Planning and Preservation Writer

Job Description

Planning and Preservation Writer

Providence Preservation Society (PPS) is a nonprofit preservation, advocacy and education organization founded in 1956.  PPS understands that the work of preservation is not defined by the fight to protect singular examples of architecture, as though the city were a museum, but must engage with planning and policy, place-based research, creative practice, climate justice and community engagement with the goal of shaping a livable, equitable city for all.  Our 2021-2026 Strategic Plan outlines the organization’s progressive approach that prioritizes social and racial justice, and new programs and initiatives that address systemic inequities.

PPS seeks a Planning and Preservation Writer to cover developments in Providence that impact the urban fabric and the city’s diverse cultural heritage practices, and to lead the organization’s communications efforts.  The successful candidate will be passionate about cities and the people who shape them, with strong research and analytical skills and the ability to distill the complexities of planning and policy into lively prose (accompanied, at times, by photos and videos) for PPS’s newsletter subscribers, website visitors and social media followers.  Issue coverage may include profiles of people who are preserving or shaping community space and cultural practices; features about historic homes, buildings or spaces that hold meaning for different communities; assessments of current or potential real estate developments with regard to issues of design and equity; or solutions-oriented analyses of policies related to planning, zoning, and adaptive reuse.  The candidate should have superb relational skills that make them an asset to PPS’s community relationship building activities.

This is a new position at PPS, which comes from the belief that relevant and timely communication backed with rigorous reporting are critical to PPS’s ability to achieve its mission – especially in the current context of weaker local news ecosystems.  This is an exciting opportunity to participate in the critical project of rebuilding local news and an informed public from an organization that is regarded as one of the city’s legacy institutions and a trusted source of information.  The position will be part of a highly integrated office of five full-time staff and will report to PPS’s Executive Director. 

Responsibilities:

• Research, manage and write or produce features for PPS’s newsletters and its website aligned to PPS’s strategic objectives;
• Collect and analyze data related to Providence’s built environment for publication or distribution across PPS’s channels;
• Produce content as possible in alternative forms, such as maps, infographics, listicles, Q&As, photo galleries, and video to drive engagement of new and existing audiences;
• Research and write approximately 10-15 historic building reports per year (2-5 pages) to support PPS’s Marker Program, which recognizes sites of architectural and cultural heritage;
• Lead digital and print communications, social media, and press relations on behalf of PPS, including establishing the editorial calendar, tracking engagement and creating communications plans and strategies;
• Track engagement and metrics across all channels of the above to understand opportunities and engagement;
• Center principles and themes of equity, inclusivity and justice as a throughline in all work;
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with civic and community partners and knowledge-keepers to inform coverage and content;
• Attend city commission and committee meetings as needed;
• Collaborate to recruit guest writers for PPS’s blog and edit guest writer submissions;
• Expand and shape the position and PPS’s coverage strategies, and pursue other areas of interest, including special project reporting.
• Provide support for PPS’s events, programs and administrative work, as needed. 

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in journalism, policy, planning, design, or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Preference is for at least 1-2 years of professional journalism experience as a metro or related beat reporter, or equivalent demonstrated work in clips in lieu of experience;
• Some experience with multimedia journalism, including video and audio storytelling, or enthusiasm and capacity to learn;
• Proficiency with social media and digital interaction, experience developing effective email and social media campaigns a plus;
• Proficiency with marketing and design tools such as Constant Contact, Facebook, and Instagram; familiarity with Canva, Adobe Suite a plus;
• Understanding of journalistic conventions on ethics, sourcing, fairness and accuracy;
• Ability to work effectively and comfortably in a city that is multi-cultural and multi-lingual with demonstrated cultural awareness and competency skills; Spanish-language proficiency a plus;
• Demonstrated leadership, interpersonal, and collaborative skills, fostering a positive, creative and productive team environment;
• Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing with the ability to elicit and communicate information in a clear, informative and compelling manner;
• Access to reliable transportation to meet with sources or cover events.

PPS fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are committed to reflecting the communities with whom we work and encourage members of traditionally underrepresented populations to apply.  This position is based in Providence, and candidates should be based in the area or willing to move.  Providence is a diverse city of 190,000 that is home to Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence College, and other institutions of higher education, located one hour from Boston. 31% of the city’s residents are foreign-born and 43% of the city’s population is Hispanic. 

Compensation and Benefits:

• This is a full-time salaried professional position with a salary range of $55,000 - $62,000, commensurate with experience; 
• Current policy affords staff the option of working remotely two days per week;
• Comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental, vacation, personal days, sick time, bereavement leave, and retirement benefits;
• Annual professional development stipend.

Interested applicants should send an email to jobs@ppsri.org with “Planning and Preservation Writer” as the subject line. The email should contain the following (please send the cover letter, resume, and text-based clips as a single PDF document):

• A cover letter that details your mission alignment with our work, and how your experience and skills match the responsibilities of this position;
• Resume;
• 3-4 clips;
• 3-4 text, photo-based or video posts that promote a complex story for a social media audience.

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis but will be reviewed starting April 1, 2024.

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