Senior Digital Communications Specialist

This position is responsible for coordinating and executing the day-to-day operations of digital programs and tools, and for providing strategic, technical, editorial and design direction for AFSCME’s digital advocacy and communications efforts. This includes the union’s website, member email and SMS programs, affiliate and campaign websites, and social media accounts. This position also collaborates with various departments and affiliates to produce, create and maintain digital content used to support legislative, political, organizing, and fundraising communications.   

Duties:

• Drives communications campaigns with the goal to increase member engagement across AFSCME’s digital properties.
• Leads the study of and recommends enhancements to preserve and improve the integrity, functionality, and usability of digital communication tools.
• Collaborates with various departments and affiliates to produce, create and maintain digital content used to support legislative, political, organizing and fundraising communications.
• Provides strategic support for digital advocacy and communications efforts, including political, organizing and legislative campaigns.
• Works closely with affiliates in support of their technology, infrastructure and design for digital content distribution tools, including email, front-end web, text messaging and social media.
• Plays a leadership role on the digital and paid marketing team by training and developing junior staff members.
• In coordination with the Data and Analytics Department, ensures the delivery of regular reports on content performance and the collection of actionable data.
• Leads strategy and editorial direction for email marketing campaigns, including the monthly member email calendar, ensuring best practices are followed and writing, targeting, design and layout are optimized.
• Researches and develops new technologies and techniques for engaging AFSCME’s online audiences.
• Provides analysis and digital campaign metric reports to evaluate online content performance and reach and makes recommendations based on this analysis.
• Represents AFSCME’s digital team at tool development and roadmap meetings with the AFL-CIO, partner organizations and outside departments.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of departmental activities.

Requirements:

Education and Experience

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with course work in web development, computer programming, communications, journalism, political science or liberal arts and minimum of seven (5) years of experience in digital communications including email marketing, social media management, front-end web development, text messaging, and content development related to advocacy focused campaigns, or any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Skills Requirements

• Considerable knowledge and skill in digital-first design principles and methods, applications and software such as Adobe Photoshop and other relevant applications in the Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience in applying best practices for front-end web development, including HTML/CSS.
• Experience with SMS platforms and knowledge of best practices.
• Experienced in the use of multiple content management systems including content entry, editing, workflow and publishing to be able to evaluate efficacy/efficiency of software, troubleshoot and recommend critical changes as may be required. 
• Proven ability to work across multiple operating system platforms (e.g. Mac and Windows OS).
• Strong and proven persuasive writing skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to analyze and incorporate message research data.
• Proven ability to manage several projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to editorial excellence.
• Knowledge of the labor movement.

Preferred Experience: 

• Experience using digital advocacy and email tools.
• Experience with basic video editing.
• Experience using media monitoring systems.
• Experience resizing images and creating graphics
• Experience with front-end web development.

Travel & Work hours 

• Travel and extended work hours, including weekends, are required.
• A valid driver’s license is required.