Media Coordinator

About Project 2029

Project 2029 is a progressive advocacy organization dedicated to building a more equitable and sustainable future through strategic communication, grassroots organizing, and policy advocacy. We work to amplify progressive voices and ensure that critical issues receive the media attention they deserve in the lead-up to 2029 and beyond.

Position Overview

We are seeking a dedicated volunteer to join our communications team as a Media List Coordinator. This role is essential to our mission of effectively reaching progressive media outlets, journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and other content creators who share our values and can help amplify our message. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, passionate about progressive causes, and skilled at research and database management.

Key Responsibilities

The Media List Coordinator will be responsible for building, maintaining, and expanding comprehensive media contact databases that serve as the foundation for our outreach efforts. This involves conducting thorough research to identify relevant progressive media outlets across various platforms including traditional print and broadcast media, digital publications, independent journalism platforms, podcasts, YouTube channels, and social media influencers who focus on political and social justice content.

You will regularly update existing contact information to ensure accuracy and deliverability of our communications. This includes verifying email addresses, phone numbers, social media handles, and preferred contact methods for journalists, editors, producers, and content creators. You will also track personnel changes at media organizations, noting when reporters change beats, move to different outlets, or when new voices emerge in the progressive media landscape.

The role requires creating and maintaining detailed profiles for each media contact, including their areas of expertise, recent coverage topics, preferred story formats, deadlines, and any specific submission guidelines. You will categorize contacts by beat, geographic focus, outlet type, audience size, and other relevant criteria to enable targeted outreach campaigns.

You will collaborate closely with our communications team to understand upcoming campaigns, press releases, and story pitches, then recommend the most appropriate media contacts for each initiative. This involves analyzing which journalists have covered similar topics previously, identifying outlets whose audiences align with our target demographics, and suggesting new media opportunities that could expand our reach.

Qualifications and Skills

The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in progressive politics and social justice issues, with a good understanding of the current media landscape and how different outlets serve various audiences within the progressive movement. Experience with database management, spreadsheet applications, and basic research techniques is highly valued, though we are willing to provide training for motivated volunteers.

Strong attention to detail is crucial, as maintaining accurate contact information is essential for effective media outreach. You should be comfortable working independently while also collaborating effectively with team members through digital communication tools. Basic familiarity with social media platforms and online research methods will be helpful for identifying new media contacts and staying current with the evolving digital media landscape.

We value volunteers who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to our work, and we particularly encourage applications from individuals who represent communities that are often underrepresented in media and advocacy spaces.

What You'll Gain

This volunteer position offers valuable experience in media relations, database management, and progressive advocacy work. You will gain insight into how media outreach campaigns are developed and executed, learn about the progressive media ecosystem, and contribute directly to amplifying important social and political messages.

You will have the opportunity to work with experienced communications professionals and learn best practices in media relations. The skills you develop in research, database management, and understanding media landscapes are highly transferable and valuable in many career paths including journalism, public relations, political campaigns, and nonprofit communications.

Time Commitment and Expectations

We ask for a commitment of five to ten hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate your schedule. Much of the work can be done during regular business hours, but we understand that volunteers have varying availability. We provide all necessary tools and access to relevant databases and research resources.

Regular check-ins with the Public Information Officer will help ensure you have the support and guidance needed to be successful in this role. We also provide opportunities for volunteers to participate in team meetings and strategic planning sessions to better understand how your work contributes to our broader mission.