Job Location: Atlantic Council Headquarters - Washington, DC
Employment Type: Full-Time
Seniority Level: Associate
Job Category: Staff

The Atlantic Council's Middle East Programs seek a motivated, talented, and creative communications professional who is eager to develop strong media campaigns and program promotion strategies surrounding some of today's most critical policy issues on Arab-Israel cooperation. They will support efforts to generate positive media coverage for the N7's publications, events, and policy initiatives using traditional and digital media, email marketing, and development of relationships with the press. They will coordinate all communications efforts between the full-time staff, nonresident fellows, and media outlets. Considerable emphasis will be placed on helping support deepening and expanding cooperation efforts and people-to-people ties between Israel and Arab and Muslim nations.

The ideal candidate will have strong writing skills, experience with social media campaigns, website content development, e-mail marketing, media engagement, and a background or serious interest in foreign policy related to the Middle East, Israel, and US foreign policy toward the region. They will provide strategic leadership and operational and administrative support for all facets of communications-related activities for the initiative.

They will report to the deputy director of the N7 Initiative on programmatic and subject-matter areas and to the Middle East Program's deputy director for communications on technical and strategic communications. They will also coordinate their work with other Atlantic Council's engagement teams. The position is based in Washington DC with opportunities for travel in the region, and some flexibility for virtual work. Pay is commensurate with experience, education, and organizational equity, with offers starting at $65,000. Applications submitted by May 1, 2024 will be prioritized for consideration.

Strategic planning and project management:

• Establish processes for various types of media engagement from ongoing work to breaking news responses.
• Assist in drafting and execute a comprehensive communications strategy to amplify the work of the N7 experts, publications, events, and projects to various audiences including the general public, policy community, current and prospective donors, and relevant audiences in the MENA region.
• Maintain a calendar of key events and significant regional anniversaries for communications planning and forecasting.
• Prepare specific comms plans for N7 events, including media planning, social media, email marketing, and other creative dissemination and engagement tactics.
• Close engagement with the donor of the program.

Media relations:

• Identify opportunities to position the N7 experts and initiative's leadership in US media outlets, and in Pan-Arab and Israeli media in close coordination with the communications team.
• Actively reach out to journalists and develop media lists for specific countries and thematic issues covered by the team.
• Assist with fielding press requests, sending media tip sheets, and preparing staff for interviews.
• Draft press releases announcing new initiatives, publications, staff, and important events.
• Assemble media engagement reports for internal and external stakeholders following high profile events.
• Track all N7 staff and nonresident fellow media engagement and ensure regular updating on the website.
• Proofread promotional materials and event recaps drafted by the N7 staff to conform to Atlantic Council style.
• Assist with drafting additional media materials as needed.

Publications:

• Assist with long-form publications processes by providing initial editing, liaising with the engagement team and other program and centers across the AC on drafts, layout, photo selection, branding, and website and print publication.
• Oversee creation and management of monthly newsletter, news flashes, and post-event recaps tracking regional developments related to the advancement of Israeli-Arab cooperation, promoting N7 publications and highlighting the program's quick response to breaking news involving the scope of work of the initiative.
• Design and maintain initiative marketing collateral in coordination with the communications team.

Digital & social media:

• Coordinate social media content related to the N7 work, primarily Twitter but including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other platforms as needed.
• Track and develop social media content pertaining to the N7 portfolio, including breaking news, regional updates, Arab-Israeli success stories, and examples of positive collaborations among the N7 countries.
• Create or commission videos, graphics, and infographics as needed for social, digital, and print media use.
• Report on social media and email marketing analytics and help grow the reach and engagement of existing and new outlets.

Website:

• Ensure the N7 presence on the AC website and blogs is regularly updated and conforms to AC style, including staff and nonresident fellow bios, initiative pages, and publication and event pages.
• Help develop and commission an N7 dedicated micro-site in line with AC digital guidelines. Create content and post regular updates on the site to reflect recent N7 events, blogs, publications, and news.
• Track website analytics and provide regular recommendations on improving reach and engagement.

• 4+ years of relevant work experience.
• Bachelor's degree in journalism, Communications, Marketing, International Relations, Foreign Affairs, or related field.
• Excellent English language written and oral communication skills; Arabic or Hebrew skills highly desired.
• Strong pen and confirmed writing skills. Successful candidates will be tested for their abilities to develop content for the different N7 communications channels.
• Social media savvy with strong online engagement proficiency, particularly within a policy and think-tank context.
• Experience with content management applications highly desired, especially with WordPress, Marketo, and Sprout Social or similar programs.
• Press background highly desired.
• Demonstrated experience or serious interest in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly with an American and European foreign policy lens.
• Understanding of Washington policy environment.
• Strong planning, administrative, and organizational skills, with high attention to detail.
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to work well with a team in a dynamic environment and ability to work independently and proactively.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to work well with senior officials, scholars, journalists, staff, and interns.