The Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), a nonprofit policy and advocacy organization, seeks a Community Engagement Manager to support its communications, outreach, and advocacy efforts to help facilitate a progressive narrative in the media and with partners, policymakers, and public audiences to promote and shape the public debate on equity, inclusivity, and economic justice.

Working closely with the Vice President of Communications and Communications Manager, the Community Engagement Manager forges and deepens alliances with audiences including partners and their constituents, community organizers and advocates, and members of the media, to ensure workers, families, small businesses, and communities with lived experiences are included in the worldview-shifting efforts of MECEP and its partners; develops and refines strategies and tactics to strategically target and mobilize diverse audiences to outcomes including participation in campaigns, educational opportunities; distributes content and materials (e.g. messaging guidance, social media graphics, blog articles, and multimedia collateral including videos and webinars) to and through citizen advocates and lobbyists.

The ideal candidate has excellent written and verbal communication skills; experience working with coalitions and communities to engage and educate diverse populations and amplify voices, stories, and perspectives of people with lived experience; and is an organized, results-oriented team player committed to racial, gender, and economic justice.

The Community Engagement Manager reports to the Vice President of Communications.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Community Engagement Manager’s core responsibilities include:

• Support, inform, and assist in the creation, editing, and packaging of content for MECEP’s production calendar and policy advocacy campaigns that advance MECEP’s policy and legislative goals; connect the public to stories of Mainers with lived experience of economic justice; and shift worldview to support MECEP’s progressive mission
• Support and inform efforts to enrich MECEP’s message across the organization’s spectrum of products and identify unique audience segments that inform MECEP’s communications and campaign materials
• Manage mechanisms to report and measure the engagement and effectiveness of efforts
• Identify people and communities impacted by issues related to MECEP policy priority areas and develop relationships in those communities directly and/or through partners
• Establish relationships and maintain open, active lines of communication with staff and constituents of organizations working in partnership with MECEP’s Mainers for Tax Fairness and Economic Justice Coalition networks
• Form and maintain an advisory group of people from impacted communities who regularly share stories, quotes, testimonials, etc. with MECEP, the media, and within organic networks
• Manage media relations and support the positioning of MECEP as a resource to the media
• Distribute press releases and statements; place op-eds and letters; manage incoming media requests and manage the scheduling of interviews; maintain media lists and news clips
• Foster and maintain relationships and open dialogue with local and regional journalists and news outlets
• Manage media monitoring and participate in social listening
• Partner with the Communications Manager to support and inform MECEP’s digital organizing strategy
• Identify, cultivate, and mobilize champions and ambassadors of economic justice and tax fairness on social media
• Assist in the creation and management of special events and presentation materials as needed

Required Skills and Experience

• A commitment to economic, racial, and social justice in Maine
• Strong interpersonal skills with a commitment to provide respectful, culturally competent communication
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to write, edit and publish on short deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, manage competing priorities, and work independently and as part of a team
• Experience using online communications platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, Action Network, or equivalent products
• Ability to employ critical and systems thinking and manage multi-faceted projects

Desired Skills and Experience

• Prior experience in think tanks or other nonprofits
• Familiarity with the Maine media landscape
• Experience working with policymakers, advocates, media, and other constituent groups
• Knowledge of trending topics of relevance to MECEP’s work
• Experience working with and inspiring diverse audiences to act
• Experience working with people impacted by poverty and economic injustice
• A demonstrated passion for storytelling

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $50,000 – $60,000 commensurate with experience. MECEP offers paid vacation, wellness leave, and family medical leave, 13 paid holidays, and annual SEP-IRA retirement contributions. MECEP also pays for family health and dental insurance.

How to apply

To apply, send your resume, a writing sample, and a short email (no more than 300 words) telling us why you are interested in this position. Email: jharris@mecep.org by January 21, 2022. Please include “Community Engagement Manager” in the subject line.

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The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is seeking applicants for the State Policy Fellowship Program to work on budget and public policy issues affecting low- and moderate-income communities and communities of color.

To expand the diversity of voices that speak with authority in state policy debates, the program identifies highly motivated candidates — with particular attention to candidates having experience with communities underrepresented in state policy debates — with a demonstrated interest in working on public policies that affect low-income and diverse communities and have implications for racial equity. Fellows are placed with influential state policy organizations across the country.

The Fellowship is a project of the State Priorities Partnership, a national network coordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a non-profit research organization with a national reputation for rigorous analysis of fiscal policies and an ability to influence policy debates.

Position: Working in independent, highly respected policy organizations located across the country, Fellows analyze the impact of state budget and tax policy choices on low-income residents and communities of color and promote positive reforms. State Policy Fellows tackle domestic policy challenges in areas such as:

• Taxes
• Health care
• Poverty reduction
• Population health
• Criminal justice
• K-12 and higher education
• Immigrant rights
• Youth and adult justice
• Tribal and Indigenous policy
• Economic development

The State Policy Fellowship is an exceptional opportunity to develop in-depth policy expertise. Fellowship responsibilities include tracking and analyzing legislative proposals and state budgets as well as conducting research and analysis on state budget, tax, and other issues to improve the lives of families from all backgrounds. Fellows will also produce reports and other materials for use by policymakers, journalists, advocacy groups, and civic organizations and collaborate with community- based advocates to engage the public on the impacts of public policies on their communities.

Additionally, Fellows will participate in training and career development opportunities, work with mentors, and have access to ongoing training and opportunities for professional growth.

Core Requirements

• A college degree plus two years of relevant research or advocacy experience; OR a graduate degree in a related field acquired within the past two years, or an expected graduate degree before August 1
• Strong quantitative and writing
• A commitment to improving the well-being of low- and moderate-income households and building and/or deepening commitment to racial justice
• Demonstrated interest in working on public policies affecting low-income communities, communities of color, and LGBTQ communities, and policies with implications for racial
• The ability to work on multiple tasks both independently and as part of a highly collaborative team, often on a time-sensitive
• Familiarity with state tax policy issues and concepts is an advantage, but not
• A two-year commitment is expected – candidates must be eligible to work full time in the United States for the two-year duration of the

Additional requirements based on type of fellowship

In addition to requirements described above, one fellow in the 2022 cohort will be focusing specifically on state tribal policy. Additional requirements for that position are listed below.

State Tribal Position

• A basic understating of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) history and peoples, the unique political status of tribal governments, the government-to-government relationship and federal trust responsibility, and tribal sovereignty and how this informs and shapes federal, state, and tribal government interactions and policy formation.
• An interest in building authentic relationships with tribal leaders and working collaboratively combined with a knowledge about national and state agendas, issues, impacts, and trends in policy as they relate to American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and desire to develop a policy agenda that reflects tribal priorities within a state policy
• Direct experience with services to American Indian/Alaska Native communities is
• Experience working with American Indian/Alaska Native communities highly

Compensation

Fellows earn a minimum salary of $50,000 (regional salary adjustments may be applied to higher-cost locations). Health benefits are included.

Application

To apply for a State Policy Fellowship, please complete the application form and submit the required materials by February 18, 2022. If you have questions, please contact Eric Figueroa at efigueroa@cbpp.org.

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