SEIU (Service Employees International Union)

Position: Communications Coordinator Grade: MGT D

Salary: $94,601.00/YR Location: Washington, DC (HQ) or Remotely-Flexible

Purpose

Manages SEIU division communications work to support priorities for growth, to involve members and the public in achieving those growth goals, and to brand SEIU as the national and international union within the industry.

This position will primarily focus on SEIU's higher education initiative, Faculty Forward. Ahead of the 2020 elections, Faculty Forward will mobilize campus workers to push for college for all, student loan debt forgiveness and a $15 minimum wage and a union for all campus employees. In this role, the Communications Coordinator leads a team of communicators to:

• Reveal the impact of low pay and underinvestment in the higher education system on individuals through compelling communications
• Raise expectations about the ability of faculty, students and community members to fix the broken higher education system and win big changes like universal college through their union
• Emphasize the importance of educator voice in real higher education reform
• Demonstrate the power of educators and students in electoral politics

Principal duties and responsibilities

• Manages strategy and implementation of national campaign and initiatives related to uniting more campus workers across the country
• Works directly with communicators within local unions to build national and state-based strategies and teams that will maximize our reach and effectiveness in meeting campaign goals
• Ensures high quality standards, best practices and consistency of message in all communications
• Manages qualitative and quantitative research as needed, message development and message integration across projects
• Drafts, creates and edits content for a variety of efforts as well as talking points, remarks, speeches for public events for members and leaders
• Manages media relations strategy, tactics, implementation and analysis
• Manages digital strategy, tactics, implementation and analysis
• Provides media and spokesperson training for local leaders and members
• Manages campaign event communications – strategy message, look and feel materials, marketing media outreach, event flow, and agenda
• Directly supervises individuals on the communications team and provides effective management; supports communications needs of local communicators, encourages strategic growth and exchange of ideas and coordinates national strategy.

Additional responsibilities

• This position is responsible for clear and effective planning, budgeting, and project management and coordinates with divisions, departments and campaign leaders on budget and management, recruiting and hiring, and selecting and managing vendors and or consultants.
• As an effective managers, priorities the growth and development of division communications staff that report to this position, including training, feedback, performance reviews, skills development
• Performs other dues as assigned in the support of the work of the organization

Direction and Decision Making

Reports to the Assistant Director of Communications and works with extreme independence.

Education and Experience

Five-to-eight years of related work experience or combination of education and experience that would provide for the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Experience developing and implementing communications strategy on a wide range of campaigns, including organizing, contract, political, and legislative, as well as experience working with community allies.
• Thorough knowledge of media and social media trends that are most effective for organizing and movement building.
• Thorough knowledge of paid, earned and shared media and experience in working with pollsters, photographers, graphic designers and video producers to produce dynamic and effective content.
• Excellent writing, verbal, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated capacity to continuously develop knowledge and skills related to use of rapidly changing technology.
• Knowledge of unions or other advocacy organizations especially in the higher education sphere preferred.

Physical Requirements

Work is generally performed in an office setting, but job may require work in the field or in other settings to perform the tasks required to complete assignments. Must be available for frequent travel with overnight stays. Long and irregular hours.

Application Requirements

A resume and a cover letter are required for all applications. Your cover letter should explain your reason for wanting to work for SEIU, an example of how you demonstrated success in a similar position and a description of how this position fits into your long-term career plan.

Benefits

SEIU staff enjoy top notch benefits including comprehensive health benefits, major medical, dental and vision for employee and eligible dependents, domestic partner benefits, competitive salaries, generous holidays and vacation policies, and both a pension plan and a 401(K) Plan.

SEIU is an Equal Opportunity Employer.