Communications Coordinator

Who we are:
The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, is a nonprofit criminal justice organization that strives to build just government institutions and safe communities free from the scourge of racism, white supremacy, profit, and inequity that is pervasive in this country's legal systems. We are an "inside" lane organization that drives change at scale with ambitious public sector leaders who share our commitment to building anti-racist, reparative systems that deliver justice. We leverage our access to government to transform these systems and work collaboratively with stakeholders across many movements-including advocacy, grassroots, and grasstop organizations. Our role is to pilot solutions that are transformative and achievable, harness the power of evidence to drive effective policy and practice, and use advocacy and communications to change narratives and norms.
Vera has a staff of 300 people and offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace. We expect our staff to embody respect, independence, collaboration, commitment, anti-racism, and equity-both in our outward-facing work and the internal culture of our workplace. We value a range of experiences in people's educational backgrounds and encourage people who have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system to apply.
Who you are:
You are a passionate professional, driven by innovating your administrative skills, amplifying the efficiency of a busy media team, and confidently collaborating across various angles within an organization. Reporting directly to the Media Strategy Director and working closely with the members of the communications & external affairs team, the coordinator carries out the administrative tasks and daily operations to support and strengthen the media strategy team at Vera. As the coordinator, you will gain experience with all aspects of media relations and messaging and will be responsible for assuming a variety of tasks associated with departmental coordination, media monitoring, facilitation of media requests, media list building, and other web-related tasks.
What you'll do:
Administrative and Vendor Support

• Coordinate media team contracts by working closely with finance and legal departments and vendors to support RFP's, contract renewals, and contract extensions
• Ensure prompt and timely execution of contracted projects and any projects requiring external vendors
• Process media team invoices, subscriptions, receipts, and reimbursements
• Coordinate media team meetings and agenda
• Maintain regular updates of the Vera Newsroom section of the website with media hits, press releases, and statements
• Update the media team section of the communications department intranet page
• Other administrative / support needs as the media strategy team's workload evolves

Media Relations Support

• Monitor daily media hits and report maintenance for Vera mentions in national and local press
• Handle Vera's media inbox, facilitating requests for interviews with Vera staff and media
• Build media lists across all initiatives and activities, including national, local, and relevant beat reporters
• Research media narratives and conduct sentiment analysis on topics that are impacting Vera's core advocacy issues
• Support in drafting press releases, statements, talking points and other materials for media relations; you will learn how to build all types of media-facing materials.

Media Metrics

• Monitor media strategy team performance across a range of metrics
• Review and maintain Vera's media metrics dashboard, regularly sharing out updates to the entire communications department
• Collect monthly dashboard updates for the Vera Leadership Team

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities you'll bring:

• Experience with expense reconciliation programs and procedures
• Background in using a contact management system (CMS) to create, edit, organize, and publish digital content
• Attention to detail ! You have excellent organizational skills, and the ability to efficiently handle work and timelines for multiple projects .
• Experience with media relations is a plus , as well as an understanding of current events
• Excellent writing, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work effectively with and without close supervision
• Comfortability with the process of regular expense reconciliation
• Diplomac y - yo u are open to feedback and see it as an opportunity to grow and learn
• A demonstrated ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to develop strong working relationships and to establish yourself as the go-to person among colleagues and contacts inside and outside of Vera
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite of applications
• Willingness to learn how to use applications including, but not limited to Asana, Microix, OpenSource, and Meltwater

What qualifications are we looking for?

• At least one year of relevant administrative experience with a demonstrated ability to maintain operative excellence in a fast-paced environment
• Knowledge and interest in social justice and a deep commitment to racial equity
• While a bachelor's degree is preferred, applicable work or life experience may be considered
• We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace - specifically, we value diverse experiences regarding educational background and justice system contact.

Location:
Please note this role will report to our Brooklyn, NY, office. Vera employees adhere to a hybrid schedule and are in-office on an alternating schedule that generally amounts to 10 days per month.
Compensation and Benefits:
The compensation range for this position is $53,000 - $55,000. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to experience and performance. The salary range listed is just one component of Vera Institute's total compensation package for employees. As an employer of choice in our field, supporting Vera staff - both personally and professionally-is a priority. To do this, we invest in the well-being of our staff through other rewards including merit pay, generous paid time off, a comprehensive health insurance plan, student loan repayment benefits, professional development training opportunities and up to $2,000 annual for education costs and fees relevant to Vera work, employer-funded retirement plan, and flexible time. To learn more about Vera's benefits offerings, click here .
Applications may also be faxed to:
ATTN: People Resources / Communications Coordinator, Media
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, Suite 4-2A, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.
In order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Vera Institute of Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.
Vera is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.
Vera works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission. For more information about Vera, please visit www.vera.org .