Strategic Communications Director - Los Angeles
Jessica Pace
California Calls is a growing alliance of 30 grassroots, community-based organizations spanning urban, rural and suburban counties across the state. We are building a movement of voters using our power to create laws that work for ALL Californians – not just corporations or the richest 1%. We engage, educate and motivate new and infrequent voters among young people, from communities of color, and from poor and working-class neighborhoods to make California’s electorate reflect our state’s diverse population. Our goal is to achieve the systemic change our communities need.
Strategic Communications is a critical strategy that complements our on-the-ground organizing. The purpose of this component is to shape a narrative that shifts broad public consciousness about the role of government and civic participation and to develop vehicles to reach 10,000s and 100,000s of people. Ultimately we seek to build a political pole and formal bloc of voters that shares values of equity, justice and inclusion and consistently participates at deeper levels by voting and holding elected officials accountable.
The Strategic Communications Director develops and implements California Calls narrative and communications strategy, to elevate and advance California Call’s vision for building grassroots power to create systemic change.
The Strategic Communications Director also works with California Calls’ staff and coalition members to raise the profile of campaigns with key audiences including the media, new and infrequent voters, movement allies, state & local decision makers and donors.
Narrative and Communications Strategies & Campaigns
- Working closely with staff and coalition members, identify opportunities and craft strategies to shift the public consciousness on taxes and the role of government.
- Develop and implement multi-faceted communications strategies, which integrate message development, web presence, advocacy, and social media, to educate, motivate, and influence target audiences.
- Position California Calls staff and leaders as experts in the work to transform the electorate in California.
- Generate ideas and produce collateral materials and other key communications products including organizing scripts and printed voter engagement materials.
- Participate in statewide narrative projects and research as needed.
Media Relations
- Prepare California Calls staff and leadership for media opportunities with talking points, remarks for press conferences and other training and preparation.
- Increase coverage of tax and fiscal policy and integrated voter engagement issues and California Calls messages by cultivating and maintaining relationships with key reporters, editors, producers and bookers.
- Research media opportunities.
Organizational Leadership
- Participate fully as part of the Senior Management Team
- Manage the California Calls Strategic Communications team, which includes the Communications Coordinator and various consultants.
- Lead the Alliance’s Strategic Communications workgroup
Core Competencies
- A successful candidate will have expertise in developing high-level strategy andexecuting tactics.
- Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects while maintaining a firm grasp of individual project details and meet deadlines.
- Experience wrangling various internal stakeholders across an organization to secure the necessary input, buy-in and approvals.
- Self-starter with demonstrated good judgment, critical thinking, flexibility, resourcefulness, and problem-solving abilities.
- Strong organizational skills, detail-oriented, and possess the ability to follow projects through to completion.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills required, along with the demonstrated ability to compose and edit effective, thoughtful and strategic communications across a variety of platforms.
- Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with others in a team environment.
- Experience crafting and implementing a communications strategy, whether through social media, traditional media outreach, events, or other channels.
- Excellent research skills.
- Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
- Respect for all co-workers.
- Experience in communicating complex issues to varied audiences.
- Experience working with the media and cultivating relationships with print, radio, television and online journalists.
Qualifications:
- 6+ years of experience in a communications or communications-related role; nonprofit sector experience is a plus.
- 1+ years of leadership experience in management or supervisory positions.
- Familiarity with, passion for, and demonstrated commitment to working in community with people of color, immigrants, low-income and disenfranchised voters.
- Thorough knowledge of the legislative process and key political players at the state level
- Comfortable with a flexible work schedule including traveling for meetings and speaking engagements.
- Bilingual (English-Spanish) skills highly desirable
General Requirements:
- Valid driver’s license, personal automobile liability insurance and a personal vehicle in good working condition with valid automotive registration.
- No later than the first day of employment must provide acceptable documents for proof of identity and employment authorization in the United States for Form I-9.
Salary $75,000-85,000, depending on experience. Generous benefits including medical, dental, paid vacation.
Email resume, cover letter, and three references to Melinda Ealy me...@calicalls.org .
People of Color, Women and LGBTIQ encouraged to apply.