Faith in Public Life Jobs

Vice President

Faith in Public Life (FPL) seeks a creative, dynamic and ambitious Vice President who will serve as the CEO’s right hand in providing strategic direction for FPL issue campaigns and programs.

Responsibilities:

The Vice President designs and implements issue campaigns that amplify faith voices to help win on progressive issues and works with the CEO to shape FPL’s overall strategic direction.

• Outline all critical components of the issue campaign strategy, identifying which religious communities, leaders and organizations can uniquely impact the debate.
• Manage FPL communications staff to outline media strategy for campaigns and FPL micro targeting staff to determine voter-education strategy that integrates polling, message testing and voter contact strategies.
• Manage the development of FPL state hubs, working with the Executive Director on FPL’s strategic plan to build infrastructure that impacts state and federal policy.
• Initiate and leverage current and potential partnerships that can bring significant value-add to issue campaigns. These include diverse pastors, theologians, organizers, authors, progressive advocacy organizations and think tanks.
• Create and manage project work plans and budgets.

Qualifications:

• At least five years issue campaign experience at the state level, and preferably the national organization as well.
• A passion for working at the intersection of faith, politics and public policy, and a respect for social justice faith traditions. Need not have worked for a faith organization.
• Success in developing solid issue campaign plans at the state or national level; familiarity using microtargeting, communications and organizing strategies; experience developing timelines, targets and managing staff to reach those targets.
• Strong oral and written communications skills; ability to be persuasive and listen actively to the needs and desires of coalition partners and allies while providing strong feedback about effective strategies.
• Strong relationships with key organizations in the public policy landscape.
• Demonstrated success in navigating progressive coalitions and partnerships and holding diverse teams together. Courageous in building relationships and bridging cultural divides.
• Willingness to travel to key states to work with partners.

How to Apply:

This job is based at FPL’s headquarters in Washington, DC. FPL provides a competitive compensation and benefits package and is an equal-opportunity employer. Please send a resume and cover letter to admin@faithinpubliclife.org with the subject “Vice President”.

Senior Communications Strategist for Ohio

Faith in Public Life seeks a creative, dynamic and ambitious communications expert to lead a new strategic communications hub in support of progressive religious organizing in Ohio.

Position Description

In recent decades, politically conservative Christians have attained disproportionate influence not because of their sheer numbers or ideological affinity with most Americans but because of their ability to shape the media narrative on faith and politics. While FPL’s purpose is to reverse this trend nationwide, the prospect of reversing it in Ohio represents a unique opportunity.

Nowhere has the Religious Right’s disproportionate influence had a more profound effect than on the famously divided political landscape of Ohio. Because what happens in Ohio has ramifications nationwide, the Religious Right has targeted and exploited Ohio’s political fault lines.

It’s time turn up the volume on progressive faith in Ohio. FPL aims to do this by hiring its first state-based Senior Communications Strategist, located in Ohio and dedicated full time to work in the state. The Senior Communications Strategist will partner with statewide faith-based grassroots advocacy organizations such as Ohio Prophetic Voices, Nuns on the Bus Ohio and We Believe Ohio, as well as local organizations such as AMOS and BREAD to provide training and on the ground support that enables organizers and faith leaders to incorporate strategic communications into their campaigns and get heard in the media.

As the Nuns on the Bus recently demonstrated in Ohio and nearby states (with communications support from FPL), with greater media visibility, faith leaders who are doing invaluable work on the ground can multiply their influence exponentially.

The Senior Communications Strategist for Ohio will have the opportunity to work with FPL’s founding national Communications and Program Director to get the hub off the ground this Spring. The Senior Communications Strategist will report to the Executive Director and work collaboratively with FPL national staff to achieve its mission.

 Duties and Responsibilities

• Build relationships with prominent faith leaders from diverse communities who should be heard in the media.
• Help amplify existing faith-based grassroots advocacy organizations and coalitions’ messages and campaigns.
• Train organizers, clergy, staff and lay leaders to integrate strategic communications into their advocacy.
• Design, propose and generate buy-in for new strategies that will amplify faith leader support for social justice issues and causes.
• Execute communications strategies by pitching stories, leveraging social media, writing press releases, developing and writing op-eds, etc.
• Develop media contacts and maintain a tailored media database for the 14 media markets from which Ohioans get their news.
• Cultivate political and public policy allies and identify opportunities for strategic collaboration.
• Track political and media developments and identify rapid response opportunities.
• Provide ongoing counsel to strengthen campaigns and develop faith leaders as media spokespeople. Work with FPL national staff to provide media training as needed.

Job Requirements

• The ideal candidate does not necessarily need a background working in the faith community but should have a passion for public debates at the intersection of faith, politics and public policy and a deep respect for social justice faith traditions.
• Strong oral and written communications skills a must; ability to be persuasive and listen actively to the needs and desires of coalition partners and allies while providing strong feedback about effective strategies.
• Creative in identifying moments of opportunity and generating ideas to impact the media cycle and public debates.
• Knowledge of and strong relationships within the political landscape in Ohio.
• Courageous in building relationships and bridging cultural divides; strong ability to navigate progressive coalitions and partnerships; proven experience working collaboratively.
• Experience in a fast-paced campaign atmosphere.
• Experience with print, television, radio and online media outlets.
• Significant experience with social media is desired.
• Background in message development, communications strategy, and/or journalism is desired.
• Willingness to travel regularly throughout the state of Ohio, including at least one day a week in Columbus, and to Washington four times a year.

How to Apply

Please email a resume, cover letter and salary requirements to admin@faithinpubliclife.org with the subject “Ohio”.

Media Relations Assistant

Position Description:

The Media Relations Assistant will monitor the media, maintain press lists, and contribute to FPL’s overall communications strategy. The Media Relations Assistant will also play an active role in creative programmatic development in this dynamic organization.

Responsibilities:

• Assist FPL staff in identifying opportunities in the news and political environment to amplify the message of the faith leaders and organizations we partner with at the local, state, and national level.
• Build relationships with reporters, columnists, producers, bookers, and hosts in mainstream and religious media.
• Develop and maintain tailored press lists, using Microsoft Excel and public relations software (Meltwater).
• Track press, radio, and broadcast media hits earned for Faith in Public Life and its partner organizations and maintain press hit database in Microsoft Access.
• Plan press events, draft media advisories and press releases, and pitch stories to local and national media.
• Support program staff in press outreach and other aspects of FPL communications strategy as needed.
• Engage with bloggers, commentators, and reporters via social media.
• Manage FPL social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube).

Qualifications:

• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Love of organization and systems and great attention to detail.
• Ability to think outside the box about communications strategies.
• Experience using Adobe Creative Suite or other graphic design platforms a plus.
• Demonstrated interest or experience in working with the faith community and/or at the intersection of faith and politics.
• Fundamental understanding of and commitment to organization’s mission, values and goals.
• Must work well under pressure and tight deadlines.

How to Apply:

Please send a resume and cover letter to admin@faithinpubliclife.org with the subject line “Media Relations Assistant”.