About us

Rainbow Railroad was founded in 2006 to provide an additional solution to address the global refugee crisis, to which LGBTQI persons are uniquely vulnerable. Rainbow Railroad’s mission is to help persecuted LGBTQI individuals get to safety as they seek a safe haven from state-enabled harassment and violence. Rainbow Railroad provides support to LGBTQI individuals seeking safety with airfare and financial support that facilitates departure, travel, arrival and referral for settlement. Beyond direct financial assistance, Rainbow Railroad provides information, resources and advice for asylum claimants.

 

Rainbow Railroad is a registered Canadian charity and a USA 501(c)(3) organization with its headquarters in Toronto, Canada and an office in New York City, USA.

 

The Role

 

The Communications Officer will lead the development and implementation of Rainbow Railroad’s communications strategy that will build Rainbow Railroad’s international profile through media engagements, develop and execute Rainbow Railroad’s advocacy strategy, and build upon Rainbow Railroad’s position as a thought-leader. The Communications Officer will act as the liaison between the organization, the public, and the media to promote Rainbow Railroad to the public.

We are seeking a candidate based either in the Greater Toronto Area or the New York Metropolitan Area, but the role will be remote to begin with.

Key Responsibilities

Audience Engagement & Social Media

• In collaboration with the Director of Philanthropy and Development Officer, Stewardship & Donor Relations develop and implement a strategic, communications plan that places emphasis on donors and audience development and lead on the execution of this plan
• Develop innovative and meaningful communications to engage Rainbow Railroad’s audiences and the public, specifically acknowledging the impact of our global work and the impact of supporters and donors
• Create a digital & social media policy and strategy to manage Rainbow Railroad’s social media and website channels, including: planning content mix, content creation, posting, scheduling, tracking performance, monitoring online conversations about us and relaying key information to appropriate staff, while replying to direct messages on social media
• Foster productive working relationships across program and development teams to identify opportunities to share communications with donors and stakeholders in a timely and effective manner, including leading the process for the organization’s transformed annual report
• Support the planning, promotion and execution of online events as needed
• Develop the organization’s profile and awareness base in both Canada and the United States
• Develop strategies to engage donors using digital platforms and establish engagement benchmarks through digital tracking, return-on-investment investigation, and analytics

Outreach, Marketing & Public Relations

• Continuously develop and refine the organization’s story, social media presence, and its communications deployment tactics
• Lead on content creation for Rainbow Railroad’s public audience, including marketing materials, advertisements, web content, video content, letters, and emails
• In collaboration with the Development & Programs teams, develop communications products that underpin and contribute to the organizations’ revenue goals, as well as promoting the impact of Rainbow Railroad’s programmatic work
• Monitor and manage all media requests, and assess revenue & engagement projections from such opportunities
• Coordinate and manage relationships with organizational media partners, public relations firms, and external designers
• Develop a media outreach strategy that engages major media outlets globally, specifically focusing on North American markets
• Provide media training and support to those willing to speak about their experiences being helped by Rainbow Railroad
• Copywriting, copy-editing, substantive editing, and video producing of external communications on an as-needed basis across the organization

 

Advocacy & Organizational Support

• Support the deployment of organizational advocacy campaigns and materials through promotional and media relations expertise
• Copy-edit and externalization of reports, white-papers, research, and analysis
• Lead in the design, layout and publication of organizational materials across all departments
• Support pan-organizational external communications as required

 

 

Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant field and 4+ years’ demonstrated experience working within communications
• Direct experience in interfacing with media and press, including development of press-facing materials, media pitching, and development of talking points and briefing notes
• Experience in non-profit communications and marketing
• Direct experience managing the social media profiles of a major organization
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Organized and keen attention to detail, with a keen eye for problem solving
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment both independently and as part of a team
• Commitment and support of the LGBQTI+ community, with experience in Canada, the United States and Internationally
• Familiar with the technology we love: Google Apps, Mac Environment, Salesforce, Slack, Monday.Com and others
• Adaptable to the needs of a rapidly changing organization

 

Application Deadline – January 19^th at 4pm

Length of Contract – Full-Time, Permanent

Hiring Salary Range – $60,000-$65,000 plus competitive benefits package

 

Please forward your resume addressed to Dane Bland (he/him) at hire@rainbowrailroad.org. Include the exact job title in the subject line of your email.

 

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position however we will only be contacting those selected for interviews.

 

Rainbow Railroad is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. This includes diversity in languages spoken, culture, race, sexual orientation and gender identity.

 

Requests for accommodation due to disability can be made at any stage in the recruitment process.