Advocacy Intern

FACT Coalition; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; Part time

Job summary

FACT Coalition in Washington, DC is seeking an Advocacy Intern for Fall Semester 2016. The intern will assist with communications, advocacy, and operational tasks to achieve strategic policy goals.

This unpaid position involves logistics for meetings and public events, communication with Coalition members, and general administrative support. Prior experience in social media and event organization is preferred. The ideal candidate is a team player with strong writing and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Excellent skills in copy editing and persuasive writing.
• Strong organizational and logistical skills.
• Resourcefulness and creativity.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and utilize information technology skills.
• Team player who can deliver in a fast-paced environment.
• Some related experience using social media, blogging, or websites as advocacy tools.

Responsibilities

• Maintain the Coalition’s various email list-serves.
• Assist in organizing public events and logistics.
• Help draft and circulate agendas for meetings.
• Assist with advocacy actions using the Salsa database.
• Draft the weekly 'Just the FACTS' newsletter.

Skills

Copy editing

Persuasive writing

Organizational skills

Social media usage

Event organization

Information technology skills

Writing and speaking skills

Job description

Founded in 2011, the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition unites over 100 representatives from small business, labor, government watchdog, faith-based, human rights, anti-corruption, public interest, and international development organizations. We seek an honest and fair corporate tax code and to curb global tax evasion and avoidance by closing tax haven loopholes, promoting greater transparency in corporate ownership and operations, and advancing common‑sense policies to combat the facilitation of money laundering and other criminal activity by the financial system. With more than $20 trillion currently stashed in secrecy jurisdictions around the world, offshore tax haven loopholes costing U.S. taxpayers $150 billion annually, and illicit financial flows draining a trillion dollars per year from developing and emerging economies—exacerbating global poverty and inequality—our work has never been more important.

Through continued strategic media outreach and on-going relationship building with Hill and Administration staff, FACT has helped to change the public conversation around taxes and build a range of champions in Washington willing to support legislative and executive solutions. FACT has fostered and maintains strong working relationships with both Democratic and Republican Hill offices and with various departments and offices in the executive branch. We played a central role in defeating proposals for a corporate tax holiday, and in March of last year, brought more than fifty small business owners, faith leaders, and activists from across the country to Washington for a three-day advocacy event.

For more information about FACT, visit www.thefactcoalition.org

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The FACT Coalition is looking for an intelligent, energetic, and resourceful Advocacy Intern to help with the communications, advocacy, outreach, and operations of its office in Washington, DC during the Fall Semester, 2016.

The unpaid position will assist in achieving the strategic policy and communications goals of the coalition—primarily through online media work, but also with traditional communications as needed.

The Advocacy Intern will also help facilitate many logistics for the Coalition—coordinating a lot of the Coalition’s various committee meetings, planning and organizing public events, coordinating joint sign‑on letters to various Administration officials and Members of Congress, and following up with Coalition members on their various commitments.

The Advocacy Intern will assist the Communications and Operations Associate with much of the operations and administrative support at FACT’s secretariat office: ordering office supplies; formatting, mailing, and shipping correspondence and packages; and troubleshooting various IT and administrative hurdles. S/he will also assist the Executive Director and the Deputy Director in any other coalition issues and activities as needed.

Primary Responsibilities

• Maintaining the Coalition’s various email list‑serves.
• Sending emails to list‑serves pushing out reports, statements, press hits, event notices, etc. from Coalition members.
• Sending reminders of Policy/Communications, Field, and Community meetings with solicitations for agenda items.
• Helping to draft the agenda for the Policy/Communications, Field, and Community meetings.
• Taking notes at the Policy/Communications, Field, and Community meetings and circulating them to attendees.
• Helping with the logistics and planning of events, Hill briefings, press conferences, etc. This includes dealing with venues, catering, A/V, invites, etc.
• Helping to follow up on commitments by coalition members: op‑eds, scheduling legislative meetings, field work, etc.
• Assisting with advocacy actions through the Salsa database.
• Logging and maintaining contacts (in Salsa database).
• Assisting with logging and maintaining the press lists (in Salsa).
• Identifying relevant topics, articles, etc. and drafting tweets for the Coalition.
• Assisting with the Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles of the Coalition, posting and sharing on a regular basis as appropriate.
• Assisting with pitching calls to press for briefings, events, conferences, etc.
• On occasion, drafting press releases, statements, blogs, op‑eds, LTEs, correspondence, etc. for the Deputy Director and the Executive Director to review.
• Assisting the Communications and Operations Associate with maintaining and updating the website: posting blogs, op‑eds, speeches, reports, FACT Sheets, and press releases to site. Posting links to member’s reports and quotes in print, radio, and TV interviews.
• Drafting weekly “Just the FACTS” newsletter.
• General research and grant‑writing support, as needed.
• General administrative duties, such as ordering office supplies and troubleshooting IT issues.

Qualifications

• Excellent skills in copy editing, persuasive writing.
• Strong organizational and logistical skills.
• Resourcefulness and creativity.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and utilize information technology skills.
• Team player who can deliver in a fast‑paced environment.
• Some related experience using social media, blogging, or websites as advocacy tools.
• Some related experience (work, volunteer, or internship) organizing public events.
• Applicants who can work 40 hours/week get higher priority but are flexible.
• Strong writing and speaking skills.
• Some graphic design skills are a plus.