About Progress Virginia:

Progress Virginia is a multi-issue progressive advocacy organization that combines cutting edge online organizing and communications with rapid and hard-hitting earned media strategies. As Virginia’s progressive communications and digital hub, we work all year round to engage citizens from across the Commonwealth around issues of immediate state or local concern. Our mission is to provide a strong, credible voice in advancing progressive solutions to critical community problems. But we don’t do that on our own—we work as a communications team for the entire progressive community and work closely with our partners to spread our message and work towards progressive victories. We strive to be anti-racist in all that we do. We are committed to dismantling white supremacy and interrogating our work to ensure we are actively working toward racial equity,  and all of our programs are tied to specific racial equity goals both internally and externally. 

Who You Are:

• Committed to progressive values and committed to anti-racist work
• Creative, flexible, and willing to experiment and take risks
• Self-motivated and disciplined with the ability to own the work and drive it forward with minimal supervision while working from home most of the time 
• Excited about being the spokesperson for progressive values in Virginia including abortion access, criminal justice reform, economic justice, immigrant rights, health care acess, environmental justice, and many more. 
• Outgoing and excited to be on camera, talking to a reporter, or working with storytellers to get our message out in the most effective way possible
• Willing to pick up the phone and strike up conversations with strangers to hype up our work!
• Must be fully vaccinated

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and execute creative communications strategies in partnership with the Deputy Director on progressive issues in Virginia 
  • Execute rapid response strategies when necessary and push out a message of the day to press
  • Write press releases, blog posts, op eds, editorial board memos, messaging guidance, and other written materials to generate earned media coverage
  • Plan and execute earned media events
  • Continuous outreach to reporters and other newsmakers to pitch stories and push out our message of the day 
• Represent Progress Virginia and work with a variety of our coalition partners to plan, develop, and execute communications strategies for coalition work
• Identify, recruit, and train storytellers to share their experiences 
• Travel around the commonwealth as needed for meetings and earned media events. All in-person events will adhere to CDC guidelines for gatherings during the pandemic. 
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills 
  • Must be able to craft compelling written materials that mobilize our target audiences to action. 
  • Must be able to work within our messaging framework, with tone and content tailored appropriately for different contexts and audiences. 
• Experience creating and driving compelling offline content
• Willingness to build strong relationships with colleagues, reporters, coalition partners, and storytellers 
• Ability to move quickly and respond in a rapidly changing media environment 
• Comfort and ability to work remotely and to set and meet deadlines
• Access to a car and a valid driver’s license 

Bonus Points:

(These are not required, so if you do not meet these qualifications, please do not let that stop you from applying for the job!) 

• Experience doing coalition work
• Experience in progressive nonprofits or political campaigns 
• Experience working in a virtual office long-term

Salary and Benefits:

Because negotiating is inherently inequitable, we want to be transparent about what benefits we can offer up front and avoid negotiation. 

The salary for this position is $45,000. Additionally, Progress Virginia staff members get two weeks of vacation every year, plus the week between Christmas and the New Year, an additional 9 paid holidays throughout the year plus extra time off at the discretion of the Executive Director, and paid sick days. We also provide health insurance benefits. 

All Progress Virginia employees develop a customized professional development plan with their supervisor to support learning and growth in their position. Employees can also work with their supervisor to create a somewhat flexible work schedule, especially while people are juggling childcare and work during the pandemic. 

Details: 

Progress Virginia operates a virtual office. Candidates should expect to work from home anywhere in Virginia or Washington, DC, with occasional travel, sometimes on short notice. We are starting to have more in-person meetings and events, but all meetings will be conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This position reports to Progress Virginia’s Communications Director. 

To Apply: 
Fill out this application. Part of the application will ask you to upload your resume and a recent writing sample. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as possible. If we find your skills match those of the position, we will contact you for an interview. If you have any questions about the position, you can email jobs@progressva.org. No phone calls please.

Progress Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, persons with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.