Story Specialist - Temp

International Justice Mission; Virginia; Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision

Monthly commuter benefits

Retirement benefit options

Paid leave starting at 23 days

12 holidays

Spiritual formation resources

Staff care resources

Job summary

International Justice Mission is seeking a Temporary Story Specialist to bridge strategic communications, project management, and content governance. The role supports high-quality, accessible storytelling materials and DAM system adoption, collaborating with global teams and executive storytelling needs.

The position is hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) for DC-area candidates, or remote for non-local applicants, reporting to the Story Manager.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in communications, marketing, journalism, library science, project management or related field.
• 2–4 years of experience in communications, storytelling, content management or project management.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders is preferred.
• Strong editorial judgment and attention to detail.
• Experience with Digital Asset Management (DAM) or content management systems is preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support storytelling across the organization with creative, emotionally compelling content.
• Review and edit stories prior to publication for quality, consistency and policy compliance.
• Curate story content for executive speeches, presentations, briefs, and donor/media engagements.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to identify content for campaigns and initiatives.
• Develop and distribute a monthly newsletter highlighting new stories and resources.
• Ensure accessibility and alignment with content policies and consent documentation.
• Assist with DAM governance and tagging of media assets.
• Coordinate project timelines and stakeholder communications within the Global Story Team.
• Support video production timelines and cross-team communication.
• Track project progress and maintain documentation and action items.

Skills

Communications experience

Storytelling

Content management

Project management

Editorial judgment

Verbal communication

Written communication

Organization

Process improvement

DAM familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Library Science, Project Management or a related field

Tools

Digital Asset Management (DAM)

Content management systems

Job description

Who We Are

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

The Need

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking a Temporary Story Specialist to play a role at the intersection of strategic communications, project management and content governance. This individual will ensure high-quality, accessible, and policy-compliant story materials are available for marketing, communications and fundraising. Simultaneously, the Story Specialist will contribute to IJM’s global storytelling system by supporting the implementation, maintenance, and adoption of IJMs digital asset management (DAM) system, coordinating strategic storytelling initiatives, managing cross-functional projects, and supporting executive storytelling needs. This position is hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) if located in the Washington, DC area or remote for non-local candidates. It reports to Story Manager and is only available for candidates with the right to work in the US.

Responsibilities

Story Support

• Demonstrate creativity and strong storytelling acumen to ensure stories available to the organization are emotionally compelling and resonate with diverse audiences;
• Review and edit stories prior to publication, ensuring quality, consistency and compliance with IJM storytelling standards;
• Review recurring organizational storytelling content, including Tuesday Survivor Stories and All Hands stories, to ensure quality and strategic alignment;
• Curate and provide high-quality story materials for a variety of organizational uses, including executive speeches, presentations, briefings, and donor or media engagements;
• Source stories for strategic organizational initiatives and campaigns, partnering with internal stakeholders to identify compelling content that supports organizational priorities;
• Develop and distribute a monthly newsletter highlighting newly available stories and content resources for internal audiences;
• Ensure accessibility of assets in alignment with IJM’s content policies, release and consent documentation, and accessibility standards;
• Respond to requests for story content promptly and accurately.

Story Operations & DAM Support

• Support the organization and governance of IJM’s Digital Asset Management library;
• Assist with uploading, tagging, organizing and curating story content and media;
• Collaborate with global teams to ensure consistent taxonomy and tagging practices;
• Assist in reviewing and approving content for compliance and quality;
• Partner with the Story Manager to streamline workflows and system integrations;
• Curate story collections that support organizational priorities and increase discoverability across the organization.

Project Management

• Manage day-to-day coordination of Global Story team projects, ensuring timelines, deliverables and stakeholder communications remain on track;
• Coordinate the ongoing administration and enhancement of the Global Content Bank, partnering with internal stakeholders as needed;
• Support video production projects by coordinating timelines, reviewing deliverables, and facilitating communication between internal teams and external partners;
• Provide project management support for strategic storytelling initiatives, including global field storytelling trips, special campaigns, and other high-priority projects;
• Track project progress, identify risks, and communicate status updates to stakeholders and leadership;
• Maintain project documentation, meeting notes, timelines, and action items to ensure successful project execution.

Collaboration & Communication

• Coordinate between the Global storytelling teams and regional communications teams to ensure shared visibility of key stories and themes;
• Provide administrative, operational, and project support to the Story Manager;
• Communicate project updates, timelines, and priorities to stakeholders across multiple teams; and
• Participation in IJM’s community of spiritual formation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Library Science, Project Management or a related field;
• 2-4 years of experience in communications, storytelling, content management, or project management;
• Experience coordinating cross-functional projects and managing multiple stakeholders is preferred;
• Strong project management and organizational skills with a focus on process improvement;
• Experience coordinating multiple concurrent projects with competing deadlines;
• Strong editorial judgment and attention to detail;
• Experience working with Digital Asset Management (DAM) or content management systems preferred;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment; and
• Proficiency with project management tools preferred.

Critical Qualities

• Eager commitment to IJM’s Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building;
• Mature orthodox Christian faith as defined by the Apostles’ Creed;
• A strong alignment with IJM’s Christian values and a passion for justice, mercy, and freedom for the oppressed is essential for success in this role;
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment and able to manage competing priorities with grace and precision;
• Collaborative and service-oriented mindset;
• Self-managed;
• Self-starter with strong initiative;
• Disciplined with priorities;
• Strong interpersonal skills and self-awareness;
• Exceptional verbal and written communication;
• Flexible, collaborative and eager to support others;
• Effective team player who fosters collaborative environment; and
• Adept at creative problem solving.

What does IJM have to offer?

• Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision benefits
• Monthly commuter and parking benefits in the DC metro area
• Retirement benefit options
• Paid leave starting at 23 days
• 12 holidays (plus early release the day prior)
• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation
• Robust staff care resources

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes.

At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed.

IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.