The Athlete Ally Summer Communications Internship Program will give an eligible college student the opportunity to work closely with a progressive nonprofit organization that’s on the frontlines of championing LGBT equality. The intern will be a critical member of the Athlete Ally team, and will be responsible for working directly with the Director of Communications on a number of initiatives.
Responsibilities:
The Communications Program Intern will have a number of responsibilities, both internally and externally. They’ll work with the Director of Communications across a variety of pillars, including but not limited to:
Digital Media
- Manage Athlete Ally website – Developing original content and sharing relevant news in a strategic manner that supports organizational goals; collaborating with web consultants; and updating staff, board, and athlete ambassador profiles.
- Manage Athlete Ally social media accounts – Steering content to engage and grow our supporter base.
- Campaigning – Partnering with our team to design and execute campaigns that mobilize the athletic community in support of LGBT equality and harness digital technology to drive donations.
- Generate digital assets – Collaborating with designers on branded images and memes.
- Manage Athlete Ally subscriber mailings – Developing mass mailing campaign strategies to encourage supporters to take action.
Media Outreach & Coordination
- Creating content – Writing press releases, media advisories, real-time content, and rapid responses; collaborating with others on letters and opinion pieces.
Special Events
- Secure organizational content – Working with photographer and videographer to capture relevant content to be used for organizational use.
- Write event content – Collaborating with event committee on speeches and run-of-show language, as well as event program and advertisements.
Organizational Work
- Monitor news – Keeping a diligent eye on news in the sports and LGBT spaces, particularly concerning the athletes we interact with; watching for trends or emerging stories relevant to our work; alerting the rest of the staff to these items.
Thought Leadership
- Contributes to programmatic structure – Collaborating with staff on speeches, trainings, and other community outreach.
The Communications Program Intern must have the following skills and experience:
- Exceptional writing skills – Able to write for a variety of audiences and purposes; keen eye for detail; can be specific, concise, and persuasive with words.
- Exceptional speaking skills – Comfortable pitching journalists over the phone, speaking with supporters, and approaching new or potential partners.
- Strategic communication skills – We need a “thinker” as much as a “do-er.” The ability to think tactically and determine a course of action that supports the Athlete Ally mission is essential.
- Strong social media skills – An understanding of how to maximize the effect social media can have on building support for an organization. Prior experience in online organizing is a plus.
- Familiarity with website management – Our current website platform is easy to learn, but an understanding of the basics would be a plus.
- Understanding of the sports world and/or the LGBT space, and where they intersect.
- A commitment to growth – We’re looking for someone who wants to make this role her or his own, build out our communications staff, and eventually lead a team of their own.
- A positive and cooperative attitude and ability to work collaboratively with diverse communities and people – We’re all working to accomplish the same goal. We want someone who can be part of the team, who can take direction as well as initiative, and who is open to new ideas.
- A desire to improve the world around you – If you’re passionate about equality, about sports, and about making athletic communities around the country more inclusive, and turning them into leaders on LGBT issues, then we want you!
About Athlete Ally: About Athlete Ally: Athlete Ally is a nonprofit organization inspiring athletes to act as leaders championing LGBT equality. In the last three years, Athlete Ally has made groundbreaking progress in sports, working to create more inclusive cultures and helping athletes to use their voices to support LGBT equality. Athlete Ally has engaged hundreds of college and professional athletes, organized international campaigns around LGBT inclusion in sports, partnered with professional sports leagues like the NBA, WNBA and MLB, co-authored with Dr. Pat Griffin the NCAA’s first LGBT policy guide for college coaches, athletes, and administrators, and helped organize significant platforms for athletes and sports institutions to advance LGBT civil rights (including by helping create the Athletes Amicus Brief in connection with the Defense of Marriage Act). Since the time of Athlete Ally’s founding in 2011, LGBT inclusion in sports and the role that athletes play in the global battle for LGBT rights have become major conversations in mainstream media and in sports organizations at all levels of competition.
Please send your resume and cover letter to Taylor.Carr@athleteally.org. We will follow up if we are interested in pursuing your candidacy.
This internship is for school credit only, and is not paid. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 17.