Communications Manager

Communications Manager – Position Opening

Partnership for Civil Justice Fund

Center for Protest Law & Litigation

Location: Washington, D.C. or Oakland, CA or remote for qualified candidates

Full-time position either located in Washington, D.C. or potentially geographically remote within the United States and able to work consistently on Eastern Time schedule. The Washington, D.C. office operates on a hybrid schedule.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund and its project, The Center for Protest Law & Litigation, seek a skilled and creative Communications Manager able to develop and execute communications strategies that demonstrate our impactful work, the importance of the issues at stake, and elevate the narrative and voices that define the struggles for justice and constitutional rights.

The Communications Manager will use a variety of media to tell the stories of our courageous clients, their fights for justice, and the impactful and often groundbreaking legal issues undergirding those fights. The Communications Manager will facilitate the organization’s ability to impact and inform national discourse in response to breaking events to achieve the organization's priorities and programmatic objectives.

We are looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, team-centric environment and is a dynamic self-starter. The key responsibilities of the position include digital content production, website and social media management, and email marketing. A key member of our team, the Communications Manager will work closely with the Executive and Legal Directors to design and execute the organization’s communication strategy and will also collaborate with our grassroots and coalition partners, locally and nationally, to amplify crucial issues in the struggles for civil rights and free speech.

We are looking for a persuasive and meticulous writer with a strong background in media and digital strategy and with previous work experience in aligned advocacy and/or legal issues who is passionate about the organizational mission.

About the Organization

As leaders in bringing high impact civil rights and constitutional rights litigation for 30 years, the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) has brought groundbreaking cases, changed laws and policies, and won millions in damages for persons whose rights have been violated. Our litigation work is integrated with outreach, education, and advocacy in partnership with affected groups, communities, activists, and organizations in racial, social, and environmental justice movements. Our work is focused ultimately on creating meaningful social, political, and legal changes and dismantling systems of repression.

The Center for Protest Law & Litigation at the PCJF protects and advances the rights of protestors to organize, assemble, and demand justice around the country. We defend free speech rights through affirmative civil litigation, including against the mechanisms of police and government violence, as well as criminal defense of protestors targeted for their First Amendment-protected expression.

Key Responsibilities:

• Understand and adopt the organization’s unique voice and identity to develop impactful messaging advancing our mission and priorities. Develop compelling narratives that demonstrate the organization’s expertise and the importance of both the constitutional rights at stake and the social change issues underlying our impact litigation.
• Execute a communications strategy and create content nimbly and in rapid response to breaking events and critical issues.
• Be an all-hands person who not only develops strategy in conjunction with the leadership team but also is actively engaged in implementation and outward communications.
• Draft and post concise and effective communications for the organization’s websites and social media platforms (Instagram, BlueSky, X/Twitter, and Facebook) for audiences including activists, constituents, and the general public. This includes press releases, emails, newsletters and social media posts.
• Create short, engaging, and timely videos that dive into key focus issues.
• Provide graphic design for digital media, including social media, website, and email outreach, using tools such as Canva and Adobe InDesign.
• Create and execute online campaigns and action events, toolkits and other educational, engagement, and outreach efforts. Increase social media engagement and following.
• Monitor analytics and compile reports, make recommendations on digital communications strategy and optimization of digital presence; seek to grow communities and reach.
• Maintain the organization’s constituent and press lists.
• Keep the website up to date, including uploading news and press releases, refreshing visuals and maintaining site organization.
• Coordinate with website developer to fix technical issues.
• Monitor media coverage, social media, and related activity surrounding law, policy, case developments, politics, and other issues related to the organization’s work.
• Chronicle organization and social justice movement activities with visuals by capturing images on the ground at social justice events, protests, and actions.

Key Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience required in a professional communications setting, such as a public-relations firm, media group, or nonprofit communications department.
• Minimally 3 years of professional experience in communications, non-profit communications, or a related field. This can include internships and volunteer experience.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to reflect the organization’s voice and tone while engaging with multiple audiences. Ability to write in rapid response to events in an engaging and active manner, with the ability to persuade and advocate.
• Excellent editing and proofreading skills, with a keen attention to detail. Able to translate complex legal and policy language into understandable messages that inform and engage. Must be able to produce content that is professionally presented and that does not require others to proofread.
• Ability to maintain a high volume of tasks at one time, to multi-task, and to pivot immediately to breaking issues with adaptability. Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate and juggle a variety of detailed outreach projects, sometimes under a very tight deadline.
• Demonstrate initiative, including proactively identifying and addressing issues and making recommendations.
• Experience working with social justice movements preferred.
• High level of awareness as to current political/social issues and grassroots movements for justice, with a passion and talent for creating stories that move public opinion in favor of, and inspire people to take action supporting constitutional rights, civil rights, racial, social and environmental justice, women’s rights to abortion, peace advocacy and advocacy against genocide, and other fundamental justice issues.
• Strong proficiency with social media, including experience maintaining organizational social media accounts and familiarity with emerging trends in digital organizing.
• Demonstrated graphic design skills and the ability to produce brochures, one-pagers, newsletters, reports, infographics, etc.
• Experience in developing and growing networks of digital supporters.
• Mastery or high proficiency with graphic design and video editing software such as Canva, Adobe InDesign, CapCut, etc.
• Experience with WordPress and CRM software preferred.
• Experience with communications in support of fundraising is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve, anticipate next steps, take initiative, exercise discretion, and apply sound judgment.
• Ability and willingness to perform occasional evening and weekend work in response to breaking events, justice uprisings, or major legal case deadlines.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, sense of humor and ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to get the information, input, and perspective necessary to produce quality work.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

START DATE: ASAP

SALARY

The salary is expected to be in the range of $70,000 - $95,000 and will depend on the applicant’s experience and qualifications. Benefits include outstanding health and dental insurance that is 100% employer paid; three weeks paid vacation; additional personal and sick leave; all 11 paid federal holidays; and a 401(k) plan with employer contribution.

SUBMISSIONS

Please send a cover letter detailing your interest in the position, resume, and 4-6 examples of digital content that you’ve created (graphics, social copy, emails, videos, etc.) to recruitment@justiceonline.org putting “Job Application: Communications Manager, [your full name]” in the subject line of the email.

NOTE: We are only accepting applications electronically submitted. Please do not make any inquiries about the position or the status of your application as we cannot respond individually to each application. We will contact those applicants that are of interest directly.

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, age, formerly incarcerated person status, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected status.