Communications Fellow

The mission of The DC Project is to advance economic and environmental justice by creating clean energy careers for people who need them most. The DC Project applies cutting-edge organizing tools and tactics to mobilize community interest in home weatherization, creating economic savings, environmental benefits, and new green jobs.

The DC Project is a "Think+Action Tank", testing and refining community-based demand creation methodology through its anchor program, WeatherizeDC, and developing models that can be replicated in communities across the nation to ignite the home energy efficiency market and move closer towards an equitable green economy.

WeatherizeDC, the anchor program of The DC Project, works with hundreds of D.C. residents to mobilize one of America's greatest assets-community leadership-to unlock the promise of the home energy efficiency industry for creating environmental benefits and good green jobs. WeatherizeDC recruits, develops, and trains community leaders and volunteers from neighborhood groups, faith-based networks and campus activists to engage, educate, and activate their communities to convince homeowners to invest in weatherization.

WeatherizeDC identifies homeowners interested in weatherization and passes them along to local home performance contractors, who deliver the home retrofit services. WeatherizeDC leverages the increased business it creates-through its community organizing efforts-for partnering contractors to ensure that new jobs created translate into career-track, sustainable-wage work for District residents who are most in need of employment.

Position Overview:

The DC Project's Communications Department supports the organization's programs by developing compelling messages and visual images that strengthen the organization's brand, as well as the local program's brand identity. To increase the visibility of the organization's work and build public awareness of the immediate opportunity to address the climate and unemployment crises, the Communications Department engages in traditional media outreach and uses innovative web 2.0 tactics to attract attention to our work.

Communications Fellows lead efforts to maintain and improve our online presence through the web site, Twitter, Facebook and emails to supporters. Fellows assess best practices for social media, identify opportunities to build our profile, and establish clear benchmarks to track and evaluate our efforts. Fellows will devote a significant portion of their time to our local program, WeatherizeDC.

In addition to handling short-term, time-sensitive deliverables, fellows will also manage more in-depth projects. Each fellow will become familiar with critical systems, including the organization's database of supporters and homeowners, as well as our web site platform. Depending on the scope of each fellowship, fellows may have the opportunity to analyze the systems' utility, collect best practices, and recommend strategies for how The DC Project can use these systems to further programmatic goals.

Responsibilities:

In addition to performing other duties, fellows will:

• Plan and implement improvements to the web site to drive more supporters to our site and to persuade them to become involved
• Draft clear, compelling content for communications material both online and offline
• Write insightful blog posts to be featured on our web site
• Develop and implement creative strategies to deliver our key messages through Twitter and Facebook, attract new supporters online, and forge relationships with colleague organizations
• Contribute to a strategic media plan and ongoing efforts to cultivate relationships with local and national journalists

Qualifications:

Undergraduate or graduate students studying communications, marketing, or English are strongly encouraged to apply.

The abilities to design a project with clear, realistic goals and to self-monitor progress toward reaching those objectives are highly desired. Superior organizational and time management skills are crucial to excelling in the fellowship. Individuals who are receptive to close-collaboration in a fast-paced environment and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously will be assets to the organization. Ideal candidates are dedicated individuals who seek to grow as professionals and develop supportive relationships with colleagues.

Compensation: Fellowships with The DC Project are unpaid. Previous fellows and interns have received academic credit or work study for their work with the organization. For more information related to this, please direct inquiries to your respective school. If you are not from the Washington, D.C. area, please explore housing options with relatives or friends as soon as possible. If you are unable to find and fund housing, precluding you from participating in the Fellowship Program, please inform The DC Project via email.

Both full-time and part-time fellows are encouraged to apply. Full-time fellows are expected to work 40 hours a week. Hours and workdays are flexible. Part-time fellows are expected to work 10-20 hours a week. In addition to in-office hours, fellows may fulfill weekly hour requirements by attending community organizing events held in the evenings or on weekends. Start and end dates are flexible, with a preference for a September 22 start date and a commitment of 2.5 months, or until December 17, 2010. Please include your availability in your cover letter.

To Apply:

Applicants should please submit the following (include "Communications Fellow" in subject line) no later than September 10, 2010:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing sample
• 2 or 3 references

Use your application materials to explain your interest in The DC Project and its mission; please highlight any exposure you have to the Washington, D.C. community and the dates of your availability over the summer. Your cover letter should explain the skills, experience, and interest that qualify you to fulfill the expectations outlined above. If you are applying for more than one fellowship with The DC Project, please be sure to rank your interests.