Manager, Communications, Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Campaign

Apply: http://jobs-pct.icims.com/jobs/2104/job

Overview:
The Organization

The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improving public policy, informing the public and stimulating civic life. Based in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., Pew produces fact-based research and develops practical solutions to challenging issues.

The Pew Health Group

The Pew Health Group (PHG) seeks to improve the health and well-being of all Americans. Based on research and critical analysis, the program advocates policies that reduce unacceptable health risks, focusing on areas that include food, medical and consumer product safety.

Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Campaign

The Kids’ Safe and Healthful Food Campaign is a two-year effort to promote public policies that will improve the safety and nutritional quality of food available in schools.

The campaign will engage in advocacy, develop a communications and grassroots outreach strategy and use research to ensure that administration officials set science-based standards for what is sold in schools; members of Congress provide adequate funding for school food, cafeteria equipment and training and technical assistance; and policies are in place to address food safety concerns. Specifically, the campaign will:

strengthen United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards for school meals and school foods sold outside of meals, guided by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations;
secure funding for federal school meal reimbursement, training and technical assistance for school food service operators, and modern cafeteria equipment; and
establish rigorous school food safety policies, including stronger testing and safety guidelines, increased inspections and improved recall notification.

Position Overview

The manager will develop and implement a sophisticated media effort, including paid and earned media, op-eds, online strategies, and events. The manager will work with consultants, project staff and our funding partners to develop and implement a comprehensive media, events and outreach strategy at the state and national level, complete with objectives, target audiences, messages, specific activities, events timeline and benchmarks for success. The activities will seek to educate three key audiences: 1) federal executive branch officials and targeted Members of Congress; 2) parents, schoolchildren and school personnel; and, 3) media, nonprofit allies and others able to reach a wide range of audiences. Citizen outreach will be designed to encourage constituents to make contact with decision makers in support of the campaign’s goals.

This position currently has an end date of April 2012. The project may be extended pending the success of the effort, board approval and additional funding.

Responsibilities:
Work with the project director and other campaign staff to develop and execute communications and events strategies that support and promote the campaign’s policy goals, including engaging parents, school children, school personnel and others to support the campaign’s objectives.
Develop and maintain strong ties to national and regional print, television, radio and online and strategically cultivate stories for the campaign.
Plan and implement events in target states and nationally to attract attention to the campaign’s policy goals, research, and call for action. This could include high-profile partnerships with companies that influence children’s eating habits, media outlets, the food industry, and nonprofit organization allies.
Manage outside vendor(s) who will design online strategies that engage citizens and nonprofit allies in supporting the campaign’s efforts and assure their effective implementation.
Build working relationships with media targets to pitch and ensure promotion of the campaign's three strategic priorities.
Oversee consultants, including communications and online networking specialists.
Write news releases, advisories, statements, and background briefing documents for reporters, broadcast producers and bloggers.
Set up in-person and telephone news conferences.
Write and edit fact sheets to reach both media and grassroots audiences.
Develop print and on-line communications materials to support the campaigns public outreach efforts.
Manage content on the campaign website.
Provide content and strategic input for advertisements created for the campaign.
Ensure effective coordination with funding partner’s communications and events staff.
Serve as a liaison with Pew’s communications department.
Support and collaborate on other PHG-related projects as necessary.

Requirements:
A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible communications, public relations and/or media relations experience with an agency, corporation or non-profit institution is required.
Health, food/nutrition science and/or public policy campaigns strongly preferred.
Skills associated with completion of an undergraduate degree program in Communications, Journalism or related major including understanding of media operations and news organizations, particularly broadcast media and Web based technologies,
Demonstrated experience managing state and national events and high-profile partnerships that generate media attention and grassroots action.
Experience designing and implementing online advocacy strategies to engage citizens and allies to act.
Excellent oral, writing and editing skills and the ability to effectively communicate within and outside the organization.
Good national media contacts.
Must be flexible, creative, consistent and assume high accountability for all areas of responsibility.
Must demonstrate strong collaborative spirit and leadership ability.
Ability to think strategically, juggle multiple priorities, be extremely well-organized, manage time effectively and identify resources for projects.
Ability to understand organizational structure and work through administrative systems.
Ability to work in groups and individually to meet goals.
Experience managing external consultants, supervising professional and support staff is required.
Travel

It is anticipated that the individual in this position will travel from Washington D.C. periodically, including to The Pew Charitable Trusts' Philadelphia office and to visit funding partners as needed, and to campaign events across the country.