Communications Associate

Organization: GRIP Training Institute

Location: San Francisco Bay Area (Hybrid: Berkeley, CA / Remote) 

Type: Full time, Non-Exempt (40 hours a week)

About: https://grip-traininginstitute.org

DO YOU? 

Do you want to be on a team who works toward the dismantling of the mass incarceration system, and strives to turn violence and suffering into opportunities for healing? Do you want to work with proven leaders in the growing global movement toward Restorative Justice? Do you want to make an impact on the lives of justice impacted people? GRIP Training Institute is seeking a Communications Associate  to join our growing team. 

POSITION OVERVIEW 

The GRIP Program works to rehabilitate incarcerated people with violent crimes who are serving life sentences and will be paroled into our communities someday. Reporting directly to the Communications and Marketing Director, the Communications Associate will play a pivotal role in advancing our mission by managing day-to-day communications efforts, primarily focusing on social media and email marketing, with additional responsibilities including updating our WordPress website with new page content. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful social impact and amplify the voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people who have direct experience with in-prison rehabilitative programs.

KEY PARTNERSHIPS

This role partners with the Director, development, program, and finance teams to implement a coordinated marketing and communications strategy. The Communications Associate will also work with our leaders, staff, formerly incarcerated program alumni, victims/survivors of violent crime, and their families.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

The ideal candidate is a skilled communicator with a passion for social justice and criminal justice reform. They have at least two years of in-depth experience in social media coordination, email marketing, and/or WordPress website content management. Creative, detail-oriented, and self-motivated, they excel in crafting engaging content to amplify marginalized voices. They possess strong writing, editing, and design skills, along with a keen understanding of the nonprofit sector. And they are dedicated to advancing GRIP's mission of fostering healing and accountability within the incarcerated community.

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATION (30%)

• Develop and implement social media strategies to increase engagement, followership, and brand visibility across platforms with special focus on Instagram.
• Create compelling and timely content for social media channels, including graphics, videos, and written posts, that align with GRIP's mission and values.
• Monitor social media platforms for relevant conversations, trends, and opportunities to engage with our audiences effectively.
• Monitor and analyze the performance of social media content and provide insights to inform strategy adjustments.
• Stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in social media, email marketing, and web development, making recommendations for continuous improvement.

EMAIL MARKETING (30%)

• Design and execute email marketing campaigns, including drafting content, segmenting audiences, and analyzing campaign performance metrics.
• Maintain the organization's email list and ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CAN-SPAM).

DIGITAL CONTENT (30%)

• Collaborate with staff to gather stories, testimonials, updates, photos, and videos from participants and alumni for use in communications materials.
• Maintain the content calendar, scheduling posts, and ensuring consistency in messaging and branding.
• Update the WordPress website with new page content, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with brand guidelines.

OTHER (10%)

• Serve as a point person for general communication inquiries.
• Other tasks as assigned.

WHO SHOULD APPLY 

The strongest candidates will have the following experience and qualities:

• 3+ years of experience in social media coordination, email marketing, and website content development, preferably in the nonprofit sector.
• Proficiency in social media platforms with particular emphasis on Instagram
• Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives and calls-to-action.
• Creative mindset with a keen eye for design aesthetics and visual storytelling.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• A genuine passion for social justice, criminal justice reform, and serving marginalized communities.
• Experience working with diverse populations and sensitivity to issues related to incarceration, trauma, and mental health.
• Self-motivated and adaptable, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively in an impactful way.
• Working understanding of Canva and/or Wordpress (Elementor editor preferred) platforms a plus.

BONUS POINTS: Lived experience of incarceration, surviving violence, and/or being personally impacted by the criminal justice system.

ABOUT THE GRIP TRAINING INSTITUTE

GRIP’s perspective and the title of our 200-page coursebook is “Leaving Prison Before You Get Out.” ™  Together we learn that being free it’s not just about finding oneself on the other side of the prison gate; it’s not just a geographic fact. At the heart of being free is not where you are, but who you are. We believe that nobody was born armed and dangerous, that violence is learned and that it is a tragic expression of an unmet need. Therefore, it can also be unlearned; GRIP’s methodology facilitates unlearning violent behavior to replace it with an attitude of insight, compassion and service. 

Our flagship program, GRIP (Guiding Rage Into Power), is a one-year, intensive program that guides incarcerated people through a journey of deep transformation and accountability. GRIP is a proven model for incarcerated people’s rehabilitation and healing, developed over 24 years in the California State prisons by founder Jacques Verduin, in collaboration with thousands of life-sentenced (with parole) incarcerated people.

The GRIP Training Institute is committed to building and nurturing an inclusive, equitable, respectful and accountable work environment.  We welcome people from all backgrounds and walks of life.  What we ask of our students inside, we ask of ourselves -- to practice the GRIP tools of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, do-no-harm, and understanding the impact of our actions on others. 

ANTI-BIAS 

We are committed to breaking down systemic structures which contribute to deep inequities in our system.  We continuously question our culture, climate and curriculum to ensure all members of our community are committed to being racially, culturally literate and ultimately anti-bias change makers.  

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS 

The GRIP Training Institute offers competitive benefits, including health and dental insurance, paid holidays, paid time off, and staff retreats. Salary competitive and commensurate with experience with a range between $61,900 to $72,800, annualized from hourly rate.

To apply, please send an updated resume and tailored cover letter to: brian@insight-out.org

GRIP Training Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage diversity in the workplace regardless of race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status. People of Color are encouraged to apply.