Image Courtesy: Bikewalkalliance.org

The Alliance for Biking & Walking seeks a talented Communications Manager responsible for raising the profile of the grassroots state and local biking and walking advocacy movement.

• Location: Preferably Washington D.C., but can be remote with periodic travel to D.C.
• Deadline: Open until filled – candidates are strongly recommended to apply before Jan. 16, 2015
• Compensation: Commensurate with experience and includes generous vacation time, health and retirement benefits.

About the Alliance for Biking & Walking
The mission of the Alliance for Biking & Walking is to create, strengthen and unite state/province and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. The Alliance is the only national organization that trains, assists, empowers and strengthens community leaders and their organizations to transform communities through better bicycling and walking. With more than 200 state and local bicycle and pedestrian organizations employing hundreds of professionals in nearly every city and state, our people powered movement is transforming communities and the country.

Position Description
The Alliance for Biking & Walking seeks a talented Communications Manager responsible for raising the profile of the grassroots state and local biking and walking advocacy movement. The Communications Manager will help to meet the organization’s overall mission-driven direction with regards to messaging and communications strategy. The selected candidate will manage and implement the Alliance’s organizational communications, including website, email, print, social media, and press relations work. This person will be a storyteller for the active transportation movement, for our member organizations, and for people who walk and bike in North America. The Communications Manager will also oversee the Benchmarking Project, a biennial data collection project and report that the Alliance undertakes in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Duties and Responsibilities
Communications and Design:

• Set and manage the organization’s overall media, digital, press, and branding approaches.
• Write, edit, design, and manage print materials, including an annual report, brochures, sponsorship guides, and other materials.
• Direct and implement email communications, including a monthly newsletter and non-newsletter mass emails.
• Oversee the organization’s website, blog, and digital presence.
• Promote the Alliance’s work and the work of our member organizations through traditional media, social media, mass email, and organizational partnerships.
• Serve as the organization’s representative in the media; shape the organization’s media strategy and conduct proactive press outreach when appropriate.
• Help write and edit fundraising materials, including grant proposals and appeal letters.
• Oversee and add to the Alliance for Biking & Walking photo library; organize occasional photo contests to make more photos of walking and bicycling available for advocates.
• Conduct trainings, facilitate group calls, share resources, and give advice for state and local biking and walking advocacy organizations members on media relations, communications strategy, and digital strategy.
• Supervise interns and independent contractors as needed.

Benchmarking Project:

• Supervise the Benchmarking Project Manager, who oversees project planning, vision, research, writing, and data collection for the Benchmarking Report, the Alliance’s biennial report on biking and walking data in the United States.
• Design and implement release strategy, marketing, distribution, and presentations.
• Assist with fundraising for an online version of the 2016 Benchmarking Report. If funding is secured, select vendors and manage process for building digital components of the Benchmarking Report.

Qualifications
Essential:

• A strong commitment to the mission of the Alliance for Biking & Walking.
• Two or more years’ experience in communications, digital strategy, or a related field.
• One or more years’ experience in project and staff management.
• Experience managing an organization’s brand and social media for a brand.
• Experience with media relations; comfortable speaking on the record.
• Strong editorial, oral, and written communication skills.
• Proven success with managing and operating CMS and CRM software.
• Working knowledge of HTML; some knowledge of CSS preferred.
• Familiarity with InDesign and the Adobe Suite.
• Familiarity with Salesforce.
• Ability to work on self-directed projects in a flexible work environment with limited supervision, as well as a track record of working well on team projects.
• Comfort working in a learning organization that values meaningful contribution, collective feedback, and process evaluation.
• Cheerful, friendly and upbeat outlook; strong interpersonal and organizational skills.

Helpful:

• Specific experience working with national non-profit organizations.
• Familiarity with the state and local walking and biking advocacy movement.
• Experience producing newsletter content and curating stories representing a diversity of perspectives and lived experiences.
• Experience writing grants and fundraising letters.
• Experience with marketing, publications, and copyediting.
• Experience with Joomla and/or Nonprofit Soapbox.
• Experience working on advocacy campaigns and an understanding of basics of the political process.

How to Apply

Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to Applications@BikeWalkAlliance.org. In addition, please submit a design sample (e.g. an annual report, poster, report, pamphlet, or website), as well as a 500-1000-word writing sample written for a general audience that conveys your writing skills and communication style. No academic papers please. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis – candidates are strongly encouraged to apply by January 16, 2015. Finalists will be contacted for interviews.

The Alliance for Biking & Walking is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or gender identity, disability, sex or age.

About us

The FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society (Foundation) is an independent UK registered charity which supports an international programme of activities promoting road safety, the environment and sustainable mobility, as well as funding motor sport safety research.   The Foundation has consultative status with the Economic & Social Council of the United Nations, participates in various UN road safety and environment related working parties and is a member of the UN Global Road Safety Collaboration.  It also provides the secretariat for the Make Road Safe campaign, the independent Commission for Global Road Safety, and the Global Fuel Economy Initiative. The Foundation is also a member of the UN Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles.

Our objects are to promote public safety and public health, the protection and preservation of human life and the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment through:

• promoting research, disseminating the results of research and providing information in any matters of public interest which include road safety, automobile technology, the protection and preservation of human life and public health, transport and public mobility and the protection of the environment; and
• promoting improvement in the safety of motor sport, and of drivers, passengers, pedestrians and other road users.

About the role

The newly-created post of Research Officer, based full-time at the Foundation’s secretariat in central London, will deal with all research questions and projects in support of the Director of Environment and Research (See full description below)

In this you will provide seamless service both internally to colleagues and externally to the Foundation’s various statutory bodies, members and partners.

You will assist the Director of Environment and Research, as part of an integrated policy, programmes and communications team, on all aspects of the Foundation’s road safety, environmental and sustainable mobility research policies and activities, such as:

• conducting research projects (including economic analysis) and producing research outputs;
• supporting the Foundation’s Seminar programme;
• maintenance of databases and co-ordination of mailings to Foundation partners and members;
• preparation of briefings, advocacy and communications materials;
• speechwriting;
• production of material for relevant websites and social media; and
• representation at seminars and meetings.

About you

A confident self-starter and ideally equipped with a postgraduate qualification or equivalent, you should have work experience in a research role, ideally in a busy research/campaigns or advocacy environment.  Strong analytical, evaluation and writing skills demonstrating close attention to detail are a must as are excellent social skills, diplomacy and personal presentation.  You should have a solid knowledge of all common IT packages, such as Excel, SPSS, Word and Powerpoint.  Foreign languages would be an asset. Experience of issues around public health/injury research, sustainable mobility and/or international development would also be desirable, but not essential.

Please note that we are only able to consider applications from those with the legal right to work in the UK.

The closing date for applications is 20th June.

Click here to learn more and to apply

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The Coalition for Smarter Growth seeks an Outreach and Development Associate to join our dynamic and talented team. The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Our mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies needed to make those communities flourish.

We’re looking for an energetic, positive, creative team member who is organized, detail-oriented, and possesses outstanding interpersonal skills. We offer a fun and flexible office environment, conveniently located near Union Station. As a small organization (there are five other full-time staff members), this position fills a critical need in our office. It’s also a great opportunity for the right candidate to not only help build and win victories for our smart growth movement, but develop a varied portfolio that can significantly enhance your professional development.

Our ideal candidate is a multitasking individual who can switch easily between playing a key support role on our fundraising team, coordinating our annual educational series of events, leading targeted outreach campaigns (in coordination with our policy team), and managing office operations. An intuitive feel for tech troubleshooting, successful grant writing experience, a campaign fundraising or organizing background, or a demonstrated passion for smart growth policy are all things that can move a candidate up the priority list.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising

Outreach: Manage donor relationship process, execute direct mailings, research donors and foundations, draft correspondence and other documents, and take the lead in event planning and logistics.

Data: Process donations, maintain donor database and run queries and reports (using the Salsa CRM).

Educational Outreach and Advocacy

Coordinate Walking Tours & Forum program: Play the lead coordinating role for planning our annual series of walking tours of transforming neighborhoods and educational forums on smart growth topics. Work with our policy team to determine appropriate guest speakers, plan itinerary, and work with our communications team to plan and execute promotional publicity.

Coordinate Events: Plan and manage CSG outreach events including social hours that cultivate our supporters, donors, volunteers and partners.

Coordinate targeted advocacy campaigns: In conjunction with policy team, coordinate DC and Arlington advocacy projects on issues like transit investment, land use policy, and affordable housing.

Press Outreach: Play a support role to our communications team’s outreach efforts on earned media throughout the D.C. region, supervising regular updates to our media database, sending out press releases, and making prepared press calls.

Running Office Operations

General Administration: Accounting tasks including tracking and reconciling bills and invoices, troubleshooting office equipment including the copier, answering the phone, updating our databases, ordering office supplies

Staff Support: Meeting coordination and scheduling, proofreading, maintaining our office calendar, sending and forwarding emails, and other tasks as needed.

The Other Stuff

As a small organization, there are times we all pitch in on problem solving, major events, and special projects. Everyone wears a lot of hats here, so we want any new team member to be ready to do the same!

Qualifications

• Positive, self-starter attitude
• At least 1-2 years professional experience (this can include impressive intern/fellowship credentials)
• Proactive, “yes I can” approach to spotting and solving problems, while keeping an eye out for opportunities to improve our office systems
• Knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite
• Demonstrated organizational skills
• Flexibility to adjust to a busy, dynamic office
• Ability to prioritize and balance many tasks and projects in a fast-paced environment
• Commitment to our mission outlined at www.smartergrowth.net
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with a good sense of humor
• Ability to make at least a one year commitment (ideally a two year commitment)

Equal Opportunity Employment

Equal opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at the Coalition for Smarter Growth. Employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and a cover letter explaining your interest in smart growth and what strengths you would bring to the job to jobs@smartergrowth.net, and include the job title “Outreach and Development Associate” in the subject line. Starting salary will be in the 30s, with the exact level dependent on experience, and opportunities for advancement available. We’ll begin holding interviews in early December, but applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. No phone calls or letters please.

Happy to be invited as a speaker for this event.  Hope you, my readers and followers, can tune in and learn from some of the best folks in the business about the impact of social media on ITS.

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The 10th Positive Thinking webinar takes place on Wednesday 20 November at 9am Pacific, noon EST, 5pm UK, 6pm Central Europe and focuses on Social Media and ITS.

How has social media affected the way the transportation industry does business? Are we using it properly? Do we fully understand the benefits? The latest in our series of POSITIVE THINKING webinars will attempt to answer these questions (and many more) and provide some fascinating insights into this new facet of the ITS sector.

Expert panellists Andy Palanisamy (TransportGooru), Lloyd Brown (AASHTO), Larry Ehl (Transportation Issues Daily), Ayelet Gal Tzur (Technion University, Israel) and Susan Grant-Muller (University of Leeds, UK) join regular presenters Kevin Borras and Bob McQueen to consider the likely undesirable side effects, how to best harness the value of a social media network and explain how the likes of Twitter and Facebook fit within a more integrated approach to outreach and marketing for transportation agency.

Join us on Wednesday 20 November and participate in this fascinating event. If you can’t listen live then register anyway as we will send you a link to the recording and slides a couple of days after the event. We look forward to you hearing us…

Click HERE to register.

Please note that in order to join the webinar, ‘Go To Webinar’ requires users to download some software. If your firewall may prevent this, please check with your IT department.

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), the nation’s largest nonprofit association representing the transportation technology industry, is seeking an External Affairs Manager to support the organization’s communications, marketing and legislative outreach activities. ITS America’s membership includes nearly 500 public agencies, private sector companies, and research and academic institutions as well as 27 State Chapter affiliates across 40 states dedicated to advancing the research, development and deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to improve the nation’s surface transportation network. The External Affairs Manager will be responsible for the following activities:

• Plan and manage media, Congressional and stakeholder outreach events;
• Assist in maintaining relationships and managing logistics related to ITS America’s Legislative Steering Committee;
• Plan and manage monthly Smart Solution Spotlight award media events and promotional activities;
• Write and manage the distribution of ITS America’s weekly e-newsletter, the Transportation Technology News;
• Schedule and manage logistics for monthly Congressional Roundtable breakfast or lunch events between ITS America members and Members of Congress;
• Draft press releases, media statements, talking points, marketing materials, member announcements, Web content, social media content and other communications as needed;
• Perform occasional legislative and regulatory research and writing;
• Write, edit and update copy and graphics regularly on www.itsa.org;
• Assist with media outreach and marketing activities for ITS America’s quarterly regional event series;
• Manage logistics and outreach for ITS America’s annual Transportation Technology Showcase and Reception on Capitol Hill;
• Assist with media and marketing activities for major industry events including ITS America’s Annual Meetings and the ITS World Congress;
• Monitor transportation and technology-related news and compile daily press clips for distribution;
• Maintain and expand media, Congressional and stakeholders contacts and distribution lists; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The incumbent will report to the Senior Vice President for Government and External Affairs, with day-to-day management provided by the Director of Communications in coordination with the Vice President for Legislative Affairs. Candidates should have at least 2-5 years of relevant experience, extremely strong writing skills with a working knowledge of AP Style, the ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines, and attention to detail. Media relations and event marketing, Congressional relations, and transportation and/or technology policy experience are all a strong plus. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Please submit your resume and at least three writing samples to pfeenstra@itsa.org.

The Intelligent Transportation Society of America is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. All applications are treated confidentially.

The image below was posted on the Colorado Dept. of Transportation’s Facebook Page with the following note: “Did you know that Colorado experienced a 66% increase in pedestrian fatalities and a 63% increase in bicyclist fatalities from 2011 to 2012? Share the Road folks!”  After seeing the Facebook post, I got curious and paid a visit to the CDOT website and found out they have an awesome campaign “Share the Road, Friend”  underway to create  an awareness about the  shared responsibility for road safety among all road users. They got all kinds of promotional materials made available on the CDOT website and while you are there don’t forget to check out the campaign videos as well. Nicely done, CDOT.

Share the Road, Friend – via Colorado Dept. of Transportation

English: District of Columbia Department of Transportation (d-dot) logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m a big fan of transportation agencies using social media to reach their customers & stakeholders.  But often you will find many of these agencies send out tweets and Facebook posts that are plain boring and borderline irritating.  Fortunately, some agencies do understand the importance of adding humor and fun to keep their messages appealing yet entertaining without looking too mundane.  Among a handful of agencies that do this so well is @DDOTDC (aka DC Department of Transportation). They always know how to mix up the seriousness of a bland transportation message with a little bit of humor to make it easy for the end-user to consume, esp. at the end of a long day.  The communications team at @DDOTDC has done a commendable job on many occasions and today is not an exception.

Like every time it happens, today DC metropolitan area got into panic-mode when snow flurries started hitting the ground. As folks left offices/workplaces early, the vehicle traffic started building up on the streets. So, to lighten up the mood and poke a bit of fun of the traditional behavior of DC metro residents, the @DDOTDC team pushed out a series of fun tweets titled Top 5 signs it’s snowing in DC”:

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294905698196811776

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906098425679873

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906463334301696

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906684915208194

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906972103393280

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294905698196811776

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906098425679873

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906463334301696

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906684915208194

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906972103393280

And you see my point? How refreshing is it to see a public agency do something like this instead of just sending out plain boring traffic congestion updates during an already crazy time on the streets?  If you happen to serve as a communications in-charge at any transportation agency, you will be thrilled to see such great levels of audience engagement from the community for each one of these messages (i.e., retweets, Favs, etc). So, if you get a chance, say “Thank You” to the @DDOTDC team for their fun yet sincere community service and all the hard work they put in to keeps us safe on the roads.

There are many exciting developments in the world of robotics and here is one from the European Union, funded under the EU’s  7th Framework Programme.  The video below shows how a drone can take over command and control responsibilities of a swarm on the ground, without any external communication channels like GPS (i.e., Spatially Targeted Communication and Self-Assembly).  Some of the example applications shown here are cool, i.e, moving chairs, bringing snacks to a guy watching TV, pushing the water container, etc.  But this one has far more devastating implications when deployed for the military in remote battlefields.

ITS America is looking for a dynamic leader to be our new Communications Director and we wanted to reach out and see if you know of any qualified candidates who may be interested in applying.  Among other responsibilities, the Communications Director manages ITS America’s outreach to mainstream and trade media; serves as media spokesperson and functions as communications liaison to ITS America’s staff, state chapters and 400+ member companies and organizations; researches, writes and edits articles, press releases, online content and other promotional materials; and assists with the planning and promotion of meetings and events for the transportation industry, news media, policymakers and other key audiences.  Candidates should have at least 4-5 years of relevant experience, plus exceptional writing skills and attention to detail.  The position description is online at http://www.itsa.org/aboutus/itsamericapositionopenings, and candidates can submit their resume and writing samples to pfeenstra@itsa.org.

(via Gizmodo)

Is it actually dangerous to use cell phones or other portable electronics on board an aircraft? NOPE. NOPE. NOPE.

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