Breakdown of your role: Your main responsibilities throughout your time with us includes: market research, develop targeted communications & marketing collateral, engage in outreach activities, utilize both traditional and digital media to maximize outcomes. The overall outcomes include creating and implementing a 1-mile campaign; pitch stories to the media; host and market an information event; create a branding campaign, focus group and create YouTube videos.
The Weekly Tracker
- This document outlines your weekly assignments and expectations. Your manager will have sent you access to the Google Doc to be used throughout your time with us.
- Begin working on Week 1 assignments today. We recommend that you look through the document and plan your weeks accordingly. Some weeks are more time-intensive than others.
- The week’s tasks are to be completed by 11 PM PT (U.S. based and team members abroad) and 5 PM GMT (UK based) each Friday.
- As this is a ‘live’ document, there is no need for a copy to be sent to your manager. They will access the document throughout the week to check your progress.
Things to Know
Team Manager: Allison Harlan (US based)
1. Pick a Weekly Schedule: You can pick your own schedule, but you’ll need to stick to that schedule.
2. Manage Your Time and Be Upfront:
Okay, comically creepy photo of Robert De Niro in Meet the Fockers aside, we’ve got a serious topic that we want you to be proactively ready for. In the world of working remotely (and that is the direction the workforce is increasingly heading), there is a common situation that repeats itself over and over again at every company and organization. Working remotely offers a lot of freedom and some people end up going through the week doing considerably less work than they would have done in an office setting. Shocking, right!? But here’s where it gets even worse. When that point in the week comes when they must face the music and report to their manager, even honest people sometimes try to lie their way out of the hole they’ve dug. Don’t ever do this here or anywhere! This instantly makes you look like a slacker for not doing the work and even worse a liar for trying to cover up your tracks. We immediately let people go in these situations. Always be upfront! Manage your time well. Don’t mark anything off your tracker that hasn’t been completed. If you miss a weekly target, complete it the following week.
3. Helpful Links
- Contact The Borgen Project
- Fundraising Ideas
- The Point Chart
- U.S. Key Bills
- UK Legislation
- Email forms to Congress
- Email Members of Parliament
4. Congressional & Parliamentary Outreach: Everyone volunteering for The Borgen Project participates in basic advocacy and contacts their Leaders weekly. Congressional and Parliamentary offices tally how many times they are contacted about each issue, so your emails and calls matter!
5. Fundraising: Our funding levels determine our impact. It’s that simple! Like sending advocacy emails to your leaders, everyone who is part of the team steps up and participates in fundraising. Bookmark the fundraising ideas page and start planning your campaign. The Weekly Tracker will guide you through friends and family letters, but to reach the $500/£400 criteria you’ll want to develop your own strategies as well.
6. Award Ops: With team members spread across the globe, our approach to awards is fairly low key. However, achieving these milestones look great on your resume/CV and we love verifying your impact when future employers do background checks.
7. Stay informed with The Borgen Project State of the Union. The organization’s monthly updates are published on this page. Every month we highlight the achievements of Borgen Project high achievers across globe. If you go above and beyond the call of duty in your fundraising, lobbying or mobilizing efforts, you too, may be featured!
8. Training sessions: We hold a variety of training sessions to help you meet all of your goals. Details of the dates and times can be found in our weekly newsletter which will be emailed to you.
Q&A
Can I fast forward ahead on the weekly targets? Yes. As you finish the current weeks assignments, you are more than welcome to skip ahead.
Can I miss a week? If needed, you may take one week off during the course of your time with us. Notify your supervisor beforehand and make note of it in your Weekly Tracker. Missing a week pauses where you are on the Weekly Tracker, so simply pickup where you left off.
Rules the PR/Marketing Team Lives By
- Do! In the words of Yoda, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” It’s easy to spend lots of time drafting strategies and neglect the most important part… Doing the strategies! You may have the best idea in the world and 50 pages of strategy drafted, but it has no value to the organization until you’ve implemented it and achieved results.
- Fail and be relentless. If you’re pitching a story idea to the media, plan on hearing nothing back from 50 or more news outlets before you find one who is interested.
- Step outside your comfort zone. Utilize your time with us to challenge yourself and strengthen your weaknesses.
- Communicate. Respond to questions and emails from your team within 24-hours.
Role Expectations:
- All weekly assignments completed on time.
- Fundraising hours utilized.
- Tracker completed on time every week.