Internal Communications Specialist

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is the global organization’s presence in the United States. We engage people in the U.S. to fight injustice all around the world, while we also work to protect people’s human rights here in the U.S. AIUSA has more than one million members and activists in all 50 states, who are part of a larger global movement of 10 million people in 150 countries. We are a democratically governed, grassroots membership organization, which means that our members vote on key policy issues and elect our Board of Directors. Some of our members are experts on specific human rights issues, parts of the world, or advocacy areas, and they serve as volunteer leaders. Others are volunteer leaders of local or student groups in towns, universities, states, or regions of the country. AIUSA’s elected Board members, staff, and members work together to lead the organization.

Job Summary

AIUSA is seeking an organized and dynamic Internal Communications Specialist who will work across our organization to advance our strategic initiatives, ensure operational efficiency, and support thought leadership. The ideal candidate must be a self-starter who is a top-notch writer, skilled at both strategic planning and managing tactical execution, and comfortable wearing many hats. They must be detail-oriented, an excellent communicator and demonstrate a growth mindset, with a willingness to learn new things and contribute to projects as needed.

The Internal Communications Specialist will navigate a variety of topics and translate complex information into clear, concise, and strategic messages for internal audiences consistent with institutional priorities. Additionally, the Specialist will compose all-staff emails, Board of Director reports, agendas, and minutes of Board/E-Team/staff meetings, talking points, presentations, memos, reports, and other assets amplifying the organization’s voice, as directed. The Specialist will also provide communications support to the Chair of the Board of Directors and to Board committees and working groups. This role reports to the Chief of Staff (CoS) and handles confidential and sensitive matters and is not covered under the collective bargaining agreement.

Essential Responsibilities

• Works directly with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, CoS, internal stakeholders, and AIUSA staff and Executive Team (E-Team) to support clear and critical internal communications
• Creates an internal communications strategy in partnership with the CoS that is responsive to Board, E-Team, and staff input regarding the effectiveness of internal communications efforts
• Works with Marketing & Communication team to ensure that internal communication goals and strategy are consistent with external communications
• Provides communications-related support to the Chair of the Board, staffs Board and Board committee and working group meetings and events to provide communications support needed to effectively advance the Board’s goals
• Maintains minutes for Board and committee meetings
• Updates member center portal with relevant information from Board and staff
• Creates annotated agendas and drafts minutes for weekly E-Team meetings in coordination with the CoS
• Develops memos and reports for staff regarding E-Team decisions and Executive Director updates and decisions
• Prepares biweekly drafts agendas for staff meetings in coordination with the CoS, and ensures staff are apprised of key organizational developments
• Updates, and helps evolve, AIUSA’s intranet site ensuring all relevant information, policy and procedures are provided in a timely manner for all staff
• Demonstrated ability to embed inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) best practices into both strategy and operations
• Keeps apprised of new trends and innovations in internal communications and brings new and creative insights into the organization
• This position requires some night and weekend hours
• Requires 10-20% travel

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including written, oral, and presentation skills, and exceptional composition and editorial skills; Demonstrated poise, diplomacy, tact, and good judgment and ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously; flexibility and energy to balance competing agendas and adjust to changing priorities with grace and good humor
• Ability to interact and engage effectively with diverse Amnesty constituencies
• Strong project management, calendar management, and organizational skills
• Self-started with ability to work independently under minimal supervision
• Proficient in MS Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Sharepoint, etc.; familiar with different communications platforms

Education and Experience

• BA/BS required
• Five years of relevant experience required, including experience working with a Board of Directors and/or a senior management team
• Experience with member organizations and/or international non-profits preferred

We recognize the valuable skills that can be gained through internships, fellowships, volunteer work, and non-traditional work experience. This experience helps build competencies and knowledge that may translate to our job openings. We seek a diversity of experience and skills for our workplace and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our openings.

HOW TO APPLY AND OUR EEO STATEMENT

All applications must be completed online, and we do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings. You must complete the entire online application, and electronically sign, in order for an application to be considered “complete.” For technical difficulties ONLY, please email talentacquisition@aiusa.org

Amnesty International USA is an equal opportunity employer. AIUSA encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are all strongly encouraged to apply.

OUR COMMITMENT AS AN ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZATION AND TO INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY (IDEA)

Dismantling white supremacy is central to the fight for human rights in the United States and around the world. As we mobilize staff and activists and work with partners to help transform the multiple systems where oppression operates in the world around us as part of our human rights mandate, anti-racism must be integral to our work. What does that mean for Amnesty International in the United States? It means using our people power to fight injustice and centering the voices and experiences of those most impacted by racist structures, beliefs, and laws. Fundamentally, it means doing our human rights work differently than it has been done before, because we know that who we work with, how we work, the work we do, and ultimately who we are, are all interconnected.

As an international, intercultural, intergenerational, and intersectional movement of activists committed to protecting and advancing human rights for all, Amnesty is deeply committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA). To learn more about how we integrate these concepts into our work and workplace, visit: https://www.amnestyusa.org/idea/

Remote and Hybrid Workplace Policy

Because the health and safety of our employees and candidates are a top priority, we are currently conducting our hiring process virtually. We are currently starting our positions as fully remote but will transition to a hybrid work environment when our offices re-open, expected to be in January 2023.