning; increasing voter engagement; fostering self-advocacy skills in a range of settings, including the legal system; and strengthening patient participation in their own health care. RQI’s methods are used across a wide range of fields by thousands of schools, nonprofit programs and services. RQI has received strong funding support from small and large foundations, consulting earned income, book royalties, and generous private donors.

RQI envisions a vibrant democracy in which all people — even those farthest from power — can effectively advocate for themselves, their families, and their communities. This can happen in many areas, including in people’s ordinary encounters with public agencies and services, which can often be frustrating and overwhelming experiences, with various barriers complicating people’s access to those services. RQI advances practical strategies that enhance people’s confidence and ability to navigate these situations. People develop skills that are also bedrock democratic skills — asking questions, advocating for yourself, holding decision-makers accountable. RQI calls the experiences people have in these spaces “Microdemocracy”: a new starting point for democratic action and the cornerstone of a strong foundation for a more just society.

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, RQI has an annual budget of $1.4M. RQI employs a core staff of nine and is supported by a cross-sector, nine-person board of directors, college and post-graduate interns, consultants, and other professionals in the field. RQI values its intentional and thoughtful organizational culture, which is characterized by collaboration, inclusivity, openness, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to innovative, iterative thinking centered on learning and continuous improvement. RQI strives to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

About the role

As the Development and Communications Associate, you will work closely with the senior communications associate, the director of operations, and RQI leadership in conducting the organization's fundraising and communications activities. This is a junior level position with the opportunity to help expand RQI’s development and fundraising activities and communications operations — which is to say you will be doing a little bit of everything and making contributions across RQI's development and communications agenda.

Responsibilities

Development

• Coordinating fundraising efforts.
• Building relationships with potential donors. 
• Conducting updates to RQI's website and donor database.
• Helping produce an array of materials for fundraising and development.

Communications

• Helping create and edit materials by RQI staff and outside contributors. 
• Producing and editing materials for marketing, thought leadership, and other priorities.
• Maintaining social media accounts. 
• Contributing ideas for new content and reaching new audiences. 
• Collecting and analyzing data and metrics. 
• Producing graphics, graphically compelling materials, and simple videos. 
• Writing and sending promotional emails; administrative tasks.

You may have other responsibilities as assigned. 

Qualifications 

• A commitment to advance RQI's mission.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication. You are equally comfortable writing emails in a professional setting and articulating and advocating for your point of view for external and internal audiences. You have excellent proofreading skills.
• Excitement to dive into the field of fundraising and development and learn as much as you can. You are looking for professional growth opportunities in these fields and are excited to have hands-on experience. Prior experience in development/fundraising is a big plus. Experience in the field of media/communications is also welcome.   
• Reflective, receptive to feedback, and genuinely motivated by learning. You view writing as an evolving process and enjoy giving and receiving feedback. You thrive in an iterative environment where colleagues provide frequent feedback and writing projects go through multiple editors and multiple drafts. You are comfortable with very precise, granular tasks, on occasion, in addition to the broad, open-ended ones.
• You are a self-motivated, self-starter who is able to independently make connections to advance the work. You have the ability to work on multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• You are deliberate, organized, and diligent. You take ownership of your work and are able to step into a project management role when necessary.
• Familiarity and comfort with social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or a willingness to learn more and become an in-house expert. You are also willing to contribute new ideas for our social media outreach.
• Fluency in Google suite platforms (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Calendar); Microsoft suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, online meeting software including Zoom and Google Meet, and a readiness to learn additional apps. 
• Experience with web tools (WordPress) and tools for assessing web metrics (such as Google Analytics and Facebook Insights) or willingness to learn. When senior staff wonder whether it is possible to design something new you will be eager to find a way to make it happen.
• Experience with graphic design software (InDesign, Canva) and/or video editing software (Premiere) is a plus. 
• Knowledge of editorial styles, such as AP or Chicago, is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree required

Why work for RQI?

You will work in a mission-driven, collaborative, and intellectually stimulating environment, with colleagues who are passionate about the work we do. A strong candidate will have numerous opportunities for professional growth, including participation in occasional events, daily relationship-building with stakeholders, and the freedom to propose and pursue independent projects as they align with the mission and vision of our work.

Compensation & Benefits

In addition to meaningful work, RQI provides an excellent compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, a 401(k) program with a discretionary organizational contribution, and generous paid time off. This position also offers remote work flexibility.

 Salary: $40,000 annually 

How to apply

Are you the right person for this role? 

Please submit the following to Sandy Madero, director of operations, at jobsdevcom@rightquestion.org:

1) A one-page cover letter 

2) Your CV/resume 

3) One writing sample (not a new piece, but a short piece, or excerpt of a longer work you already have).

Applications with no cover letter will not be considered. 

No phone calls please. Candidates that make it to the next round will be contacted to schedule a phone interview. RQI is a small organization with limited staff, and unfortunately we will not be able to contact candidates that do not make it to the next round. 

Deadline

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. We will start the interview process with outstanding applicants as soon as possible.

Start date: as soon as possible.

The Right Question Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse and multicultural staff and encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.