Communications Engagement Writer

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is one of the nation's leading national racial justice legal organizations. Formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy, the Lawyers' Committee uses legal advocacy to achieve racial justice, fighting inside and outside the courts to ensure that Black people and other people of color have the voice, opportunity, and power to make the promises of our democracy real.

The Lawyers' Committee has litigation, public policy, and advocacy programs in the substantive areas of Voting Rights, Election Protection, Digital Justice, Economic Justice, Criminal Justice, Economic Opportunities, and Fair Housing. The organization advances its mission as the premier organization marshaling the resources of the private bar alongside our own talented staff, with over 1 million pro bono hours billed to our cases and matters over the past decade.

Job Title: Communications Engagement Writer
Location: Washington, DC
Job Type: Full-Time
Union Affiliation: Union
Accountable to: Vice President of Communications

About the Role:
The Lawyers' Committee seeks a talented, creative and detail-oriented Communications Engagement Writer who will collaborate with our staff team to lift up the organization's activities and impact. This position plays a leading role in planning, writing, editing, and publishing high-quality content that educates audiences, elevates and promotes the organization's mission, goals, and brand, and drives ongoing engagement.

The ideal candidate is a creative and resourceful storyteller and content creator who will craft compelling narratives has strong editorial judgement, creativity, along with the ability to make civil rights law and policy accessible to a wide variety of audiences through persuasive writing, storytelling, and narrative-shaping. The ideal candidate has a comfort with centering and interacting with Black people and communities and is adept at managing multiple projects and keeping workflow running smoothly and promptly.

This position reports to the Vice President of Communications and will work closely with staff across the organization, including the President and Executive Director and other members of the executive management team.
This is a full-time position based in Washington, DC. Some travel will be expected.

What You'll be Doing:

• Serve as primary author to develop, draft, and edit content for emails, publications, blog posts and other website content for digital marketing, as well as Op-Eds, talking points, speeches and other material as needed.

• Translate complex civil rights legal information into engaging, relevant, and accessible content that clearly breaks down issues and explains work.

• Serve as primary proofreader and copyeditor for the Communications department.

• Ensure clarity, accuracy, brand alignment and consistency in messaging, style, tone and visual presentation.

• Craft issue-related talking points and remarks (including full speeches) for speaking engagements and events, especially for the President and Executive Director and essays for special publications.

• Collaborate with and support Director of Earned Media in drafting op-eds on various issues.

• Manage writing and production of the organization's annual report.

• Work with Director of Digital Media and Development Team to manage email program calendar.

• Support the Director of Digital Media in identifying effective means to cultivating and sustaining online audiences via content creation that enhance the organization's storytelling.

• Draft internal and external facing communications, templates, and documents related to specific departments and content needs.

• Route content for review and approval.

• Bachelor's Degree in English, writing, communications or journalism or equivalent relevant experience.
• Three to five years of full-time professional writing experience in an advocacy or non-profit setting in a fast-paced work environment, ideally one focused on civil rights and racial justice.
• Familiarity with the organizations and issues in the modern Civil Rights and racial justice movement.
• Familiarity with the substantive issues on which the Lawyers' Committee focuses its work.
• Experience crafting compelling email messages and other content for external audiences as part of digital outreach.
• Experience writing for executive level staff, including writing in the voice of the institution and individual leaders.
• Strong working knowledge and experience working with Chicago Manual of Style, AP Style, and first-person voice.
• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills and strong editorial judgement.
• Experience working and managing writing and design projects with outside consultants and contractors.
• Ability to work quickly and handle multiple projects.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Availability and willingness to work outside of conventional 9-5 schedule evenings and weekends will be required.
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team.
• Excellent computer skills including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Google applications.
• Strong commitment to the mission and values of the Lawyers' Committee and understanding of civil rights.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop and Premier.
• Interest in civil rights and experience with advocacy campaigns.
• Familiarity with WordPress is a plus but not required.