Tomorrow’s Minnesota is a state where no matter your socioeconomic status or the color of your skin, every child has the opportunity to receive an excellent public education. It’s a state whose students graduate with the skills needed to compete globally, propelling our economy to new heights.
Today’s Minnesota is a state where the children most dependent on our public schools do not get the education opportunities they deserve. We own among the worst achievement gaps in the country. Our low-income children and students of color enter our schools behind, fall further behind each year, and drop out of school with alarming regularity, failing to learn even the most basic skills a 21st-century job requires.
Since 2011, MinnCAN: The Minnesota Campaign for Achievement Now – a statewide, independent education reform nonprofit–has been building a new movement of concerned people advocating to fundamentally reform our public schools through smart public policies. MinnCAN was founded in 2011 and has nearly 9,000 members.
MinnCAN has an energetic, results-driven team working on state-level opportunities to eradicate Minnesota’s pervasive opportunity gaps. We will not rest until every Minnesota child has access to a great public school. For more information, please visit www.minncan.org.
Position
Reporting to the deputy director, the communications associate will support MinnCAN’s statewide communications efforts, develop social media and website content, work directly with the media, and help the organization effectively tell the story of our vision and impact. S/he will work extensively with the 50CAN national communications team.
The ideal candidate will be an extraordinarily strong writer, help drive coalitions and partnerships, help advance communications and advocacy projects, and thrive in a fast- paced environment.
Key Responsibilities
Communications, advocacy strategy and statewide media relations
- Assist with the development and execution of strategies that bring together effective communications and messaging to mobilize MinnCAN supporters behind state-level policy change.
- Support media inquiries and help cultivate relationships with reporters across the state.
- Help draft and disseminate mass advocacy emails.
- Strengthen MinnCAN’s social media platforms.
- Manage communications databases.
Strategic partnerships, member engagement and mobilization
- Work collaboratively with the MinnCAN team to support the cultivation of strategic relationships and partnerships throughout Minnesota.
- Assist in the recruitment, training and support of a network of activists committed to education reform.
- Plan and coordinate turnouts to legislative hearings, rallies and other events.
- Help grow MinnCAN’s membership by organizing events, including house parties, policy forums and other events.
- Represent MinnCAN at external meetings and events.
Development, donor cultivation and stewardship and storytelling
- Contribute to grant writing and reporting, draft letters to current and potential supporters, and track donor interactions to ensure strong stewardship.
- Develop effective strategies to tell the story of MinnCAN: our history and accomplishments, lessons learned, and our vision for strengthening Minnesota’s public schools.
Key Skills, Abilities and Experience
The ideal candidate has a strong commitment to education reform and MinnCAN’s mission to make sure every Minnesota child has access to a great public school. Additionally, s/he demonstrates:
Strong communication skills
- Exceptional writing and editing skills; close attention to detail and can complete writing assignments in a timely manner.
- Social media fluency, particularly Twitter and Facebook.
- An aptitude for building relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Political aptitude, community engager:
- Experience in social and/or political campaigns and familiarity with the policy- making process.
- An understanding of a broad base of community stakeholder groups (e.g., education groups, civic groups, faith-based coalitions, government agencies).
A track record as a team player:
- Sense of humor, strong work ethic, “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude, and willingness to do “whatever it takes” in a fast-paced work environment.
- Demonstrates a record of perseverance in the face of challenges.
- Operates with integrity by doing what’s right, even when it is uncomfortable.
- Can establish and work towards long-term measurable goals.
- Can work independently; creative thinker and ability to self-initiate; ability to collaborate on events and projects.
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to daniel.sellers@minncan.org with “Advocacy Manager” in the subject line. Salary is highly competitive and commensurate with experience. MinnCAN offers a comprehensive benefits package.
MinnCAN is an equal opportunity employer.