Job Description

Lead Communications Specialist (Community Resilience and Sustainability)

Summary

The Wikimedia Foundation is seeking a Lead Communications Specialist (Community Resilience and Sustainability) to join the Legal department to advance the Wikimedia movement’s vision of every human being able to freely share in the sum of all knowledge; as well as its strategic direction – that by 2030, Wikimedia will become the essential infrastructure of the ecosystem of free knowledge, and anyone who shares our vision will be able to join us. 

The Lead Communications Specialist will report to the Senior Manager, Trust & Safety Operations. As part of its investment in the sustainability and well-being of its volunteer online communities, the Wikimedia Foundation is seeking a seasoned communications expert who is able to guide and support the department’s communications, especially on sensitive, delicate, and attorney-client-privilege issues and cases. The Community Resilience and Sustainability (CR&S) teams place a strong focus on clear and empathetic communications, resilient operations capabilities, and continuous process improvement. The successful candidate for this position will be responsible for shaping and leading Community Resilience & Sustainability and Trust and Safety communications while working in partnership with departmental leadership and the wider team on strategic issues, including continuous work to identify and implement solutions improving our communications capabilities in collaboration with communities and appropriate staff, especially in relation to Trust & Safety work. 

As the Lead Communications Specialist, you will need a good understanding of what shapes thriving online communities, T&S industry best practices, especially in delicate communications including with users in distress, and law enforcement relationships. To address these complex problems, you will have to understand the technical possibilities as well as social norms and how to work with volunteers from disparate backgrounds to encourage building a culture of high behavioral expectations and excellent peer enforcement thereof. You will be the primary point person for CR&S’ and T&S’ communications practices and needs. You are a seasoned communications professional and are able to design and deploy inclusive narratives that address diverse audiences.

You are responsible for:

• Reviewing trust & safety communications processes as well as those of other groups within Community Resilience & Sustainability to ensure that we meet the team’s goals of communicating quickly, clearly, and compassionately; work closely with the Vice President of Community Resilience & Sustainability to flag strategic improvements as necessary.
• Drafting content for CR&S correspondence with vulnerable stakeholders, movement audiences (including the Wikimedia community of volunteer contributors), and Wikimedia Foundation staff. 
• Reviewing and advising on content drafted by other CR&S staff as necessary to ensure an aligned team approach.
• Contributing to executive communications and reports.
• Support the Communications department in building and advancing a coherent trust and safety narrative
• Managing the department’s communications initiatives in support of departmental leadership. 
• Communicating with key stakeholders in a precise, detailed or high-level communication style, depending on the needs of the organization and community.

Skills and Experience:

• Excellent writing skills (including familiarity with AP Style) in English, especially as applied to press communication, blog posts, and other short-form content.
• Ability to navigate with empathy intercultural communication challenges to ensure communication has the best impact with diverse audiences.
• Strong verbal communication skills in English, including the ability to synthesize complex topics and create compelling narratives for various audiences
• Proficient proofreader.
• Demonstrated talent in managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Experience working across digital platforms (websites, mobile, blogs, etc.)
• Highly collaborative and supportive style. Capable of building strong relationships within the organization and within Wikimedia communities.
• Experience working in a global organization that has a distributed workforce
• Ability to effectively partner with multiple levels
• Ability to function well in ambiguity

Qualities that are important to us:

• Experience with, or understanding of, free knowledge, open source, free culture, or other online communities and operates with high sensitivity around culture with the goal to respect, preserve and enhance
• Professional or educational background in journalism, communications, psychology or social work preferred.
• Command of other languages (especially German, Hindi, Japanese, or Spanish) is seen as a plus

The Wikimedia Foundation is… 

…the nonprofit organization that hosts and operates Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia free knowledge projects. Our vision is a world in which every single human can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. We believe that everyone has the potential to contribute something to our shared knowledge, and that everyone should be able to access that knowledge, free of interference. We host the Wikimedia projects, build software experiences for reading, contributing, and sharing Wikimedia content, support the volunteer communities and partners who make Wikimedia possible, and advocate for policies that enable Wikimedia and free knowledge to thrive. The Wikimedia Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit organization that relies on donations. We receive financial support from millions of individuals around the world, with an average donation of about $15. We also receive donations through institutional grants and gifts. The Wikimedia Foundation is a United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with offices in San Francisco, California, USA.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Wikimedia Foundation values having a diverse workforce and continuously strives to maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage people with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate against any person based upon their race, traits historically associated with race, religion, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy or related medical conditions, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristics.

If you are a qualified applicant requiring assistance or an accommodation to complete any step of the application process due to a disability, you may contact us at

re********@wi*******.org











or (415) 839-6885.

U.S. Benefits & Perks*

• Fully paid medical, dental and vision coverage for employees and their eligible families (yes, fully paid premiums!)
• The Wellness Program provides reimbursement for mind, body and soul activities such as fitness memberships, baby sitting, continuing education and much more
• The 401(k) retirement plan offers matched contributions at 4% of annual salary
• Flexible and generous time off – vacation, sick and volunteer days, plus 22 paid holidays – including the last week of the year.
• Family friendly! 100% paid new parent leave for seven weeks plus an additional five weeks for pregnancy, flexible options to phase back in after leave, fully equipped lactation room.
• For those emergency moments – long and short term disability, life insurance (2x salary) and an employee assistance program
• Pre-tax savings plans for health care, child care, elder care, public transportation and parking expenses
• Telecommuting and flexible work schedules available
• Appropriate fuel for thinking and coding (aka, a pantry full of treats) and monthly massages to help staff relax
• Paid travel to Wikimedia Foundation events all around the world!
• Equipment including a laptop, monitor, plus a one-time stipend to cover any additional needs to make sure you have the best work experience
• Great colleagues – diverse staff and contractors speaking dozens of languages from around the world, fantastic intellectual discourse, mission-driven and intensely passionate people

*Please note that for remote roles located outside of the U.S., we defer to our PEO to ensure alignment with local labor laws.

More information

Wikimedia Foundation
Blog
Wikimedia 2030
Wikimedia Medium Term Plan
Our Commitment to Equity
This is Wikimedia Foundation
Facts Matter
Our Projects
Our Tech Stack

How to Apply

Job Types: Full-Time.

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