Communications Coordinator

Opportunity: The Young Women's Project (YWP) is a dynamic, brave organization that develops leaders, takes on institutions, and builds youth power in DC. We are looking for an experienced communications coordinator who is organized, resourceful, and flexible, with a proven track record of cause-related communications, strong writing skills, and the capacity to train and engage young people.

YWP Mission: The Young Women's Project (YWP) builds the leadership and power of young people so that they can transform DC institutions to expand rights and opportunities for DC youth. YWP programs engage youth on three levels – as organizers (educating, engaging, mobilizing their peers, working as teams to make decisions), as advocates (presenting testimony to city Council, advocating with Agency leaders, developing and passing policies) and as system rebuilders (developing programs, creating new peer-led systems, integrating youth into decision making). Our work engages under-resourced BIPOC youth ages 14-21 from all DC Wards and most public high schools. The vast majority of your youth identify as women, 20% identify as LGBTQ. Last year, we hired and trained 242 young people from 25 DC public and charter schools. All YWP youth staff work 5-6 hours a week, develop a portfolio of products, build cross-neighborhood friendships, earn $10-17/hr and receive more than 150 hours of training. Founded in 1994 as a Collective, YWP has a staff of 6 adults and 150 youth and a budget of $650,000. We are value-driven, anti-racist, feminist, grounded in youth development and partnership, and work every day to dismantle oppression and rebuild institutions.

YWP Program: YWP's work is organized into two program areas, driven by long-term-system-change-focused goals. The Youth Health Educator Program (YHEP) develops youth as sexual health advocates and educators who work to expand reproductive rights, reduce unintended pregnancy, distribute condoms, and connect youth to sexual health services. Recent projects include the 2023 Sexual Education Centers that provide sexual health information, resources, and services, conducting a Youth Sexual Health Survey taken by 650 youth across 24 DC High Schools (Results are here) and presenting 22 testimonies to DC Council. The Youth Justice Campaign (YJC) develops youth as advocates and organizers to advance a bold agenda and leverage their power through collective action. In response to the youth mental health crisis and the need for school based services, YJC youth started the Mental Health Campaign, aims to strengthen school-based mental health programming, connect youth to services, reduce stigma, expand access to mental health education, and advocate for stronger school based programming and funding. Since 2019, YJC Youth Advocates conducted 3 Annual Youth Mental Health Surveys with more than 2,000 students, presented 72 Performance Oversight and Budget Testimonies on a range of health, employment and education issues to DC Council, helped create the School-Based Behavioral Health Student Peer Educator Pilot (P2P Pilot) that codifies the essential role of peer educators into law, and created the Student On-line Support (SOS) Virtual Wellness Centers in 16 schools (and in Spanish).

Position Summary: The Communications Coordinator will work closely with the Executive Director and Program Manager to build YWP’s communications infrastructure, social media capacity, and youth communications curricula and training. YWP has a full time staff of six and part time youth staff of 150, ’s work is organized into two main programs: Mental Health Campaign (MHC) and Youth Health Educator Program (YHEP) with overlapping functions and cross organizational campaigns. Because one of the core responsibility in the Communications Coordinator is youth training and management, the CC must be available to lead in person training sessions 2 nights a week (until 6:45) and virtual sessions 1 night a week. YWP is currently operating on a hybrid schedule. YWP staff can expect to spend 2 days in the YWP office (usually Tues and Thurs) and 8 hours a week working directly with youth. YWP’s core operating hours are 1030-645 (M-TH) and 1030-530 on Friday. It’s our expectation that during this time, employees will be available for YWP meetings & trainings and not be engaging in non-YWP work, study, or volunteer activities. Youth trainings are conducted in person at libraries and the YWP office located at Dupont Circle. Because YWP programs operate on a school-year schedule, programming is heaviest from September – May.

Salary Range: $50,000-62,000 commensurate with experience

Benefits: Vacation, Sick, FMLA, Healthcare, 401(K) 6% match, Short and Long Term Disability Insurance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, public health, social justice, communications, journalism, or related fields.
• 2 years of experience working with youth, women, and with communities of color including training, facilitation and peer education;
• 2 years of experience working in communications and creating engaging digital content, personally or professionally in multiple platforms
• Experience as a trainer, facilitator, teacher, and manager of youth;
• Strong writing skills, including the ability to turn around high-quality and error-free written content quickly and capacity to translate complex information into engaging and accurate content.
• Ability to collaborate closely with others, work independently, and be self-motivated
• Experience with social media (Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Commitment to building youth power and working with youth as partners to improve youth serving institutions; understanding of youth development framework
• Demonstrated proficiency in using Canva and Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Mail Chimp
• Experience communicating across multiple mediums including web, print, publication, data, social and video.
• Organized self-starter with strong time management and strategic planning skills, with the ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Understanding of youth needs and issues, specifically mental health and wellness and Sexual Health

Responsibilities:

• Youth Staff Training, Tool Developments, and Management: Work with the Executive Director and Program Manager to support, train, and manage the communications work of our youth staff. As part of this: 1) Develop communications training materials including lesson plans, youth instructions, templates and other tools; 2) Delivery 2-3 weekly trainings and zoom sessions on social media, writing, newsletter development, public speaking, and other communication skills; 3) Oversee, track, and manage the communications work of L2 Youth Leaders; develop LPs and other training material to support this work;

• Reports, Website, & Digital Content Creation: Execute a range of communications projects working with the Executive Director and Program Manager. Projects include: 1) Serve as editor for YWP newsletters. As part of this work, write and edit copy, organize content calendars, gather program updates, train youth staff, develop images, and work with youth staff to plan content, develop delivery calendar, coordinate infographics, and develop delivery outlets within schools; 2) Write website copy, contribute to design, and regularly update YWP’s website to reflect current events and programs: 3) Take high-quality images of YWP programs in digital and printed materials, Manage YWP’s image database; and 4) Edit other YWP documents that may include program reports, annual reports, proposals, and evaluation reports.

• Social Media: Manage all social media content for YWP feeds (Instagram, TikTok, X, Bluesky, Facebook), as well as YWP’s LinkedIn. As part of this work: 1) Cross-post upcoming program/event information to social media; 2) Edit and coordinate youth posts on individual accounts and YWP youth-led social media accounts;

• Policy, Advocacy, & Campaign Development: Contribute to YWP’s work with DC Agency and DC Council leaders to integrate youth into school-based health decision making and delivery systems: 1) Develop materials for use in education, outreach, and advocacy including reports, briefing papers, and testimony; 2) Work with youth staff to tell stories through written and visual means, testimony development, and meetings hearings, and other events.

To Apply: Please email a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to: Nadia Gold-Moritz (nadia.gold-moritz@youngwomensproject.org).In addition, please provide 5-15 links to communications products that you developed, wrote, and contributed to and that reflect the qualifications and responsibilities of this position. Please write “Comms Coordinator” in the subject line the interview includes 3 parts: 1) Zoom interview with the Executive Director; 2) In Person interview with program leadership and exercise assignment; and 3) Potential additional assignment and reference checks. The exercise assignment will involve 4-8 paid hours (paid based on the position salary) of work on various communications projects that may include newsletter copy, infographics, IG posts, or other products that demonstrate your capacity. Interviews will be granted on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled. Our target on-boarding date is 10.21.25. The Young Women's Project is committed to affirmative action.