LION is hiring a communications intern

Status: Part-time non-exempt, temporary 

Reports to: Communications manager

Location: Remote within Oregon (internship can be completed remotely anywhere in Oregon, but there may be opportunities to meet in-person with LION colleagues in the Portland area)

Compensation: $25/hour, eligible for some benefits (see details below)

Job Summary

We’re looking for a part-time summer intern (16-20 hours per week for up to 10 weeks) to support our communications strategy while strengthening their skills in writing, editing, research and social media engagement. This intern will work closely with our Communications Manager to tell the story of LION’s members and the ways they’re building stronger, more sustainable independent news businesses. 

The internship will start on Monday, July 18, and end no later than Friday, September 23. 

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to LION’s external communications (60% of your time)  
  • Elevate and amplify the work of LION members by writing and editing Q&A posts about success stories and lessons learned
  • Strengthen LION’s industry newsletter by researching resources and opportunities for independent news publishers
  • Promote LION’s work and member opportunities by drafting and scheduling posts on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

• Complete a self-guided content project that aligns with your professional growth goals as well as LION’s communications strategy (40% of your time)
  • Pitch one major project that you’d like to work on throughout your internship with LION
  • Work with the communications manager to set deliverable deadlines and learning / professional development objectives
  • Complete the project by the end of your internship and present what you accomplished and learned 

LION is an Equal Opportunity Employer

LION believes that a team with diversity of backgrounds and experiences will generate the most innovative ideas and ultimately do the best work in support of our mission. This is why we welcome contractors, vendors, staff and board members who contribute to a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment. We understand diversity as multi-dimensional and intersectional, encompassing aspects of our identities including race and ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, ability, class, geography, lived experiences and more. We welcome and encourage all qualified candidates to apply to opportunities at LION so that we build a team that reflects the diversity of independent news entrepreneurs we wish to serve.

We know there are great candidates who might not check all the boxes listed below or who possess important skills we haven’t thought of. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. 

Skills and Qualifications for the Role

• Demonstrated experience writing and editing content for online publication 
• Familiarity with best practices for posting and engaging on social media, especially Twitter and LinkedIn
• Ability to articulate personal learning and growth objectives and help develop a plan for achieving them through this internship

Skills and Expectations for Teamwork at LION

• Work in a way that upholds and reflects our organizational values: Being data-informed, equitable and inclusive, people-centered, systems thinkers, transparent and iterative
• Use digital tools and platforms to stay organized, communicate transparently, and collaborate with team members remotely 
• Collaborate strategically with others, clearly defining processes for decision making
• Give and receive constructive feedback to help the team produce its best work
• Celebrate our wins and learning moments
• Take on an experimental mindset and demonstrate flexibility to iterate on our work, systems, and processes 
• Be willing and able to ask for help when needed, and demonstrate an ability to learn and grow in the role

Physical Requirements and Environmental Conditions

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position, at a desk or similar, 90% of the time. Time spent in stationary location includes operating a computer and relevant peripherals and communicating via phone.
• Regularly required by the duties of this job to move, ascend and descend, remain stationary, position oneself to access and operate machines and/or equipment and supplies, communicate, exchange information and observe details at close and medium range within work surroundings.

Travel Requirements

• Travel is not required for this position, but you will have the optional opportunity to meet in person with LION colleagues in the Portland area. 

About LION

Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional journalism association for independent news publishers. While most of our 400+ members across the U.S. and Canada run local news businesses, we also have members who serve larger regions and specific identity-based communities across geographies. LION provides teaching, resources and community to independent news entrepreneurs as they build and develop sustainable businesses. One of our core values is being people-centered, and here are some ways we build that culture for our staff. 

Benefits

• Paid Time Off (including sick days) is accrued at a rate 20 days per year (pro-rated for part-time employees)
• Paid holidays (including week of July 4, and Christmas Eve through New Years Day) is 14 days in 2022
• Flexible working schedule
• No-meeting Fridays
• Monthly work-from-home stipend

Application Materials

Submit your materials using this form by 11 p.m. Pacific time on Wednesday, June 22. You will be asked to provide:

• Your resume
• Any online links that show your work (a Twitter profile, a portfolio page, etc.)
• Answers to the following questions:

• What do you know / what have you learned about LION Publishers, our work and our communications strategy? 
• Why are you interested in an internship with LION Publishers in particular? 
• What questions do you have about LION Publishers, our work and our communications strategy?
• To help ensure this internship is a learning and growth experience, we’re assigning about 40 percent of the intern’s time to a self-guided project that aligns with their professional development goals. With that in mind, what are your professional development goals? In other words, what do you want to have learned or gained experience and confidence doing through this internship?

If you have questions about this role, reach out to LION communications manager Ben DeJarnette ([email protected]) to learn more.