Communications Director (Remote)

SUMMARY:

NextGen is seeking a Communications Director to lead earned media and press-outreach efforts at the largest organization in the country committed to registering and mobilizing young people in our democratic process.

The Communications Director is responsible for guiding NextGen’s press and message strategy and coaching the team’s relationships with key national and state-level outlets and journalists. The Communications Director will design and execute the strategy that allows NextGen to highlight and share the progressive power of young Americans to key political influencers and stakeholders in 2022, and beyond.

The ideal candidate has a passion for politics and a belief that young people will make the difference in our democracy. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage people of diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. We value and are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as an organization — in theory and in practice, and our culture reflects that value and commitment. We are committed to furthering issues like climate change, health care, and immigration from a progressive perspective, and we seek to engage the public in these areas as well as others. We also recognize the urgency of confronting institutional racism and inequity within our political system and strive to make positive changes within our system as a result.

If we had to break down the Communications Director’s job, it might look like this:

• 50% management and strategic planning: Developing and motivating a creative, responsive press department to generate attention and track coverage from national outlets and in NextGen’s 2022 target states. Developing and implementing communications plans and media campaigns to achieve organizational goals.
• 30% press: Maintaining relationships with reporters, cable bookers and the like, pitching reporters on NextGen stories, doing brand management with elites, sharing stats/facts/figures about young voters with opinion-makers, speaking on the record about NextGen America’s efforts, ensuring communications and programmatic efforts are aligned, etc.
• 20% Messaging and coordination: Lead NextGen’s internal and external messaging work, including drafting and enforcing message guidance, the internal approvals process and media training for all staff. Lead coordination among NextGen departments for identifying press-ready stories.

This is a fully remote position with no location requirement. We encourage candidates from all locations within the United States to apply.

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Remote Position: Yes

Union Position: No

Travel Requirements: 10-15%

Position End Date: 11/15/2022

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage team of press secretaries and press team support staff responsible for drafting and disseminating public-facing materials, pitching reporters and maintaining press relationships, elevating NextGen voices in national media, and tracking clips and other media metrics.
• Develop and implement overall and campaign-level earned-media plans to strengthen NextGen America’s brand, voice, and identity across key stakeholder audiences, including target voter populations, donors, and political elites.
• Serve, when needed, as an “on-the-record” spokesperson for the organization.
• Coordinate external and internal communication materials with respective departments to ensure consistency.
• Report to the Vice President for Communications and work in close collaboration with the social media and paid media teams to ensure consistent, complementary external communications.
• Other relevant responsibilities as needed.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• At least two election cycles of experience managing a communications team in a campaign or advocacy environment.
• Experience pitching reporters, booking TV appearances, and working with partner organizations on shared communications strategies a must.
• Experience (or openness to) working with earned media outlets with outlets focused on people of color, young folks, and other communities often overlooked or ignored by more traditional media sources.
• Pre-existing relationships with the national political press is strongly desired.
• A deep understanding of the current political media landscape — and especially how different NextGen audiences are served by different outlets and media — is essential.
• A commitment to work collaboratively and be a team-player.
• Experience and willingness to work in a fully remote environment with close colleagues spread across several time zones.

COMPENSATION:

Salary range for this position is $98,000 — $117,000. compensation will be based on experience. NextGen America also offers a very comprehensive benefits package.

COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS:

In-person meetings and travel are an essential part of this position. Consistent with NextGen America’s efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees, partners, and communities in which we serve, proof of full vaccination status at time of hire is an employment requirement for this position.

ABOUT NEXTGEN AMERICA:

NextGen America is the leading national organization for engaging young people through voter education, registration and mobilization. We invite 18-to-35 year olds — the largest and most diverse generation in American history — into our democracy to ensure our government works for them and to find new solutions to the dire challenges facing our society and the world. Since 2013, NextGen America has registered more than 1.4 million young voters and educated many millions more, delivering more than the margin of victory for progressives in key races and building an electorate that will lead American politics for decades to come.