Strategic Communications Manager for Youth Justice

Sacbar; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Paid vacation

Sick leave

Paid family leave

Retirement plan contributions

Paid sabbatical

Short-term and long-term disability

Job summary

National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) seeks a strategic and nimble Communications Manager to drive earned media and external visibility for the organization and its senior leaders. This role monitors daily developments, identifies moments for public response, and turns them into media and thought leadership opportunities.

You will build relationships with reporters and editors while shaping an editorial calendar with NCYL writers.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in media relations, strategic communications, journalism, public affairs, advocacy communications, or related fields.

Responsibilities

• Manage NCYL’s earned media strategy, monitoring daily news and developments relevant to NCYL’s work, identify emerging opportunities and risks, and recommend when and how NCYL should engage publicly, including securing interviews, podcast appearances, and other thought leadership opportunities for NCYL’s leaders.
• Help implement the strategic communications plan for the Communications team and organization, including setting priorities and goals, measurable objectives, strategies, and tactics.
• Manage strong cross-functional partnerships with organizational leadership, program leads, and the development team to identify communications goals, define target audiences, and execute timely, strategic opportunities that advance shared priorities—while delivering effective communications support and project management to NCYL’s program teams.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with reporters, editors, producers, podcast hosts, newsletter writers, and other external partners, with a focus on high-impact and national outlets.
• Draft and edit press releases, statements, talking points, media materials, and other public-facing content.
• Partner with NCYL’s writer to develop and maintain an editorial calendar for blogs, op-eds, statements, and related thought leadership content.
• Ensure earned media, thought leadership, and digital distribution are aligned and mutually reinforcing and lead digital rollout for major moments, including reports, campaigns, events, rapid-response efforts, and fundraising communications.
• Lead the Communications team, which includes supervising team members, developing their workplans, delegating work, and identifying goals.
• Help manage strategies and priorities with communications consultants (creative and website), including needs assessment, timelines, and budgeting.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Media relations

Strategic communications

Editorial instincts

Writing and editing

Project management

Team leadership

Equity and inclusion

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications/journalism/public affairs

Job description

National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) seeks a strategic and nimble Communications Manager to drive earned media and external visibility for the organization and its senior leaders. This role monitors daily developments, identifies moments for public response, and turns them into media and thought leadership opportunities.

You will build relationships with reporters and editors while shaping an editorial calendar with NCYL writers.