Job Description

How can government officials be held accountable for misconduct if no one knows about it? American Oversight is a non-partisan, non-profit watchdog that uses targeted public records requests and litigation to expose evidence of corruption, misconduct, or conflicts of interest.

American Oversight’s work exposed hundreds of pages of Ukraine documents that were withheld from Congress, we prompted the discovery of Ivanka Trump’s extensive use of a private email system, and we’ve investigated and uncovered widespread conflicts of interest across the cabinet. Through our State Accountability Project, we’re investigating voter suppression in multiple states.

We’re looking for an energetic, driven, media-savvy, digital storyteller to join our team as the Digital Engagement Editor. Part digital journalism, part anti-corruption advocacy, and part rapid-response information sharing, the Digital Engagement Editor will help ensure American Oversight’s work, expertise, and resources are part of the online conversation.

UPDATE: This position is open to candidates anywhere in the United States, although many internal meetings and deadlines are scheduled during Eastern Time Zone business hours. For those candidates who are based in Washington, D.C., the office is located downtown and will again be easily accessible by multiple metro and bus lines once we are no longer teleworking.

RESPONSIBILITIES

You’ll be the digital spokesperson for American Oversight and our voice on social media, managing a Twitter account with more than 100,000 followers that is regularly quoted by the media. You’ll be responsible for developing new strategies to highlight our work, calling attention to the government misconduct and corruption that we uncover, and making sure our channels are a useful resource for journalists, government investigators, and the public.

On a daily basis, you will collaborate with the communications director, web editor, and the legal and investigations teams to create compelling digital content for social media, emails, and other projects as needed.

Specific tasks will shift day by day along with our work and the news cycle, but in a typical week, your job will probably include:

• Sharing breaking news based on documents that American Oversight has uncovered, including stories that we break ourselves as well as those written and published by news outlets;
• Managing AO’s current social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) and exploring new platforms that could help share our work with a broader audience;
• Creating compelling copy, as well as graphics and other visually engaging content, that highlights our work and drives response online;
• Monitoring the news and the conversation on social media to identify opportunities for our current or previous work to inform the public on key issues;
• Drawing upon the AO team’s expertise in government ethics, congressional oversight, FOIA litigation, or related topics to create and share content that helps our followers understand current events;
• Working with the web editor and other members of the communications team to develop and execute plans to announce new investigations, new lawsuits, or important developments in our ongoing work;
• Being the in-house expert in how to use social media to inform the public, and creating and maintaining short- and long-term digital strategy plans to make the most of the opportunities we have;
• Participating in brainstorms and planning meetings with an eye toward surfacing new and creative ways to communicate AO’s message;
• Engaging in rapid response to current events, developments, and document releases in AO’s FOIAs and litigation;
• Occasionally (but definitely not most of the time) engaging after business hours or on weekends to promote new developments in American Oversight’s investigations or to respond to breaking news that relates to our work.

QUALIFICATIONS

We don’t have a hard and fast checklist of requirements for this position, but the following attributes will likely describe the successful candidate:

• Excellent writing skills with a focus on accuracy and detail, and the ability to rapidly synthesize complex legal and policy documents into clear, engaging content;
• 2–5 years previous experience directly managing social media accounts for an organization engaged in journalism, public policy, or related work; OR significant experience as a journalist or researcher who has actively and routinely used social media channels as part of your work;
• Proficiency in the strategic use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms, as well as social media management systems;
• Can handle high-pressure, quick-deadline projects on high-profile, breaking news topics;
• Fluency in federal policy, current politics, and the way they are discussed online, as well as the ability to quickly learn new topics as they arise;
• Team player, comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment;
• Integrity and commitment to high journalistic standards of quality and accuracy. It’s great to be first, and we like to get attention, but it is always far more important to be correct, honest, and trustworthy;
• Solid organizational skills with the ability to complete projects and handle multiple tasks simultaneously, as well as the ability to keep track of American Oversight’s several and varying areas of investigation;
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (including Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects or Animate) and previous experience in creating videos for distribution on social media are also very helpful.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

American Oversight is proudly an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and retaining a diverse team. People of color, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and/or veterans are encouraged to apply.

The salary range for this position is $65,000 – $80,000, commensurate with experience. Generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Also, we are biased, but we think American Oversight is a great place to work! Take a look at the testimonials from members of our wonderful team.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send application materials, including a résumé and a one-page cover letter that contains links to social media accounts you have managed, to

jo**@am***************.org











with “Digital Engagement Editor” in the subject line. Please indicate in your email how you heard about this opening.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will begin our next round of review by April 15, 2020.

How to Apply

Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 60,000 - 80,000.

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