Careers
Population Connection is a unique organization with a professional and dedicated staff that is passionate about population stabilization, environmental protection, social justice, and health and well-being. We have 40,000 members and thousands more supporters and participating educators working together to build a more sustainable future for all of our planet’s inhabitants.
Advocacy Communications Specialist
Population Connection and Population Connection Action Fund seek a Communications Specialist to help increase awareness of the organizations and to advance their shared mission on social media, in web searches, in the news media, and among those working on reproductive health and sustainable development initiatives. The Communications Specialist will work with the Advocacy and Communications departments to create and market written and visual materials that are educational, persuasive, and accessible. The two organizations are membership-based — as such, acquiring and retaining members is central to our mission, as is speaking as a collective voice on behalf of our 40,000 members in our outward-facing communications.
The Communications Specialist will be responsible for all aspects of social media management for Population Connection Action Fund, with an eye toward increasing followers and engagement. The Communications Specialist will work with the Advocacy department (including the Government Relations and Field teams) to write and send email copy to our members; write press releases, op-eds, letters to the editor, and blog posts; ensure cohesive messaging of our #Fight4HER campaign; and support additional campaign communications as needed. The Communications Specialist will work with others in the Communications and Marketing departments to improve SEO, website traffic, and conversions through website improvements and paid ads. They will be responsible for keeping the website current, regularly reviewing content and making updates as needed. The Communications Specialist will also be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with well-regarded news outlets around the country, with the goal of publishing pieces relevant to our work. When relevant opportunities arise, the Communications Specialist may attend large international conferences and occasional domestic field events.
Location
Hybrid; Washington, D.C. office 2-3 days per week
Reports to
Senior Director of Advocacy and Outreach
Additional key relationships
- Vice President for Communications
- National Field Director
- Director of Digital Marketing
Key responsibilities
- Create and schedule content for Population Connection Action Fund social media channels, keeping up with new developments and identifying opportunities to expand following, reach, and engagement; respond to comments and direct messages
- Create and manage email content for #Fight4HER campaign through EveryAction platform; includes action alerts, campaign updates, event updates, biweekly news roundup, and general email communication
- Identify press opportunities and take lead on managing reporter engagement
- Monitor website and update content as needed (such as when there’s new data, statistics, policy info, and examples available)
- Help optimize SEO and paid traffic through website improvements and Google Ads; strive to convert website visitors into supporters via membership, volunteering, and/or activism
- Create other communications content, such as blog posts, press releases, op-eds, and letters to the editor
Additional responsibilities
- Support the Field team’s outreach efforts (including media work, potential partnerships, etc.) as needed, and keep an eye out for additional opportunities to increase Population Connection Action Fund’s visibility and advance its mission
Requirements
- Pro-choice: Candidates must support every individual’s right to determine their own pregnancy and childbearing outcomes
- Must have a general understanding and appreciation for the connection between population dynamics and reproductive health advocacy
- 3-5 years of experience in a related field (e.g., campaign communications, political communications)
- 3+ years of experience with social media management and understanding of best practices for each platform (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky)
- 3+ years of experience writing for issue advocacy or political campaigns
- Independent, curious self-starter who requires minimal day-to-day oversight
- Detail-oriented, organized, efficient, and flexible
- Willing to travel
Desired qualifications
- Proficiency in digital organizing tools, including EveryAction and Hustle
- Expertise with managing website content in WordPress
- Proficiency in Canva design tool
- Strong understanding of SEO and paid search
- Desired start date: August 1 or sooner
Travel
- Potential domestic travel
- Potential large international conferences, not more than once per year
- Annual staff retreat in Virginia in June
Compensation
Population Connection will provide a salary commensurate with experience, ranging from $80,000 to $90,000. Benefits include generous annual and sick leave; 12 paid holidays; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability; and a 401K retirement account with matching funds available. A professional development budget of $2,000 a year will be provided to support continuing education.
To apply
Please email the following documents in one file to Deborah Shum, Senior Director of Human Resources, at careers@populationconnection.org. Please reference Advocacy Communications Specialist in your subject line.
- Resume and cover letter
- 2-3 writing samples (press, blogs, or campaign materials preferred)
- Contact information for three professional references, preferably those who have managed your work in the past
Education Program Associate
General description
The Education Program Associate works as part of a dynamic team to market, coordinate, and facilitate in-person and online teacher training workshops, manages volunteer workshop facilitators, and develops and promotes the program’s K-12 teaching resources. More information about the program is at www.populationeducation.org.
Responsibilities include
- Oversee all program activities within a region of the U.S.
- Conduct outreach within the region to market professional development workshops to university pre-service programs.
- Coordinate and schedule professional development workshops for staff and volunteers at conferences, universities, and school districts.
- Manage relationships with members of our national volunteer trainers’ network.
- Prepare workshop materials and complete post-workshop reporting.
- Manage the logistics of Population Education (PopEd) sessions that take place during AP Summer Institute events. This includes conducting outreach to College Board Consultants; scheduling, setting up and preparing materials for in-person and online workshops; and facilitating the follow-up and reporting of completed workshops.
- Facilitate interactive virtual, and hands-on in-person, workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada for current and future teachers. Expectation to travel out of state on approximately six week-long trips/year.
- Assist with the planning and presentation of national and regional “Train the Trainer” Institutes.
- Staff exhibit booths at education conventions, requiring out-of-state travel 1-2 times/year.
- Contribute to the development of new curriculum materials and projects, such as writing classroom lesson plans, student readings, and developing web-based resources.
- Write posts for the PopEd blog.
General requirements
Relevant professional experience (K-12 formal or informal teacher, adult education/training). Ability to manage and organize large amounts of details, and accurately maintain records. Service mindset and interpersonal skills to connect with volunteers and workshop hosts. Skill and experience in public speaking, and oral and written communication. Understanding of and enthusiasm for environmental and population issues. Ability to travel independently. (Driver’s license a must.) Good sense of humor, creativity, and flexibility.
Location
This position is based in Washington, DC, with a current hybrid work schedule (2 days in the office; 3 at home).
About the Population Education program
Population Education, a program of Population Connection, provides K-12 teachers with innovative, hands-on lesson plans and professional development workshops to teach about human population growth and its impacts on the environment and human well-being.
Compensation
$65,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience; competitive benefits package.
Application instructions
Send resume and cover letter to jobs@popconnect.org.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
Population Connection is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and organization’s achievement as well.
We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.
Population Connection’s diversity initiatives are applicable—but not limited—to our practices and policies on recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits, professional development and training, promotions, transfers between departments, social and recreational programs, layoffs, terminations, and the ongoing development of a work environment built on the premise of gender and diversity equity that encourages and enforces:
- Respectful communication and cooperation between all employees
- Teamwork and employee participation, permitting the representation of all groups and employee perspectives
- Work/life balance through flexible work schedules to accommodate employees’ varying needs
- Employer and employee contributions to the communities we serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for diversity
All employees of Population Connection have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect at all times. All employees are expected to exhibit conduct that reflects inclusion during work, at work functions on or off the work site, and at all other organization-sponsored and participative events.
Read our DEIJ Commitment Statement, Definitions, and Strategic Pillars here