The States Project: Senior Director of Strategic Communications

LOCATION

SALARY

COMPANY

DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYMENT TYPE

JOB DESCRIPTION

Who We Are: The States Project (TSP) connects the importance of state legislatures to every aspect of our lives and brings together communities to help build a healthy, sustainable, and prosperous future for all. Our electoral work focuses on winning governing majorities in the states by making state legislative campaigns more effective and better-funded. Our governance work provides nonpartisan tools and resources that connect a diverse community of state lawmakers committed to improving lives for the people they serve. We do it because we believe that state legislatures are the strongest force for change in this country. We encourage you to find out more about our values here.

**Position Details: **This is a full-time, exempt at-will position. The team currently operates remotely, with occasional in-person events and team retreats, etc. Some travel will be required. Additional evening and weekend hours are occasionally required to fulfill the duties of this position.

**The Opportunity: **The States Project is seeking a Senior Director of Strategic Communications who will oversee a team to support and amplify the work that state lawmakers and candidates across the country are doing to improve lives. Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with the lawmaker engagement, political, and content teams, the SD will be the in-house communications expert for TSP and lead efforts to both amplify the work of state lawmakers and increase their effectiveness in communicating strategically, both on the campaign trail and in the Capitol.

Our ideal candidate is a visionary and collaborative leader who can pilot cutting edge tactics and is not afraid to roll up their sleeves in order to get things done. They bring exceptional political and governance communications expertise including an understanding of leveraging digital strategy and traditional media. The right person is equally comfortable with high-level strategy and translating it into implementation, while being focused on the details of managing multiple project deadlines, high-level stakeholders, and deliverables.

What You Will Do: Principal activities will include but not be limited to:

Strategic Lawmaker Communications

• Understand the interplay between state governments and regional and national news, and lead efforts to translate impacts on a state lawmaker and constituent level

• Oversee communications portions of TSP’s policy work, recommending and executing communications best practices as they relate to policy work through a political and popularity lens

• Strategically assess weekly polling and message testing outcomes to distill data-driven approaches for policy team and other staff and stakeholders

• Continually identify the most popular, effective, authentic and compelling methods to communicate state governance and electoral impacts, including through designing and leading TSP briefings and trainings

Strategic Candidate Communications

• Oversee synthesis of electoral communication trends to inform candidate and communication best practices

• As part of electoral investments, share best practices with candidates and staff on the most effective ways to communicate about their work to the public

• Oversee program to generate increased in-state earned media efforts across all priority states

• Generate ideas for new evidence-based tactics or programs to increase candidate name ID and earned media

Media and Press Relations

• Review and develop sample pitches, op-eds, press releases, and media toolkits with an emphasis on local and regional media to increase press coverage for state lawmakers, including direct pitching as needed

• Develop tools and trainings to help lawmakers in a subset of states learn to identify key moments, build media relationships, and craft their message to be effective messengers for policies

• Identify ways to substantially increase press opportunities and brand of lawmakers

• Advise on/support press for TSP brand as needed

Digital Engagement

• Understand and regularly update cutting-edge digital and social media best practices and tactics and provide related training to lawmakers

• Create toolkits and actionable guides to increase visibility and grow the impact of digital content and social media

Rapid Response

• Lead and execute rapid response plans to engage and equip lawmakers and candidates in a subset of states to discuss ideas with the public or respond to emergency situations

• Direct communication strategies for TSP during major moments on key issue areas or political events nationally and locally

Internal Communications and Team Management

• Manage small team to support across political and lawmaker functions, with additional consultants as needed

• Oversee and ensure alignment to existing organizational style guide, including regular internal trainings and directing updates as needed, as well as quality control for all public communications

• Guide integration of communications trainings and best practices into cohorts and briefings being led by other team members

• Provide a strategic communications lens to all materials requested/needed

• Serve as in-house communications expert for TSP

• Identify and lead strategic communications opportunities for TSP or state lawmakers and candidates across related initiatives

Qualifications:

• At least ten years of relevant experience, including four years of experience managing full-time staff

• Passion for and alignment with the organization’s mission, vision, and theory of change

• Capable of independently managing/prioritizing time and tasks associated with a fast-paced organization

• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills

• Experience speaking with the media on and off the record

• Experience with political strategy processes and decisions

• Excellent judgment and creative problem solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skills and a highly collaborative approach

• Ability to create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence

• Self-starter with a drive to make things happen and ability to manage workflow: proven track record of program management excellence and high standards for success

What Makes You a Unique Fit for This Role:

• Experience working with state lawmakers, executives, government officials, candidates, etc.

• Experience leading external trainings, briefings, seminars, etc.

Benefits: The position offers a competitive benefits package. Benefits currently offered include 75% paid coverage of medical, dental, and vision for individuals and dependents, basic life insurance, an employee assistance program, unlimited PTO, 401(k) matching, annual professional development, wellness, and work-from-home stipends and paid family leave.

**Compensation: **The salary for this position is $174,000-$188,000. Salary offers are made based on the market rate and the candidate's demonstrated level of proficiency, experience, and credentials.

*The pay rate or range noted for this position is in compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act and other state and local laws.

TSP does not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. TSP values diversity and strongly encourages women, individuals with different ethnic and racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, religious beliefs, and military backgrounds to apply.