ProgressNow: Remote Senior Director of Messaging and Research

LOCATION

SALARY

COMPANY

DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYMENT TYPE

JOB DESCRIPTION

Who We Are

ProgressNow is a nationwide network of 28 State Partner Affiliates that run year-round strategic campaigns to promote progressive ideas and values and win elections. Each affiliate is a communications, digital outreach, and media hub of full-time professionals who work with partner organizations to engage and mobilize diverse communities and activists through cutting-edge digital communications and innovative earned and paid media strategies. A core part of the in-state and national progressive infrastructure, our state affiliates reach and move millions of voters through data-driven best practices, and organic and paid digital content built on decades of experience and research.

What You’ll Do:

• Develop and manage message and content testing plan to support affiliates and the ProgressNow network’s organic content distribution, relying primarily on Grow Progress’s rapid test tool

• Create and distribute messaging guidance and talking points for ProgressNow affiliate staff based on available testing and research

• Attend message and research briefings and ensure ProgressNow national and affiliate staff are up to date on new findings

• Maintain a current database of messaging one-pagers

• Provide technical assistance and support to state affiliates on research needs

• Promote and share research findings from ProgressNow affiliates across our network and to partners

• Translate research into creative direction—shaping the look, tone, and feel of content alongside designers and content producers

• Work closely with your team to turn research-backed and tested messaging guidance into visual and video content that resonates with target audiences

• Manage the messaging and research team, including content creators and designers

Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)

To be successful in this job, you will excel in these areas:

• Strategist’s mind: You quickly grasp the subtleties of complex issues and identify patterns in challenges. You generate insightful, pragmatic, equitable, and sustainable solutions to tackle common challenges and produce positive change. You have a successful track record of taking a concept from idea to implementation.

• Creative and adaptive: You bring fresh ideas, are thoughtful about how to engage audiences, and are able to work across teams to turn insights into meaningful ideas and approaches.

• Excellent communication skills: You have a strong mastery and proven track record in communications strategy. You produce clear, compelling, and concise written communications and are able to do so quickly in rapid response situations. You have excellent verbal communication skills, present knowledge clearly and succinctly and provide context while asking questions to understand others’ perspectives.

• Entrepreneurial and resourceful: You overcome challenges and leverage resources to creatively solve problems. You propose solutions to issues without much guidance (but aren’t afraid to ask questions). You proactively ask for help, anticipate problems, and course-correct where needed. You operate with a team-first mentality to ensure projects reach goals without ego.

• Inclusive leadership and management: You inspire, motivate, and support others to take action and meet goals. You delegate skillfully. You hold the team accountable and acknowledge growing edges (in self and others) while helping others grow. You use coaching, training, and feedback to develop others and support problem-solving.

• Relationship builder: You bring enthusiasm for meeting and engaging with people, especially our national and affiliate staff. You empathize with the communities and partners we serve. You’re able to put people at ease, especially when there are lines of difference. You listen closely to understand needs or concerns and take steps based on that input. You get back to people in a timely manner. You take pride in providing clear, helpful information.

• Commitment to racial equity and social justice: You recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in shaping societal disparities, and you consistently amplify community voices to advocate for more equitable policy solutions. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.

Experience managing survey and message research is a plus but not a requirement. Experience managing people is a prerequisite for the position.

If you were here right now, you would be:

• Working with the content creator to develop and run a rapid message test that implements and furthers your overall message testing and development plan.

• Meeting with a state affiliate to review their research plans & needs and provide technical assistance.

• Attending a national messaging webinar and writing a talking points summary for state affiliates.

What Else You Should Know

ProgressNow is an equal opportunity employer, and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issues. We especially encourage people of color, LGBQ people, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.

The position is full-time and fully remote. The role requires 15% travel. Expected travel includes one annual staff retreat and two ProgressNow conferences.

Compensation

Because negotiating is inherently inequitable, we want to be transparent about what benefits we can offer up front and avoid negotiation. The starting salary for this position is $110,000.

Our benefits include:

• Unlimited vacation with a requirement that each staff member take at least 2 weeks each year.

• Eight paid holidays as well as an office closure annually between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

• Employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance

• A 401K plan with 3% employer match

• Annual professional development stipend

How to Apply

Interested candidates, please complete the application and upload your resume at this link.