Sr. Public/Media Relations Specialist (Florida based)
Background:
The Leadership Conference Education Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization that works to build public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. It was founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation's premier civil and human rights coalition of more than 200 national organizations that work together to advance civil and human rights policies and legislation. More info about the organizations can be found at www.civilrights.org. Introduction The Leadership Conference Education Fund works with a local partner in states around the country to build their capacity to engage in public education around civil rights issues. The Education Fund is seeking to engage a consultant to serve as a senior media relations specialist to provide strategic guidance and additional communications and media relations capacity for a key organizational partner in Tennessee. The consultant will develop and implement a strategic communications plan around the educational equity agenda of the League of Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Florida, with an eye toward raising the profile of the organization as a major player in Florida education policy discourse.
This work will be designed to help build out a communications infrastructure that can support the long-term education policy and community engagement. The consultant will also provide limited technical support to the organization's local education coalition partners, as necessary.
This is a year-long contract to end on June 30, 2020. The consultant will be based in Florida, and have the ability to travel around parts of the state to execute the work in this RFP as necessary.
The consultant will work independently to provide the following deliverables: - Draft communications plans that draw upon traditional media relations tactics, while integrating innovative uses of digital platforms and content. - Create and execute strategic, high-quality press events that spur coverage, shift narratives, and drive key partners to act. - Create external press materials, including press releases, advisories, statements, op-eds, etc., that deliver clear, consistent and consequential messages. - Develop and disseminate talking points to support the work of the LULAC FL and its coalition partners on educational equity issues. Skills and Qualifications: This contract requires: - A minimum of five years of media relations experience - including a demonstrated record of pitching stories, cultivating reporter relations, and staffing principals for interviews; on-the-record experience is preferred. - A solid commitment to advancing civil and human rights. - Proven experience as a consultant or independent contractor. - Ability to think strategically and creatively about deploying the full suite of communications tools to advance educational equity. - Persuasive writing that drives others to action and superior editing skills. - An understanding of the Florida state political system and the role of issue advocacy organizations; experience in advocacy communications or political campaigns preferred. - Ability to work with diverse groups of people. - A collaborative, dependable self-starter with a record of producing high-quality work for different audiences under tight deadlines. - Bilingual skills desired, but not required. - Bachelor's degree Proposal Guidelines: A clear proposal with a proposed work process and strategy that includes: 1. Evidence that you have provided the same or similar deliverables to former employers and/or clients. 2. Your experience working as a communications or media relations professional, preferably in Florida. 3. An outline of your approach to the work outlined in this RFP including timelines and your estimated number of hours a week to be devoted to this project. 4. Your proposed fee and anticipated reimbursable expenses. 5. A list of three client references, preferably civil rights or social justice organizations.