Jobs

SUMMARY:

NextGen is seeking a Communications Director to join our HQ team as a department head and a member of the senior staff team. The Communications Director is responsible for building NextGen’s organizational brand and voice, overseeing message strategy, and managing a team that engages in press outreach, social media, paid media, and research efforts. The Communications Director will lead the team as we aim to increase the progressive power of young Americans in our politics and win elections in 2021, 2022, and beyond. The Communications Director will also be a key helper in crafting voter contact messaging with the National Programs Director and the Organizing team. 

The ideal candidate has a passion for politics and a belief that young people will make the difference in politics. 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:

• 40% press: pitching national 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.
• 40% management: growing and developing a communications department, with all the accompanying budgetary, personnel, and administrative responsibilities. Department will likely include press, messaging and research, social media, and paid media, including a social media influencer program.  
• 20% messaging and research: guide NextGen in message testing, narrative development, and learning how to effectively reach and communicate with young people. Priority will be placed on data-driven analysis of what messages resonate most with young voters.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and implement an organizational-wide strategic communications plan to strengthen NextGen America’s brand, voice, and identity across key stakeholder audiences, including target voter populations, donors, and political elites.
• Create strategies that will allow the Executive Director and board leadership to cultivate and enhance relationships with high-level external audiences, including the media, elected officials, and key influencers. 
• Concept, convene and facilitate events, calls, and trainings highlighting the role of young voters in the progressive coalition with key partners, elite stakeholders, and press. 
• Oversee, or execute as needed, the development of NextGen’s communications deliverables, including:
• The development of all print and branded materials
• Social media strategy and content development
• A cohesive qualitative and quantitative research agenda 
• Earned media strategy and, as needed, act as a key “on-the-record” spokesperson for the organization. 
• Paid media strategy and content development, including digital ads and influencer material
• Recruit and manage a communications team to support the development and execution of the communications strategy, including staff focused on message development, political press outreach, social media, and paid media. 
• Manage a communications budget.
• Coordinate external and internal communication materials with respective departments to ensure consistency.
• Manages the communications team and oversees the expansion of that team ahead of the 2022 elections.
• Approves the organization’s external materials including digital ads, graphics, organic videos, voter guides, literature, and mail pieces.
• Reports to Executive Director; directly manages Strategic Communications Manager and to-be-hired communications staff.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• At least one election cycle experience managing a communications team in a campaign or advocacy environment. 
• Experience working with polling, focus groups, or other message research strongly recommended. Experience working with program teams on developing voter-facing messaging required. 
• 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.
• A deep understanding of the current political media landscape is essential and pre-existing relationships with national political press is strongly desired. 
• Familiarity with digital paid media strategies is a bonus, but not required.

COMPENSATION:

NextGen America offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience and a very comprehensive benefits package. NextGen America is an equal opportunity employer.

ABOUT NEXTGEN AMERICA:

NextGen America mobilizes young people to vote in crucial elections to make progress on the issues facing our generation. Since our founding as NextGen Climate in 2013, we’ve worked to fight climate change by supporting candidates who back climate action. With the values that drive our work on climate under attack from all directions, we’re proud to step up the fight for immigrant rights, affordable health care, prosperity, and equality. We've registered more than one million young voters nationwide and ran the largest youth vote mobilization program in the country in 2018. We went even bigger and bolder to drive record young voter turnout for the 2020 elections. 

A NOTE ON COVID-19:

Throughout the COVID 19 pandemic NextGen has prioritized the health, safety, and wellbeing of our staff.  As a result our entire staff has been and continues to work remotely and all of our offices are currently closed. We have updated relevant job descriptions to reflect this temporary transition away from in-person work and to comply with social distancing guidelines. Please note job duties and the current work from home policy are subject to change as we continue to adjust our program based on the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.