Research Communications Assistant

Child Trends is seeking a research communications assistant to provide project management and communications support to large projects focused on adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health, early care and education, and other topics related to children and families.

For these projects, the team member will support the translation and dissemination of research, general information sharing, and the distribution of technical assistance through digital communications. A typical day in this role includes crucial project management support such as drafting notes for project staff and clients and tracking staff assignments, website updates and maintenance, and drafting and scheduling social media posts and newsletters. Other typical activities include ensuring that website and other digital materials are accessible for people with disabilities (i.e., compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), tracking communications metrics, and processing ad hoc requests like drafting messages to client stakeholders.

While technical, writing, and organizational skills will be keys to success in this role, we are seeking candidates with an interest and/or passion in research and/or the topical areas the team member will work on.

Application reviews will begin immediately.

Possible Duties

• Social media and website management
  • Drafts social media posts and alternative text for users with disabilities.
  • Maintains social media presence for clients, including scheduling and posting content.
  • Supports social media and newsletter metrics tracking and analysis to inform strategy.
  • Conducts routine and ad hoc website maintenance, including creating pages, editing content, and correcting errors.
  • Reviews and formats website content and documents for Section 508 compliance to be accessible for people with disabilities.
• Project management
  • Schedules team meetings and prepares agendas.
  • Drafts meetings notes, staff to-dos, and progress reports to clients.
  • Maintains record of project purchases and processes expense reports and reimbursements.
  • Triages client questions and ad hoc requests (e.g., website edits, social media posts).
• Content development
  • Writes drafts of email digests and newsletters.
• Formats print materials such as one-pagers and flyers.
• Checks facts and citations in dissemination materials, such as webpages, research reports, and other publications.
• Finds and compiles resources (e.g., links to articles and reports, webpages, events) for updating website content and other publications.
• Designs graphics, charts, picture quotes, and other images for website and social media, publications, and presentations.
• Stakeholder and partner engagement
  • Keeps stakeholder and partner outreach lists and subscriber lists up to date.
  • Assists with planning virtual and in-person events for government agencies, grant recipients, scholars, and youth.
  • Prepares event materials, tracks forms and applications, and provides technical support for attendees.

Qualifications

Required

• B.A. or B.S. in communications, public policy, public health, sociology, psychology, political science, economics, or related field.
• Demonstrated record of success in prior academic, professional, and any other relevant activities.
• A desire to work in a collaborative environment.
• Great organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
• Strong writing skills, as demonstrated in writing samples.
• Motivated worker driven to seek information, problem-solve, and learn how individual tasks on a project relate to and serve project goals and client needs.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Please be aware that, due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate will need to undergo a security clearance process.

Preferred

• Interest in health equity, sexual and reproductive health, adolescent health, race equity, and/or early care and education. Prior knowledge or training in any of these areas ideal but not required.
• Experience with social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn). Experience tracking metrics for social media platforms strongly preferred.
• Experience with email marketing tools (e.g., Constant Contact, MailChimp) and content management systems (e.g., Drupal, WordPress) a plus.
• Familiarity with Google Analytics, HTML, and virtual meeting platforms a plus.
• Fluency in Spanish a plus.

Locations: Flexible Remote Work; Child Trends’ offices are based in Rockville, MD; Chapel Hill, NC; Minneapolis, MN. Many Child Trends staff work remotely, and while we are set up to hire remote staff in many states, we are not yet operating everywhere in the US and do not have any overseas operations. We are currently approved to hire full-time staff in AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OK, OR, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI, and WV. The organization will require time to assess additional set up requirements (e.g., employment and tax law) for locations outside of areas where we are currently approved to hire. Individuals who would like to work from areas outside of the currently approved states, if offered the position, should indicate this preference as early as possible in the application process.

Benefits:
For all full-time and part-time employees who work a minimum of 20 hours per week, we offer generous vacation sick leave paid holidays; optional individual/domestic partner/family medical, dental and vision benefits effective first day of employment; optional pet benefits; pre-tax reimbursement funds (FSA, HSA, Commuter); life insurance; short/long term disability, basic life and AD&D coverage paid for by Child Trends; paid family leave; paid bereavement leave; professional development and tuition reimbursement allowance; and 403(b) retirement plan with immediate vesting and Child Trends contributions after 1 year of employment. To learn more, go to https://www.childtrends.org/about-us/careers and click " Benefits."

How to Apply:

Please follow the “apply” link to submit your application. When asked by the system to upload resume, please upload one document that includes your resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references. Materials must be combined into one document in order to be uploaded. If you have any difficulties with this process please email the requested materials to recruitment(at)childtrends.org and make sure to reference the position in the subject line. No phone calls please!

Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center headquartered in Rockville, MD with more than 200 staff in over 28 states that provides valuable information and insights on the well-being of children, youth, and their families. For more than 40 years, policymakers, funders, educators, and service providers in the U.S. have relied on our data and analyses to make better decisions and policies on programs serving children, families, and youth. www.childtrends.org

Child Trends is committed to hiring, retaining, and promoting staff who bring a rich diversity of experience to support our mission of improving the lives and prospects of children and youth, especially those made most vulnerable by the effects of historical and ongoing systemic discrimination. Together, we envision a world in which a child’s race, ethnicity, family income, gender, sexual orientation, disability status or any other social identity does not determine how that child will fare in life. Therefore, we approach every aspect of our work with these ideals in mind and encourage professionals who share in our commitment to apply.

Child Trends is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.