Games for Change Seeks Community Manager

See below for job opp at Games for Change

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Seeking the right person to join our fast-paced team:

Community Manager

This is a full-time opening in a high-profile, cutting-edge nonprofit dedicated to supporting the new field of videogames for social change. Work begins as soon as possible in fall 2007 based in New York City.

Games for Change, founded in 2004, is the national umbrella group dedicated to advancing positive social change through digital games. We increasingly act as the new movement’s independent focal point for media, distribution and research; our ultimate goal is to build a new field of social change gaming. We’ve been covered this year in the New York Times, NPR, CNN, BBC, NBC, and beyond. Our rough blog (www.gamesforchange.org) provides a sense of our earliest programming, and our new website is set to launch in early October. We’ve been funded by The MacArthur, Surdna and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations, as well as NYSTAR and the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, and have partnerships with MoveOn, mTV, Participant Productions and Microsoft Corporation

After three years of accelerating growth, we are currently following through on a number of major initiatives. These include work with MTV to distribute games, The New School for a prototyping center, MoveOn for a policy initiative, among others, in addition to our 800+ membership of game designers, nonprofit managers, academics, artists and politicians. New activities include briefings for major foundations, policy sessions in Washington, press events in New York, and gatherings of top academics from around the nation studying digital media – and all this on top of our signature national showcase of social change games and festival in New York City.

The Community Manager is responsible for fostering participation and providing leadership and editorial oversight for a variety of forums dedicated to digital media, learning, and social issue games. Among our high-profile projects, Games for Change manages The Knowledge Network - an on line social learning network whose central goal is to support connections and shared resources in the emerging field of digital media and learning funded by the MacArthur Foundation. The Knowledge Network encompasses a number of expanding features including a resource directory, professional profiles, discussion areas, and events calendar. The Community Manager is responsible for facilitating content development for The Knowledge Network, providing editorial supervision, and reaching out to new participants. The Community Manager will work closely with the Social Network Designer & Manager to respond and to the needs of the community and adapt The Knowledge Network as these needs evolve. Specifically, the Community Manager will:

∑ Craft a vision and oversee execution for a broad web 2.0 editorial strategy;
∑ Engage the core audience of The Knowledge Network to build community by contributing resources, encouraging meaningful exchange, and providing catalysts for collaboration;
∑ Expand The Knowledge Network community by reaching out to community groups engaged in digital media and learning such as schools, libraries, and after-school programs and foster their participation in The Knowledge Network;
∑ Reach out to potential content syndication partners by identifying and contacting academic, cultural, and other institutions working in the field of digital media and learning;
∑ Monitor and edit content, and remove inappropriate material;
∑ Organize Knowledge Network events and featured contributions;
∑ Work with The Knowledge Network Advisory Committee to create policies as needed and solicit feedback on network content;
∑ Manage editorial interns and contributors.

In addition to work on The Knowledge Network, the Community Manager will have an active role in other Games for Change projects, including:

∑ Managing a discussion list on social issue digital games with 800+ participants;
∑ Coordinating communications among Games for Change regional representatives, including periodic conference calls;
∑ Preparing occasional news releases, articles, and reports;
∑ Representing the Knowledge Network and Games for Change at conferences, in online forums, and meetings with key constituents;
∑ Actively participating in organizational development including, planning, fundraising, and new project development.

We are seeking someone who is:

∑ A visionary in the field of online social networking
∑ Experienced in managing online communities
∑ A skilled writer and editor
∑ Adept at engaging diverse participants in collaborative work
∑ Confident working with a diverse group of professionals including researchers, academics, media professionals, and digital designers
∑ Captivated by the field of digital media and committed to its potential for fostering learning, collaboration, and understanding social issues
∑ A clear and organized communicator

This is a full-time position located in New York City. Annual compensation range is $60k - $70k plus benefits. This position is funded for 12 months through a dedicated grant. We anticipate receiving additional funding for this position beyond the initial 12 months.

Games for Change (G4C) is the leader in an emerging discipline: the use of video games for the public interest. As the central organization building the field of positive social change through digital games media, G4C acts as the new movement’s international nexus for visibility, community, and best practices, creating concrete positive change in the real world by convening leading academics, non-profits, and industry experts interested in this new tool for real world content. G4C operates under the auspices of Digital Innovations Group, Inc., a New York-based 501©3 think tank that encourages and supports innovation on the Web, with a special emphasis on developing the potential of the medium to bring people together to explore both personal and public issues in powerful and transforming ways.

How to Apply:
Make sure to indicate the title of the position you're applying for (“Community Manager”) in the SUBJECT line of an email to [email protected]. Your cover letter should be BOTH included in the body of the email and attached along with your resume (in rich text, MS-Word or PDF format). In your letter, please let us know where you heard of the position, why you are suited to this role, and how the position relates to your career objectives and personal interests.

Only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. This position is currently open and may be filled at anytime.

Games for Change is an equal opportunity employer.