Program Manager, U.S. Author Safety

PEN America, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of literature and human rights, seeks a dynamic and results-oriented program manager of U.S. author safety to build out programming to support writers, their allies, and the wider literary community amidst escalating attacks on the freedom to write, read, and learn in the U.S. This is a full-time, union-eligible position based at PEN America’s New York City headquarters and reports to the senior manager of safety training and education in the Free Expression Programs department. The program manager will drive forward our work to support writers, their allies, and the wider literary community in the face of online abuse, threats, and other safety challenges in the U.S. by: growing and managing our author safety training program, including leading workshops and giving presentations; expanding our engagement with impacted audiences in the literary community; strengthening existing partnerships and forging new ones; following current developments in safety, book bans, freedom of expression, and digital rights; and coordinating with colleagues across the organization who serve authors and the wider literary community. The ideal candidate will be deeply committed to both safety and free expression and attuned to the challenges to bolstering safety in an era of rapidly evolving technology and growing hostility to free speech. The position requires an energized, highly organized, and collaborative work style; the ability to navigate complex and potentially fraught questions about intersectional identity and equity in online spaces; and the drive to build PEN America’s expertise and impact in this field. It offers substantial potential for professional advancement as PEN America’s programming in this area expands. All positions are subject to a five-month trial period and assessment. In alignment with PEN America’s current policy, all applicants should be available to report to the office at least three days per week.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Build, manage, administer, and grow safety training for authors, their allies, and the wider literary community, including: assessing evolving needs, strengthening curricula and presentations, scaling program to meet demand, cultivating partnerships, scheduling, reviewing contracts, processing invoices, collecting and responding to program feedback, and tracking impact Build sustained partnerships within the literary community—including professional associations, publishers, libraries, book stores, and universities—to strengthen support for writers and their allies facing safety challenges for their work Conduct training for authors and their allies within the literary community Attend and speak at conferences and other public events Jointly oversee the development and maintenance of safety resources for writers and their allies—including authors, journalists, scholars, and librarians—which will involve drafting, creating, and updating multimedia content in collaboration with colleagues across the organization Collaborate with the senior manager of safety and protection to facilitate the provision of individualized, trauma-informed safety support to writers and their allies under attack for their work Coordinate across PEN America teams—including Freedom to Read, Membership, and Literary Programs—to support authors and the wider literary community Build and strengthen partnerships with author-safety-related coalitions and networks Research funding opportunities and draft proposals to sustain and build the program Follow current developments in author safety, online abuse, freedom of expression, and digital rights and conduct relevant research and analysis, as needed Support the safety team in their work in the journalism and higher education sectors, as needed Provide support on intern recruitment and management, recordkeeping, financial reconciliation, expense reporting, and other team-wide administrative tasks as appropriate Passionately support and advance PEN America’s mission to safeguard free expression in the United States and abroad #J-18808-Ljbffr PEN America