Communications and Advocacy Associate

SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) older adults. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources for LGBTQ+ older adults and their caregivers, advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ+ older people, and provides cultural competency training for aging providers and LGBTQ+ organizations, largely through its National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging and its growing social enterprise SAGECare.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, the full-time Communications and Advocacy Associate will be an experienced communications professional, excellent writer, thorough editor, and nimble employee who can move quickly from task to task. A strong candidate must demonstrate the ability to create rapid-response communications reacting to an ever-changing news cycle and have strong knowledge of policy and/or advocacy issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. The candidate must also effectively utilize different messaging in SAGE’s various forms of communication, as well as have the ability to manage different projects throughout the year. The Communications and Advocacy Associate will have experience in dealing with online, print, and broadcast media, as well as advocacy communications.

Required Skills/Qualifications:

  • Excellent writer and editor who is able to absorb and distill complex concepts into easily digestible content for press releases, social media posts, blog content, long-form reports, email campaigns, and more
  • Multi-tasks easily and has the ability to handle multiple assignments at once, work quickly, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment while paying close attention to detail
  • Strong track record of building lasting relationships, both with influencers in the media and with work colleagues
  • Understands organizing and advocacy communications, including online media campaigning, and local, state, or national politics
  • Proven ability to create personalized, effective media pitches for various platforms
  • Proficient in all stages of content creation, from ideation and research to writing, editing, and execution
  • Ability to think strategically and creatively
  • Entrepreneurial, innovative, and passionate about improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people

Key Responsibilities:

  • Researches, writes and edits a diverse range of advocacy and communications materials, including op-eds, letters to editors, annual reports, news releases, social media posts, brochures, talking points, speeches, long-form reports, infographics, and backgrounders
  • Writes and edits with speed and polish despite quick turnarounds
  • Maintains a spokespeople database and continually works to train spokespeople on messaging; makes interview requests based on media interest
  • Responds to media requests in a timely fashion
  • Monitors the media to identify opportunities to insert SAGE into the news cycle; builds and maintains press lists that demonstrate a strong understanding of the reporters and outlets covering SAGE’s issues.
  • Attends media events, interviews, and/or press conferences, as needed
  • Works with the Senior Director of Communications to coordinate targeted messaging efforts and advocacy campaigns around various SAGE initiatives
  • Evaluate and report on the effectiveness of communications strategies and recommend changes or improvements
  • Works strategically and collaboratively with other SAGE departments, including its national affiliates, to ensure consistent and proactive messaging to diverse audiences
  • Works with the Communications Team to create and integrate SAGE messaging across multiple media vehicles while continuing to search for new types of mediums helpful to SAGE
  • Provides support to departments across the organization in ensuring consistency of messaging and brand voice
  • Additional tasks as assigned by the supervisor

Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor’s Degree preferred
  • Has 2+ years of work experience, preferably in public relations, public affairs, media relations, journalism, political campaigns, or a related field
  • Fluency in Microsoft Office products

Valuable Qualifications:

  • Experience with Adobe Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator or related software and/or other technical tools of the trade that would benefit the department
  • Strong grasp of LGBTQ+ and/or aging issues
  • Proficiency with content management systems such as WordPress
  • Spanish speaker/writer

Department: Marketing & Communications Department
Reports to: Director of Marketing and Communications
Status: Full-time/Non-Exempt
Location: New York, NY – remote, with travel around NYC Centers as needed
Salary range: $54,265 to $67, 831

How to Apply: Please click here to begin the application process. Contact careers@sageusa.org if you have any questions.

Equal Employment Opportunity
SAGE is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, ethnicity, creed, color, religion, sex or gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, alienage or national origin, ancestry, age, citizenship status, marital or family status, family medical history or genetic information, veteran status, HIV serostatus, military or military discharge status, height, weight, disability or handicap, domestic violence victim status, employment status, socioeconomic status, criminal history or arrest record, sexual or other reproductive health decisions, natural hair or hairstyle, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. SAGE is dedicated to this policy, with respect to all matters concerning employment.