Economic Security Project: Communications Director

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SALARY

COMPANY

DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYMENT TYPE

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Summary

The Communications Director for the Economic Security Project (ESP) will spearhead communication initiatives that elevate ESP as a leader in the progressive economic space. The Communications Director will craft and implement communication strategies targeting ESP's key audiences to ensure alignment with organizational objectives, cultivate thought leadership, and amplify ESP's brand through media relations. The Director will pitch stories, manage media relationships, and coordinate rapid response strategies, working closely with the Vice President of Communications and External Affairs to uphold ESP's messaging consistency and advance key narratives to win the campaigns and policies to build an economy that works for all. Additionally, the Communications Director will manage a team of three communications and digital experts.

By leveraging digital channels and optimizing content distribution, the Director will maximize ESP’s impact to advance ESP’s narratives among a nascent general audience. The Communication Director’s ability to lead under pressure and foster a collaborative remote-first environment will drive ESP's communication success.

About Us

We believe in an America where everyone has the freedom and stability required to thrive.

We are strongest when people are the authors of their own lives. But the inequalities in wealth and power created by bad actors, structural racism, and outdated ideas on how the economy should work have left us all more insecure and less resilient. We can make a different set of choices.

The Economic Security Project advocates for ideas that build economic power for all Americans. We legitimize bold ideas by supporting cutting-edge research and elevating champions, win concrete policy victories for the communities that need to see change now, and provoke the conventional wisdom to shift what’s considered possible. Our team of academics, organizers, practitioners and culture makers disburse grants, run issue campaigns, develop creative interventions and research products, and convene to encourage investment and action from others.

We pick our fights based on our analysis of where strategic mobilization of people and resources could turn emerging trends into concrete policies. Our current efforts include putting cash into people’s pockets with a guaranteed income and policies like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit; and keeping corporations out of them by checking the unprecedented concentration of economic power with antimonopoly action. We believe these fights will get us closer to a world where families can pay the heating bills and make the rent, where consumers have choices and small businesses, a fighting chance. A future where we all have a chance not to just survive, but thrive with dignity.

Our Track Record

We’ve convened thousands in briefings, workshops, and marquee events to strategize and set the agenda for a more just political economy. We passed policies in over seven states to modernize the tax code, won over $1 trillion in checks for families in response to the pandemic, and spearheaded the federal fight for a guaranteed income for kids in the form of the expanded Child Tax Credit. These cash-based policies reduced poverty in the middle of a recession, in the words of one observer, “defying gravity”.

And we’ve built the field by investing over $25 million directly into groundbreaking research; pilots and task forces; coalitions and campaigns; new initiatives and organizations; and trend-setting narrative and cultural interventions to advance racial and economic justice and reset the conversation. As a result, ideas that were once considered impossible are now at the center of a vision for an economy where people are the authors of their own lives.

We’ve worked alongside thousands across the country exercising political muscle, moral imagination, and on-the-ground experimentation. It’ll take this and so much more in the years ahead; we are in a broader fight for a multiracial democracy and an economy that works for all. Our task is to deliver and we’re looking for talent to join us in the fight.

Our Team and Culture

Our successes are due in large part to the diverse team we’ve assembled from a wide range of fields – from campaigners to policymakers to activists to academics. We’re building an organization that supports and resources our staff to drive forward work that is critical to our mission.

We are committed to creating a best-in-class staff experience that promotes growth and performance, which requires a culture of active problem-solving, feedback, communication, and accountability. As a fully remote organization, ESP staff can work from anywhere in the country. We actively support and encourage people taking time away from work, including two weeks of full office closures and a six-week sabbatical at 5 years of service, in addition to our standard PTO. You can find more information on our full benefits offerings below.

Our internal work is deeply rooted in our values around diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that our policies and processes are equitable and informed by a wide range of lived experiences. We invest in our people’s professional development and promote regular conversations about career goals and growth opportunities. We provide opportunities to come together in person for both strategic planning and relationship-building, and we’re always up to take a game of trivia a little too seriously.

Responsibilities

Public Affairs

• Develop and execute comprehensive communication strategies aligned with ESP’s campaign objectives, coordinating with ESP’s federal campaigns team to ensure a cohesive and impactful messaging approach

• Establish and nurture relationships with key stakeholders including congressional offices, government officials, and policymakers to strategically align advocacy efforts with campaign messaging and organizational goals

• Analyze and assess public policy developments to anticipate potential impacts on ESP's operations and objectives, informing proactive strategies and responses

Media Relations:

• Drive high-impact media relations strategies by securing placements in national, state, and local news outlets, amplifying ESP's narrative and campaign messages

• Own earned media tactics for organizational initiatives, campaigns and field building initiatives and to develop the overarching ESP narrative

• Cultivate, develop, and maintain a proactive relationship with media of all kinds – including national, regional, and local media outlets, freelance reporters, and the trade press – to help advance ESP campaign and advocacy efforts.

• Manage rapid response opportunities; identifying plan of action, message, and crisis control if needed, in conjunction with the Vice President of Communications and External Affairs

• Manage the preparation of principals for media interviews to help ensure key messages are consistently conveyed

• Engage media in ESP’s robust events calendar, leveraging events to cultivate relationships, build sources, and educate the media on ESP’s issue areas, coordinating with the events team to invite and host members of the media at relevant ESP events

• Develop and execute earned media campaigns and communication strategies to win campaigns, advance field building initiatives, and grow the brand recognition of ESP and campaigns that position ESP as a leader in the progressive economic space, reaching diverse audiences including funders, influencers, and media outlets.

• Cultivate and promote thought leadership initiatives featuring ESP leaders through drafting and editing speeches, emails, media appearances, webinars, and events.

• Strategize brand development by expanding ESP’s reputation as a source on issue areas, identifying opportunities for brand positioning, and effective issue advocacy.

Editorial, Narrative Change, and Storytelling:

• Collaborate with the Director of Narrative Strategy to develop and popularize powerful messages, storylines, and narratives, translate complex ideas into compelling stories

• Identify potential partnerships with relevant influencers, organizations, and platforms to amplify ESP's digital reach and impact.

• Manage and train spokespeople both internally and externally to ensure message consistency and alignment with organizational goals.

• Write creatively in a range of formats: media pitches, press releases, statements, op-eds, speeches, organizational narratives, memos, and proposals.

• Exercise editorial leadership to foster writing within the communications department, editing content for digital channels, including website, social media, blogs, and email newsletters, ensuring alignment with organizational messaging and goals.

Management and Leadership:

• Manage and mentor a team of three (press strategists and digital strategist) in order to align on strategy across numerous issue areas and mediums, overseeing production and editorial schedules

• Manage multiple high-profile projects across a matrixed organization, working collaboratively with various key stakeholders and cross-functional teams to support various initiatives

• Manage relationships with external agencies, consultants, and other partners to support communication efforts

• Support the development of digital communications strategies to enhance ESP's online presence, engage target audiences, and drive traffic to the organization's digital platforms.

• Manage the editorial calendar of the organization, overseeing workflow and details of communications projects and deliverables to ensure a steady and timely flow of high-level work product

• Work with the Digital Strategist to create a system to analyze and report digital performance metrics, and evaluate the effectiveness of digital communications efforts, to allow for data-driven recommendations for optimization

Experience and Qualifications

• 8-10 years of progressive experience leading communications, public affairs, or another field related to the role (media relations, journalism, etc.)

• Strong knowledge of the media industry and how to maximize existing media contacts/relationships

• Previous experience managing communication strategies and working with organizational stakeholders

• Previous experience managing and mentoring staff and a small team

Desired Attributes/Skills

• Experience in federal advocacy, Capitol Hill or politics is a huge plus

• Project Management: Ability to lead multiple initiatives and projects simultaneously under tight deadlines and motivate others to stay on task.

• Strategic Thinking: able to understand complex technologies, business models, and political strategies and distill them into simple, compelling storylines

• Fast-Paced & Nimble: able to handle high-pressure and complicated situations with poise

• Collaborative & Proactive Leadership: Ability to lead and take initiative confidently while also taking direction well as part of a collaborative team across a remote-first environment

• Writing Abilities: Solid research, proofreading, editing, and creative writing skills with an attention to detail

• Technical Experience: Experience with G Suite, Slack, and MuckRack

• A good sense of humor!

Work Environment

The Economic Security Project is a virtual office with staff across the country.

Salary

The salary range for this position is $129K to $158K. The final salary will depend on experience and location. This role includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

ESP provides a robust benefits package which includes the following:

• Medical, vision, dental insurance with premiums fully covered for employees and their dependents

• Worker’s Compensation

• Long and short term disability insurance

• Basic Life Insurance with a 50K maximum

• 401K with up to a 3% match

• Full office closures for Summer & Winter breaks

• PTO: 136 vacation hours, 80 sick leave hours, 9 standard holidays, 2 floating holidays, and 20 hours of volunteer leave

• 6-week paid sabbatical after 5 years of full-time service

• Connectivity and home office stipends, and wellness use bonuses (taxable)

• Annual professional development budget

• Organization-provided computer or $50/month bonus for employees who choose to use their own

• Access to commuter and flexible spending accounts

Because the Economic Security Project values a diverse and representative workplace, people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and people of all gender identities are strongly encouraged to apply. ESP is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and enables each of us to realize our potential. Our work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.