Project & Communications Associate

Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA

1d • $25 • Onsite

About The Position

Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia (MAAV), housed in the Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, invites applications for a Project & Communications Associate who will provide support for a multi-year project titled Monuments Across Appalachian Places (MAAP). MAAV works to reclaim, imagine, document, reinterpret, display, and amplify histories and experiences that highlight collective struggles for the vitality of people and our shared environment, especially by, for, and with people whose stories have been silenced, denied, or excluded. Working closely with the MAAV Project Coordinator, the Project & Communications Associate will plan and execute a variety of communications initiatives, co-lead logistics for MAAV team travel, and develop relationships with community-led monuments projects. The Associate may also represent MAAV on site visits, at information booths, or via presentations to community groups. The Project & Communications Associate should have a background in digital communications strategies and be familiar with basic graphic design. They must also have experience or interest in social media management, website maintenance, videography and photography, and/or media relations. The Project & Communications Associate should be able to work with people from a variety of backgrounds including community leaders, artists, faculty, and students, including MAAV student interns. The Associate will be a member of the MAAV Leadership Team. The MAAV Leadership Team includes the Co-Directors, Post-Doctoral Fellows, Project Coordinator, and consultants who meet weekly to plan the direction of the project, distribute action items, and support each other in this work. This position is in-person and requires some travel in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia, including some evening, weekend, and/or overnight travel. All travel expenses are covered by Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia. This three-year project is contract based and will end in early 2029.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent training/experience
• Experience working with communication platforms
• Demonstrated creativity, organizational skills, interpersonal skills, flexibility, self-motivation, and the ability to thrive in a team setting
• Strong time management skills, including the ability to prioritize projects and tasks based on workflow and deadlines
• Interest in developing project coordination and relationship building skills
• High level of curiosity, especially about community, untold stories, art, social justice, and Appalachia
• Passion for storytelling, social justice, and place-based initiatives
• Ability to co-organize events
• Ability to work occasionally in the evening or at a weekend event
• Ability to travel occasionally
• Ability to drive a Virginia Tech fleet services vehicle

Nice To Haves

• Proven history of work with digital content strategy and management, including content management systems and other web platforms as well as professional/organizational social media management
• History of overseeing a professional social media account that promotes engagement.
• Track record of creating compelling and impactful digital communications that work across various platforms
• Experience drafting, revising, and pitching press releases
• Experience with developing promotional materials using Canva and/or Adobe Creative Suite
• Experience with visual communication mediums, such as photography, videography, and/or graphic design
• Experience working with grassroots community groups, arts organizations, and/or higher education
• Experience meeting deadlines and navigating/prioritizing multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience working in Appalachia
• Knowledge of cultures and histories in Appalachia
• Demonstrated record of successful partnership with a diverse range of Appalachian people, communities, and organizations, including Indigenous, Black, Latinx, migrant, rural, urban, working-class, poor, and LGBTQ+ individuals and collectivities

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute a variety of communications initiatives
• Co-lead logistics for MAAV team travel
• Develop relationships with community-led monuments projects
• Represent MAAV on site visits, at information booths, or via presentations to community groups
• Work with people from a variety of backgrounds including community leaders, artists, faculty, and students, including MAAV student interns
• Attend MAAV Leadership Team meetings

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees