Web Associate

American Oversight is looking for a Web Associate to join our team. We’re a non-partisan, non-profit watchdog that uses targeted public records requests and litigation to expose evidence of corruption, abuse of power, or conflicts of interest. American Oversight’s work exposed hundreds of pages of Ukraine documents that were withheld from Congress, we prompted the discovery of Ivanka Trump’s extensive use of a private email system, and we’ve investigated and uncovered widespread conflicts of interest across the cabinet. Through our State Accountability Project, we’re investigating voter suppression in multiple states, and our team is actively tracking the federal and state response to the coronavirus pandemic.

One part web publishing expert, one part graphic designer, and one part creative storyteller, the Web Associate will be an integral part of our communications team and will help us ensure that the American Oversight website is an effective and trusted resource for journalists, investigators, and members of the public seeking information about our government accountability work.

American Oversight is normally based in downtown Washington, DC, in an office that is easily accessible by multiple metro and bus lines. Given the current pandemic, American Oversight’s team is working remotely for the foreseeable future. This position is open to candidates across the United States and could continue as a telework role even after the main office reopens. 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific tasks will shift day by day along with our work and the news cycle, but in a typical week, your job will probably include:

• Formatting and posting content to American Oversight’s website through the WordPress CMS, including applying appropriate metadata tags;
• Working with the Senior Editor and Content Manager to design and lay out pages for maximum impact and readability;
• Selecting photos to accompany articles, and using graphic design software to create custom images for the website, email, and social channels; 
• Researching and implementing new approaches, including animations, videos, infographics, and other ideas, to help American Oversight showcase our work and the public records we uncover;
• Managing ongoing maintenance of American Oversight’s website, including security patches, updates, and serving as a technical liaison with outside vendors and developers;
• Participating in regular team meetings (typically scheduled during East Coast business hours) to help identify new opportunities to share the information we’ve uncovered to help inform the public on key issues;
• Engaging in rapid response to current events, developments, and document releases in AO’s FOIAs and litigation; 
• Occasionally (but definitely not most of the time) engaging after business hours or on weekends to promote new developments in American Oversight’s investigations or to respond to breaking news that relates to our work.

QUALIFICATIONS

We don’t have a hard and fast checklist of requirements for this position, but the following attributes will likely describe the successful candidate:

• Excellent graphic design skills and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite — including Illustrator and Photoshop;
• Experience with publishing and managing content on a WordPress platform, as well as experience with Google Analytics, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, and other web development tools and applications;
• Strong writing ability with an obsessive focus on precision and detail;
• Active, working knowledge of federal policy, current national politics, and the way they are discussed in mainstream media, as well as the ability to quickly learn new topics as they arise;
• Solid organizational skills with the ability to complete projects and handle multiple tasks simultaneously, as well as the ability to keep track of American Oversight’s several and varying areas of investigation;  
• Integrity and commitment to high standards of quality and accuracy;
• Can handle high-pressure, quick-deadline projects as needed;
• Team player, comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

American Oversight is proudly an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and retaining a diverse team. People of color, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and/or veterans are encouraged to apply.

The salary range for this position is $50,000–$55,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Also, we are biased, but we think American Oversight is a great place to work! Take a look at the testimonials from members of our wonderful team.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send application materials, including a résumé and a one-page cover letter, to jobs@americanoversight.org with “Web Associate” in the subject line. Please indicate in your email how you heard about this opening.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will begin our first round of review by July 10, 2020.

https://www.americanoversight.org/careers-2#webassociate