Application Guide
How to Apply for Marketing & Communications Manager
at I AM ALS
🏢 About I AM ALS
I AM ALS is a unique patient-led movement that empowers people with ALS, caregivers, and advocates to drive research and policy change from the ground up. Unlike traditional nonprofits, it operates as a grassroots community that centers lived experience in the fight to end ALS. Working here means directly contributing to a revolutionary approach to disease advocacy where patients lead the charge.
About This Role
This Marketing & Communications Manager role is the engine behind I AM ALS's digital presence, responsible for translating the organization's patient-centric mission into compelling visual and written content across all channels. You'll directly impact awareness, fundraising, and community engagement by managing the website (WordPress/Divi), social media, email campaigns, and key design projects like the Annual Impact Report. Your work will amplify patient stories and mobilize advocates in the movement to end ALS.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start by checking social media inboxes for community messages, then updating the WordPress website with a new blog post about an ALS advocate. You could spend midday designing graphics for an upcoming email campaign, analyzing performance metrics from last week's newsletter, and collaborating remotely with the advocacy team on a patient story project. The day often ends with planning content calendars or refining brand templates to ensure consistency across all channels.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who I AM ALS Is Looking For
- A visual storyteller with 3-5 years of hands-on experience creating integrated content for email, social media, and web, plus a portfolio showcasing graphic design for advocacy or nonprofit campaigns.
- Proficient in WordPress, specifically the Divi builder, with at least 2 years of experience managing website content, performance tracking, and updates without heavy developer support.
- Data-driven marketer who can point to examples of refining campaigns (e.g., email segmentation, social media tests) to boost engagement or conversions, ideally in a mission-driven context.
- Empathetic communicator skilled at managing community interactions (e.g., social media inboxes) and tailoring messages to diverse audiences like patients, caregivers, donors, and researchers.
📝 Tips for Applying to I AM ALS
Showcase specific WordPress/Divi experience: mention plugins you've used, how you've optimized page speed, or describe a time you updated a site without breaking functionality.
Include metrics from past campaigns that tie to mission-driven goals (e.g., 'increased email open rates by 20% for a health nonprofit' or 'gre social media engagement on awareness posts').
Demonstrate knowledge of I AM ALS's voice: review their social media (especially Twitter/X and Facebook) and website to note their tone (hopeful, urgent, patient-led) and mention how you'd align with it.
Highlight design skills for advocacy: if you have a portfolio, include samples like impact reports, social graphics with patient stories, or email templates that evoke emotion and drive action.
Emphasize remote collaboration tools you've used (e.g., Asana, Slack, Google Workspace) since the role is fully remote, and mention experience working with distributed teams.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your passion for ALS advocacy or patient-centric movements, with a brief example of how you've supported health-related or nonprofit causes in past roles.", 'Specific achievements managing WordPress/Divi websites, such as redesigning a key page or improving web performance metrics (e.g., bounce rate, conversions).', 'Experience creating integrated campaigns (e.g., a social media push tied to an email newsletter) that drove tangible results, like increased donations or volunteer sign-ups.', 'Ability to balance creative design (e.g., Annual Impact Report) with analytical tasks (e.g., tracking social media KPIs) in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore I AM ALS's website (especially blog and resources) to understand their key initiatives, like the 'Patient Led Research' program or advocacy campaigns.
- → Review their social media presence (@iamalsorg on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram) to analyze content themes, engagement styles, and recent campaigns (e.g., #EndALS).
- → Read about ALS basics and current challenges (e.g., ice bucket legacy, treatment gaps) to grasp the urgency of their mission and communicate empathetically.
- → Look into their team and leadership (e.g., co-founders with ALS) to appreciate the patient-led model and mention it in your application.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic portfolio without nonprofit or advocacy design samples (e.g., only corporate branding).
- Failing to mention WordPress/Divi experience specifically—assuming 'CMS knowledge' is enough for this role.
- Overlooking the emotional aspect of the work (e.g., not acknowledging the sensitivity needed when communicating about ALS patients).
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!