Director of Content, Communications

This position will be based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or Washington, D.C. FIRE operates on a hybrid work schedule that allows for a mix of in-the-office and remote work for eligible employees.

About FIRE

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.

Position Description

FIRE is seeking a Director of Content with 10 or more years of experience to oversee and execute a cohesive editorial strategy that tells FIRE’s story across media platforms and galvanizes more Americans to join our fast-growing free speech movement. The Director of Content supervises the in-house creative, social media, and editorial teams, while also collaborating with teams across FIRE, specifically our Litigation, Rapid Response, Public Advocacy, and Campus Rights Advocacy teams.

1. Developing and implementing a comprehensive and cohesive multimedia strategy that tells FIRE’s story across multiple channels.
2. Managing, mentoring, and motivating the in-house creative, social media, and editorial teams to ensure FIRE produces top-notch content, including articles, social media, graphics, and video.
3. Collaborating closely with the organization's Creative team, Digital Editor-in-Chief, and Digital Communications Strategist to identify fresh content ideas and new trends that the public is thirsty for, propelling FIRE’s mission, and growing FIRE’s audiences across different platforms and executing on those ideas and trends.
4. Leading weekly content meetings to determine what to produce each week as well as to discuss larger projects that require cross-team and cross-department coordination and collaboration.
5. Supervising editorial, social, and video content calendars to ensure the proper coordination and cadence of content on FIRE’s website and across its social media channels.
6. Setting comprehensive goals for performance and growth of the content across platforms.
7. Monitoring relevant performance metrics across platforms and adjusting strategy to focus on what works to meet or exceed relevant key performance indicators.
8. Managing vendor relationships and contracts as well as finding and managing new vendors to assist in producing content for FIRE’s website and social media channels.
9. Finding and onboarding software and other tools to increase the efficiency and speed of creating and publishing content on FIRE’s website and across its social media channels.

This position involves occasional travel. Moderate work on weekends and evenings should be expected.

The expected start date for this position is as soon as possible.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will have an exceptional work ethic and the ability to lead a large team. Most importantly, the candidate must demonstrate a knowledge and passion for FIRE’s mission and an ability to articulate that passion in a way that will make others enthusiastic about our cause. A candidate must also be able to demonstrate:

1. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and general copy editing skills.
2. Very strong knowledge of free speech philosophy, law, and trends.
3. The ability to articulate FIRE’s mission and advocacy to familiar and unfamiliar audiences.
4. The ability to think strategically, propose new ideas, and spot opportunities for multimedia content.
5. Awareness of new and emerging trends. Superb news instincts.
6. The ability to generate excellent multimedia content ideas and, most importantly, execute on them, with an emphasis on reaching younger audiences.
7. The ability to make difficult decisions while weighing tradeoffs.
8. Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
9. Strong organizational and time management skills.
10. Problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing situations.
11. The ability to work well under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
12. The ability to engage with leadership and stakeholders.
13. The ability to communicate and coordinate with different departments within FIRE to achieve shared goals.
14. Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.

Salary and Compensation

Starting salary is negotiable and depends upon experience and education level. FIRE conducts periodic evaluations where employees may receive raises or bonuses for outstanding and excellent work. FIRE also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid comprehensive health, dental, and life insurance; a Section 125 Flexible Spending Account option; matching retirement contributions; and a generous paid time-off plan.

Applications

Applicants should provide a resume, cover letter, portfolio of multimedia projects, salary requirements, and contact information for at least two professional references. All applications are confidential. Please address applications to Cait Scanlan, Director of People Operations.

FIRE is an equal opportunity employer.