The First Amendment Coalition (FAC) is looking for a full-time and fully remote Press Education Manager to lead the vision and day-to-day management of our journalist education programs. This is a chance to play a key role at a leading California nonprofit that does important work to support California journalists’ ability to access government information to keep communities informed.
The new position is a dream job for someone with an investigative journalism or journalism education background who is passionate about sharing knowledge and building community. We’re looking for a leader with a vision for ensuring journalists working in a shifting media landscape have access to high-quality tutorials, workshops, guides, and other tools for accessing public records and government proceedings, doing accountability reporting and knowing their rights. The ideal candidate will have experience with the California Public Records Act and other open-government protections, and be eager to build on that knowledge and share with journalists across the state.
You are also organized, driven and generous with your knowledge and have a mental list of journalists, open-government and media law experts you’d love to work with to develop and deliver trainings and create useful educational resources. You are keenly attentive about how to engage and support journalists with a range of backgrounds and experience levels.
This is an opportunity to play a positive role to support journalists while working with passionate colleagues recognized for their commitment to journalism. We know candidates may come from a variety of professional backgrounds – newsrooms, academia, other nonprofit organizations, or journalism affinity groups. If you don’t see your resume reflected in what’s outlined below, tell us how you would approach this role and what skills you bring that will help you support journalists’ ability to acquire public records, cover public meetings and other government proceedings, and know their rights.
Core responsibilities and opportunities:
- Develop comprehensive training strategies focused on educating journalists about open-government and press rights issues.
- Organize both online and in-person trainings, seminars, workshops, symposiums, etc.
- Develop and deliver presentations, lectures, panels on FAC’s core topics and recruit others to do so, based on subject-matter expertise.
- Collaborate with FAC legal and other experts to support their educational work.
- Working with a new programs coordinator, manage and curate FAC’s online educational resources, including videos, guides, etc.
- Build and maintain relationships with newsrooms, journalism-serving organizations, educators and the broader journalism community to assess needs and develop new journalist audiences.
- Working with a new programs coordinator, design plan for assessing needs of journalists and for gathering and evaluating feedback on FAC’s efforts.
- Maintain accurate records and documentation of training sessions, trainers and attendance.
- Prepare reports or communications materials as needed highlighting the educational programming efforts.
Qualifications:
- A strong background in journalism, journalism education, or experience or in developing and managing training programs.
- A bachelor’s degree.
- At least seven years of professional working experience (can be in a newsroom, in education, for a nonprofit, or journalism organization).
- Familiarity with freedom of information topics and issues, especially the California Public Records Act, investigative journalism or local government reporting or editing experience.
- Strong writing and communication skills.
- Experience with or ability to quickly become proficient in online communication platforms (e.g. Zoom, Slack, Google Workspace).
Pay and benefits:
- The salary is up to $95,000, depending on experience.
- FAC pays 85% of health insurance and offers a 401(k) retirement plan with a 5% employer match.
- Paid time off includes four weeks of vacation time per year, plus the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, when FAC’s offices are closed, 10 paid holidays, and 10 sick days per year.
- Employees choose a computer and related office equipment of their preference and receive a monthly stipend for a cell phone reimbursement.
- Program staff can also receive budget and time for professional development opportunities (conferences, training).
About FAC
Nonpartisan and nonprofit, FAC believes that the broadest range of engaged and informed communities is essential to the health of our democracy – that the values expressed by the First Amendment provide a blueprint for an inclusive, equitable society and a responsive, accountable government. To that end, FAC educates, advocates and litigates to protect and promote government transparency and First Amendment protections for all.
FAC is a small but growing organization with a 37-year history working across California to stand up for free speech, a free press and public participation in civic affairs. FAC is committed to a diverse and inclusive staff, one that reflects the state and country we serve. Freedom of information, expression, and of the press are universal ideals but diversity of life experiences can make a big difference in how FAC identifies and litigates legal issues, serves our varied constituencies, and arrives at policy positions on the rights and ideals we care about. To that end, we deliberately seek applicants who can bring different perspectives and experiences to better inform our work promoting and defending free expression, a free press and the public’s right to know.
Read more about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in this summary of our Strategic Plan, and about our work across California in our latest Impact Report.
Location
We welcome candidates who will work remotely, but require this position to be based in California. Candidates who want to work from the San Francisco Bay Area will have access to a FAC office in San Rafael (Marin County). Our fully remote team meets multiple times a year, and all employees are expected to attend those gatherings, with costs covered by FAC.
Application deadline
Applications will be accepted through April 4, but we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
How to apply:
Please submit a resume and a cover letter through Bamboo HR describing your interest in working for the First Amendment Coalition and how your skills and experiences fit the desired qualifications. You should address your cover letter to Ginny LaRoe.
Questions: If you have questions regarding FAC’s Education Manager/director position or the application process, please email glaroe@firstamendmentcoalition.org. Inquiries will be treated as confidential. Applications are not permitted by email.