Communications Specialist

About the Role

Rethink Priorities’ key path to impact is communicating our work to decision-makers in an accessible and actionable way. Therefore, effective communications is a key priority for the organization. The mission of the Communications Specialist is to strategically enhance and disseminate our organizations’ and individual research departments' message, achievements, and impact to a diverse range of external audiences. Through expert media relations, rigorous impact analysis, and targeted engagement with stakeholders, policymakers, and industry influencers, the Communications Specialist will support the Senior Communications Strategy Manager in implementing effective communication strategies that amplify our reach, foster strong relationships, and advance our organizational goals. This role is pivotal in ensuring our company's voice is heard, understood, and influential in the public sphere, thereby contributing to our overall mission and success.

Key Responsibilities

External Communications:

• Develop and implement external communication plans to effectively communicate initiative and impact.
• Utilize various communication strategies, such as proactive press outreach, social media, and SEO, to achieve strategic priorities.
• Help lead on crisis communications.

Audience Engagement and Strategy Development:

• Identify and analyze target audiences.
• Repurpose RP's work products into effective marketing and communications materials.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure impactful and consistent messaging across multiple channels and platforms.
• Support process improvement initiatives by evaluating current procedures and practices, and contributing to or completing tasks related to process enhancement.
• Help plan and manage communications calendar; identify high-impact events, secure speaking engagements, and see engagements through to completion.
• Manage digital marketing channels, including social media, email marketing, and website content.
• Track and analyze engagement metrics for emails and website engagement and coordinate promotional efforts across communications channels in order to grow our audience base.
• Develop plans for increasing engagement with emails, website, and social media updates.

Media Relations:

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with external media outlets. 
• Pitch stories to relevant media outlets.
• Monitor media coverage and identify opportunities to amplify RP or respond to media inquiries.
• Develop PR/media strategies to engage and resonate with target audiences effectively.
• Identify, anticipate, and mitigate reputational risks, advising on emerging issues that can affect RP's brand.

Content Creation and Management:

• Write or rewrite communications materials for external audiences. 
• Contribute to the drafting of newsletters and regular updates for stakeholders.
• Contribute to the creation of webinars about our research for specific audiences.
• Respond to staff requests regarding external communications.
• Liaise with research teams to develop communications plans for planned research and to finalize and publish research pieces. 
• Assist in writing research summaries.
• Ensure key web pages are updated regularly and when needed, partner with web developer(s) to identify opportunities to improve user experience.

Skills and Competencies Required

Please note that while we think that these skills/qualifications are essential to the position, we do not necessarily expect every qualified candidate to have all of them upon entry.

Core Competencies: 

• Strong self- and project management competencies, including organization and time management skills.
• Open-mindedness; willingness to carefully consider ideas and comfort in explaining reasoning.
• Resourcefulness and ability to problem-solve. 
• Creativity and initiative for developing new ideas and strategies.
• Comfort with remote work and asynchronous collaboration using technologies such as G Suite  (RP is a remote-first organization with staff in multiple time zones).

Technical Skills:

• Media Relations: Ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with media outlets, journalists, bloggers, and influencers.
• PR and Campaign Management: Proficiency in pitching stories, managing PR campaigns, and securing media coverage.
• Digital Marketing and Literacy: Experience managing digital marketing channels, including social media, email marketing, and website content, and proficiency in using digital tools and platforms for communication, marketing, and engagement

Communication Skills:

• Content Development and Management: Excellent writing and editing skills for creating and refining communication materials, press releases, newsletters, and research summaries; Experience in developing marketing collateral and webinars for specific audiences.
• Audience Sensitivity and Strategic Communication: Strong instincts for how diverse audiences will perceive our communications and the ability to understand and anticipate the reactions of audiences to communications, ensuring clarity, appropriateness, and sensitivity in conveying complex ideas; Ability to develop and implement communication strategies that effectively convey the organization’s message and impact.
• Content Simplification: Ability to understand economic principles and complex reasoning, and translate this technical content into clear, accessible language for a non-technical audience.

Interpersonal Skills:

• Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: Strong ability to collaborate with internal teams and liaise with research teams to develop and publish communication plans; Skills in engaging with various audiences, including policymakers, advocacy groups, nonprofits, and industry associations, and the ability to interface effectively with both internal departments and external audiences.

Strategic Thinking:

• Planning and Execution: Strategic thinker capable of developing comprehensive communication plans and adjusting strategies based on data insights and industry trends.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to navigate complex external affairs landscapes and provide strategic guidance on policy-related communications.

Additional Competencies:

• Reputation Management: Ability to identify, anticipate, and mitigate reputational risks, advising on emerging issues that can affect the brand
• Audience Analysis: Ability to identify and analyze target audiences based on desired changes and impacts
• Project Management: Initiate, plan, execute, and monitor projects. Set clear goals, and break down goals into activities and deliverables. Track progress and report project status to stakeholders 

In addition to the above competencies and skills, competitive candidates may have the following knowledge and/or experience:

• Robust background in media relations, external communications, and policy engagement.
• Familiarity with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 
• Experience in:Cultivating relationships with media outlets, journalists, and influencers.
• Pitching stories and managing PR campaigns.
• Developing and implementing communication strategies to convey organizational initiatives and impact.
• Tracking engagement metrics to refine communication efforts.
• Managing reputational risks and ensuring consistent messaging across platforms.
• Navigating complex external affairs landscapes.

Compensation:

• Annual salary between $100,500 to $118,500 USD pre-tax for a full-time position, prorated for part-time work.
• Compensation is not restricted to US Dollars. Payments can be made in different currencies.
• The exact salary will be based on the candidate’s prior relevant experience and corresponding title level and calculated using RP’s salary algorithm. To ensure fairness, RP does not negotiate salaries.

Other Perks and Benefits:

• Opportunity to contribute to a fast-growing, high-impact organization — our research is used by key decision makers who influence the distribution of hundreds of millions of charitable dollars.
• Flexible work hours and location.
• Comprehensive global benefits package (while they vary by country, we make every effort to ensure that our benefits package is equitable and high-quality for all staff). 
• Generous paid time off (PTO) leave and unpaid leave, including: Unlimited vacation with a minimum number of required statutory paid days off
• “Mandated” 3-week total mid- and end-year organization-wide breaks
• Unlimited (within reason) personal and sick paid and unpaid leave
• Parental leave - up to 6-9 months of a combination of paid and unpaid parental leave that can be taken prior to and/or during the first 2 years after a child’s birth or adoption 
• Other paid and unpaid leave (e.g., bereavement)
• A caring team that values respectful work relations and a healthy work-life balance.
• Opportunities to grow/advance your career and engage in professional development.
• Low administrative bureaucracy.
• We don’t provide snacks, but we could mail you a box of Oreos if you want!