Director, Communications AALDP
University of Denver

Job Info

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A national leader in experiential and interdisciplinary legal education, the University of Denver Sturm College of Law is widely regarded as one of the nations most innovative and ascendant law schools. Located in a beautiful, distinctive, and economically dynamic city, the Sturm College of Law offers full- and part-time JD programs, a set of pioneering and nationally recognized Masters degree programs, and certificate programs in animal law, constitutional rights and remedies, corporate and commercial law, environmental and natural resources law, intellectual property law, international law, and workplace law. The law school features a faculty of nationally recognized scholar-teachers, an outstanding and diverse student body, an accomplished and highly professional staff, and roughly 17,000 alumni who have achieved careers of distinction in law, business, government, public interest, and other professional domains.

Through research, teaching, and public engagement, the Animal Law Program at the Sturm College of Law seeks to elevate awareness about the well-being of non-human animals and to prepare the next generation of professionals to engage with the legal and moral issues surrounding the use of animals for food, entertainment, experimentation, and fashion. In 2022, supported by a generous set of gift funds, the Animal Law Program plans to develop an Animal Activist Legal Defense Project to provide legal representation and strategic communications support for activists engaged in investigations, protests, rescues, and other forms of action that seek to advance the welfare of non-human animals.

Position Summary

The Animal Activist Legal Defense Project (AALDP) at the Sturm College of Law seeks a Communications Director to build and manage a communications program to advance its work. The Communications Director will establish a plan and put into place practices for promoting AALDP's cases and projects across earned and owned media; raising the Project's profile among fellow animal advocates; and involving law students in AALDP's work. This position will also require event planning and non-communications tasks, such as overall project management, budgeting, and other tasks to be determined by the AALDP Faculty Director.

This position is eligible for full remote work.

Essential Functions

Communications, Media Relations

• Manage and create AALDP's communications.
• Create and maintain press lists; also manage email list.
• Build and maintain relationships with key reporters.
• Respond to press inquiries and arrange media interviews.
• Draft and send press releases, advisories, availabilities, and other press documents.
• Shape messaging and draft talking points.
• Stay up to date on news coverage of issues relevant to AALDP's work.
• Draft opinion pieces as needed; and pitch stories and place opinion pieces.
• Create and manage social media accounts.
• Regularly solicit updates from AALDP Legal staff and clients to most effectively manage AALDP Communications.
• Facilitate AALDP branding and possible website creation and design.
• Coordinate with clients, co-counsel, and other collaborators to manage joint press efforts.

Event planning

• Manage or assist with the planning of events to promote AALDP's work broadly and amongst students.
• Plan, organize, and promote events that raise AALDP's profile and promote its mission within the animal rights movement.

Miscellaneous

• Maintain a central repository summarizing AALDP's active projects and next steps for reference by all AALDP staff.
• Facilitate staff meetings, including agenda setting and managing outcomes.
• Assist with budget.
• Other tasks as assigned by the AALDP Faculty Director.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience managing social media and willingness to become proficient.
• Proficiency with legal terminology and an understanding of how civil and criminal cases proceed.
• Exceptional writing skills.
• Ability to respond rapidly to media inquiries in a fast-moving news cycle.
• Ability to take initiative and manage short- and long-term projects from conception to completion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in an area relevant to AALDP's work.
• 5+ years professional Communications experience.
• Proven record of placing stories and opinion pieces at prominent publications.
• Extensive experience working with both non-profit organizations and grassroots groups.

Preferred Qualifications

• Personal and professional experience with state and federal civil and criminal litigation.
• Extensive experience in the animal rights movement.
• An established record as a campaign organizer.
• Fierce commitment to animal rights, activist defense, and prisoner support

Working Environment

1. Standard office environment.
2. Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
3. Noise level is quiet to moderate

Physical Activities

1. Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time.
2. Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. This position is eligible for full remote work.

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) October 14, 2024.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 12.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $80,000- $90,000

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate's sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University's educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non-Discrimination-Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.

Advertised: September 30, 2024
Applications close: October 14, 2024

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