Potomac Flacks

JOB OF THE WEEK: Washington Examiner, Social Media Strategist

                                         

Overview

Seeking a dynamic, creative social media strategist for a pivotal role in the Washington Examiner’s digital first editorial team. The ideal candidate will be part strategist, evangelist and analyst. The ability to successfully leverage skills to engage with and educate our target audience on multiple social media platforms, as well as leverage social media to help achieve specific business and marketing goals is critical.

Responsibilities

Develop and refine social strategies and tactical social initiatives and campaigns in alignment with marketing objectives and target audiences

Create and manage social media editorial calendar to drive social activity around key messaging

Manage social media profiles across a variety of platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Reddit, Google+, etc. as well as our site

Write and curate content and create images optimized for engagement on social media profiles

Identify influencers and opportunities for engagement to drive meaningful dialogue, engagement and growth

Monitor the brand across social channels

Measure, analyze and report on outcomes based on engagement and growth

Research current trends in social media, and apply what you learn to social media efforts

Monitor, identify, interpret and capitalize on social media trends

Work with technology team to support social media asset development including social network pages, profiles, apps and widgets.

Requirements

Five+ years experience working in social media.

Deep understanding of the social landscape, proven competency across multiple platforms and experience managing social media pages with proven success.

Passion and enthusiasm for digital marketing.

Measurable examples of success in social media against business goals.

Fluency in social data, analytics and metrics.

Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize work, work well under pressure, and meet deadlines.

Superb written and oral communication skills

Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail

Ability to create high-quality work within short timeframes.

TO APPLY: To learn more and/or apply for this position, send cover note and resume to Cristina Giroux at [email protected].  (PF tipster)

DCI Group adds Zurn as Vice President of Digital Strategies

Strategic public affairs and global issues firm DCI Group announced their recent hire of Suzanne Zurn as Vice President of Digital Strategies.

Zurn brings 20 years of experience using digital and social media to identify, recruit and engage stakeholders on public policy issues.

Zurn joins DCI Group as the firm continues to expand its digital practice. Zurn and Mark Szalay, Vice President of Technology, will head up DCI Group’s growing technology and digital offerings, moving client thinking past traditional public relations channels and generating powerful online grassroots and media campaigns.

Over the past two decades, Zurn has developed an expertise in public affairs campaigns through positions spanning the advocacy, agency and political communities. Zurn comes to DCI Group from The Prosper Group where she was general manager. Zurn’s digital campaigns have earned her many accolades including a Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil for best nonprofit public affairs campaign. She currently co-teaches the Digital Strategy course at the GWU Graduate School of Political Management and is a former board member at Women in Government Relations.

Zurn earned a Master of Arts degree in Political Management from The George Washington University, and graduated cum laude from Washburn University with a bachelor’s in political science and communications. (PF tipster)

Longtime Fox News Sunday Producer Finland to Lead CRAFT’s new booking service

Today longtime Fox Newser Alex Finland, most recently a senior producer for Fox News Sunday, announced he would join CRAFT | Media / Digital to launch their booking service for broadcast television, cable and radio network talent.

According to Finland, his new role will “allow me to lead the day-to-day management of CRAFT | Booking, working with CRAFT clients and strategic partners, to book them on news and talk programs that seek political experts and opinion leaders available for on-air network segments.”  He will also “manage the vetting and training of clients who seek to deliver valuable content for media networks and programs.”

Finland is a graduate of the University of Goergia and a native of Savannah, GA.  (PF tipster)

JOB OF THE WEEK: Susan B. Anthony List, Online Communications Manager

The Susan B. Anthony List is seeking an Online Communications Manager for our rapidly growing pro-life political organization.  This position is responsible for managing the organization’s web presence, working as part of the communications team to best deliver organizational information and materials to members, and helping with broad technology issues.  Applicant must be tech-savvy and knowledgeable about cutting-edge online communication and social media.

This individual will manage and run the day-to-day operations of our website(s), implementing sites that are attractive, user-friendly, accessible, and searchable.  In addition, this individual is responsible for managing our grassroots email list. The individual will be responsible for working under the Communications Director to implement tactics and strategies to create and distribute content, build community, drive traffic, and increase interaction with our website.

Specific job responsibilities include:

• Update website and blog on a daily basis
• Managing current email list and managing email prospecting campaigns
• Providing and analyzing weekly reports about web traffic and results from email blast
• Drafting and sending mass email communications, coordinating email blast schedules between all departments: fundraising, legislative, and political
• Working with vendors to create web graphics when needed, to problem-solve website technology issues, and to create new sites with quick turnaround for specialized web campaigns
• Publishing shareable content for user-generated media services and new media products (RSS, blogs, video, audio podcasts, photos, online press rooms, etc.)
• Maximizing the use of social networks and other new media outlets by updating and managing official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media sites
• Seeking online opportunities to place banner ads, social network advertising, engage in link sharing, cross platform promotion, upload articles, etc
• Generating interest and driving traffic through search engine marketing efforts and participation in blogs, message boards, and forums
• Creating and editing website content pages using back-end content management system (CMS) tools
• Identifying emerging technologies, trends, and services to increase effectiveness of web strategy efforts
• Coordinating efforts with the Communication Department.  Identifying and building strategic alliances to execute technology-based communications activities
• Educating internal staff in the use and application of new media
• Learning new technologies to effectively build the organization's web presence 

Required Skills:

• Must be passionately pro-life with a clear ability to communicate the issue both written and verbally.
• Must possess excellent writing skills.
• Prior experience with managing a website and/or email blast list required. 

TO APPLY: Please send resume and cover letter to Emily Buchanan at [email protected].  Please include your position on Life in your cover letter. Cover letters that do not state applicant’s position on the Life issue will not be considered. Please no phone calls, you will be contacted to set up an interview.  (PF tipster)

TRICKS OF THE TRADE: PR Newser offers Six Tips for Making your Press Release Twitter Friendly

Mediabistro blog PR Newser offers “Six tips for making your press release Twitter friendly” in light of a recent study from PR Newswire & Crowd Factory that found that Twitter drives more traffic to press releases than Facebook. 

The six tips?

1)      It Starts with the Headline – Leave room for comment & retweets, make headline eye catching & newsworthy, tweet “facts and stats”

2)     Numbers, Numbers, Numbers – If you have data within a press release, put it in the headline

3)     Make Sub-stories Tweetable – Make the press release “scanable” by highlighting secondary areas, so one press release can be a few different tweets

4)     Hashtag Properly – Keywords and search terms make it easier to find; tweet should be “more social but less deep”

5)     Make Quotes Tweetable – Make quotes “interesting and substantive”

6)     Increase Multimedia – Audio, video and other multimedia add value and “further draw your audience in”

Summary: "In other words, consider the social media platform and create your strategy — and your press release — accordingly."

Full item here. (PR Newser)

Campaigns, Advocacy Organizations Hiring Digital Directors

In the new world of political campaigns, the position of Digital Director is every bit as important as Press Secretary.

The Mitt Romney Exploratory Committee, which will become a full blown presidential campaign on Thursday after he announces in New Hampshire, has hired Zac Moffat (pictured at right) to run the in-house digital efforts, according to a report on Clickz.com.

Moffatt's mission is to “take all the activities that occur offline and make sure they have an online platform for people to engage with,” he said.

Moffat was previously a partner at Republican digital agency Targeted Victory, where he helped run digital campaigns for candidates, including U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).

In 2008, Moffat ran the political education training at the Republican National Committee.

In Romney’s 2008 campaign, his E-Strategy Director was Mindy Finn, whose firm, Engage, is now working for presidential candidate and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN).

The 2012 reelection campaign of President Barack Obama, based in Chicago, recently named Teddy Goff (pictured at left) as Digital Director.  Goff was previously Associate Vice President for Strategy at Blue State Digital.  Here's a 2009 Q&A with Goff.

Professional digital staff are not just required by national campaigns, they are required by national advocacy groups.

According to Clickz.com, advocacy organization No Labels, which aims to solve major problems plaguing the country through bipartisan means, has hired a Director of Digital Communications.

Joe Mansour (pictured at bottom right), who has worked as an Account Director with digital agency David All Group, said he will start this week with No Labels. He plans to "build up an online army over the next year," according to an email sent to ClickZ.  (Clickz.com)

DREAM JOB OF THE WEEK: Republican National Committee, Digital Marketing Director

The Republican National Committee seeks a Digital Marketing Director, who will oversee all RNC digital marketing, manage an in-house digital team and work closely with other division heads to maximize their efforts online.

Applicants interested in applying for this position should be innovative, eager and aggressive and have previous experience as a Digital Director for a campaign or organization or should have overseen/managed a Digital team in their career. 

Individuals must be creative and display a deep understanding of how digital strategies and technologies integrate into political, communications and finance plans. Experience as a campaign manager or communications director is a plus.

Specific responsibilities include:

1. Developing a new digital strategy for the Party
2. Managing GOP.com and all RNC web properties
3. Fostering engagement on and maintaining Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
4. Developing an Online Fundraising Strategy with the Finance Division
5. Managing an Email Marketing program
6. Creating content for Digital Media (YouTube, etc.)
7. Developing and managing Online Advertising for the Party

The Digital Marketing Director will be expected to work from RNC headquarters in Washington, DC.

TO APPLY: Please email a resume, references, and salary requirements to [email protected].  (PF tipster)

** PLEASE NOTE: If interested, AdWeek recently published an interesting piece of the job of a Chief Digital Officer.