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PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: DAG FELLOW

The Design Advocacy Group (DAG) seeks a highly motivated individual for challenging part-time employment as the DAG Fellow, a communications and administrative coordinator. DAG is a public forum and advocate for design quality and equity in the planning, architecture, preservation and physical development of Philadelphia. DAG is volunteer organization whose more than 1,700 members come from a broad spectrum of disciplines. https://designadvocacy.org/

 

Position Description

The Fellow oversees DAG’s overall communications, provides administrative and logistical support for monthly meetings and special events, plus assists in the execution of advocacy projects. 

Specifics:

Communications:

  • Maintains and keeps up-to-date DAG’s website (using the content management system).

  • Maintains presence on social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook). 

  • Actively monitors DAG’s social media feeds

  • Drafts content, designs, and distributes DAG’s bi-monthly eblasts to its 1,700+ members. Designs and develops web content and graphics as needed. 

  • Designs and supervises production of printed materials as needed. 

 

Monthly Meetings & Events

  • Assists program chair to schedule and follow up with presenters. 

  • Supports audio-visual and other aspects of presentations, and posts presentation materials on the website.

  • Coordinates with vendors when DAG meets in person (venue, catering, printing, etc.). 

  • Provides any other administrative and logistical support for special events, including forums, charrettes, etc.

 

Steering Committee, Advocacy, Fundraising, and Task Force Meetings Support

  • Attends and takes notes at all monthly DAG meetings, quarterly Steering Committee meetings and advocacy task force meetings. Archives and distributes notes as directed.

  • Conducts research to support advocacy initiatives as directed. This may include interviews with agencies and research in publications and collections of plans and photographs.

  • Assists with fundraising, membership outreach and organizational development. Work in this sphere may include benchmarking DAG relative to comparable organizations in other cities, assisting with grant and other reporting requirements and supporting DAG fundraising campaigns with acknowledgments, messaging and materials.

 

Administrative

  • Maintains an up-to-date membership and task force email lists. 

  • Files invoices, document requests and downloads financial reports, etc. as needed using Sage Intaact accounting software. (Training will be provided if necessary).

  • Monitors and follows up on financials and reports quarterly to the DAG Steering Committee or as needed.

  • Assists with grant writing and reporting, as needed.

 

Logistics

  • The DAG Fellow will report to the chair of DAG and supports the chairs of four advocacy task force chairs (Complete Streets, Design Equity, Historic Preservation and Waterfronts).

  • The DAG Fellowship begins on April 1, 2021, and continues for twelve months. 

  • The position requires approximately 40 hours of work per month (this can vary through the year). The Fellow will be paid at a competitive hourly rate.

  • The Fellow will be required to have his/her own computer.

 

Qualifications

  • Positive can-do attitude. This position requires a self-motivated and goal-oriented individual with a track record of working independently. The successful candidate will also demonstrate a willingness to engage in all tasks from the mundane to the sublime without intensive day-to-day supervision.

  • Bachelor's Degree preferred. (Degree can be in any field so long as candidate shows interest and experience as specified below).

  • Planning and design orientation, as evidenced by either current educational status, (e.g. graduate student in planning, urban studies, public policy, etc.) and/or experience in the field (e.g. employment experience in a planning or design firm or agency, or other involvement in communications and design advocacy).

  • Experience with non-profit organization management. Experience with grants writing and reporting a strong plus.

  • Facility with managing social media platforms and strategies.

  • Experience with events management. 

  • Facility with simple planning graphics and graphic design.

  • Development experience is a plus.

  • Excellent communication skills and judgment.

  • Ability to interact positively with a wide range of people at different levels including those on opposite sides of sensitive issues.

  • Ability to follow directions from multiple people. 

  • Clear understanding of the difference between policy and supporting work in advocacy organizations.

  • Familiarity with accounting software, Microsoft office suite, Powerpoint, content management systems.

  • Photography and excellent writing and editing skills are a strong plus.

 

To Apply

Send a letter of interest, your curriculum vitae and a writing sample as PDFs to David Brownlee (dbrownle@sas.upenn.edu) by March 21, 2021. Write “DAG Fellow” in the subject line. Finalists will be interviewed in late March.

 

DAG supports equal opportunity and affirmative action in all employment decisions.

 

DAG Fellow Opportunity Listing