Communications Director
The Campaign for College Opportunity (the Campaign) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) broad-based, bipartisan coalition, including business, education, and civil rights leaders, that is dedicated to ensuring all Californians have an equal opportunity to attend and succeed in college to build a vibrant workforce, economy and democracy. Our mission is focused on substantially increasing the number of students attending two- and four-year colleges in the state and who complete their college education. Every day, the Campaign fights to make public policy changes that will significantly close racial equity gaps and help more California students enter and complete college. The Campaign maintains offices in Los Angeles and Sacramento.
Position Description
The Communications Director is the lead communications strategist for the organization. The Communications Director reports to the Senior Vice President and plays a leading role with the research, policy, and public affairs teams to publish action-oriented research, help create engaging events, and promote a racial-equity policy agenda that has the power to transform college opportunity for millions of minoritized students in California.
The Director is a master communicator that develops communications plans for research, policy, and events that include strategy, key messages and deploys a suite of communications tools including but not limited to the Campaign’s website, social media channels, videos, “ted-style” talks, earned media, opinion editorials, slide decks, the identification of key messengers, etc.
The Director manages a team of two including the Graphic Designer and Communications Associate. Occasionally, the Director will manage an intern or fellow.
The Director is responsible for maintaining and strengthening the Campaign’s brand as an unapologetic policy advocacy and research organization committed to racial equity in higher education. The Director works to ensure our team is successful by providing the thought leadership and communications skills that compels policymakers, governing boardmembers, campus leaders, advocates, and other partners to action on racial equity in higher education.
The position is based in Los Angeles and is temporarily remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some light travel may be required.
Responsibilities:
Communications Strategist
- Develop compelling, action-oriented communications strategies for research publication releases, events, and policy advocacy campaigns that centers racial equity in higher education.
- Collaborate with Research, Outreach, and Policy teams to craft messaging for policy advocacy and implementation campaigns.
- Keep current on higher education news and advise the Campaign team on breaking news and trends to inform the Campaign’s work and strategies.
- Serve as the keeper of the Campaign’s brand – an unapologetic policy advocacy and research organization committed to racial equity in higher education – ensuring all publications, collateral, social media presence, interactions, and events reinforce that brand.
Communications Team Lead
· Serve as a primary writer and editor for the Campaign across platforms. Continuously elevate our writing to be compelling, concise, focused and centered in racial equity for higher education.
· Manage the communications team, which consists of a Communications Associate, a Graphic Designer, and contractors.
- Develop digital communications, design, and project management protocols as needed.
- Mentor and support the professional development of the Communications Team.
Media Relations
- Determine the best use of media strategies to reach the Campaign’s goals including earned media, opinion editorials, letters to the editor, editorial board engagement, paid media on occasion, etc.
- Develop strong relationships with higher education reporters and outreach regularly to keep them informed of our research and policy solutions.
- Focus on shifting the narrative that is student-deficit oriented to one that is focused on challenging institutional barriers, public policies and actors that perpetuate racial inequity whether explicitly or implicitly.
- Provide media contacts with sources and data to inform their stories and center racial equity in higher education.
- Write press releases and act as spokesperson for the organization when speaking to press contacts.
- Manage the Campaign’s online (Meltwater) and static media databases. Work with our Communications Associate to build media lists for press statements, report releases, and other outreach.
- Track the Campaign’s media coverage and prepare updates for the Campaign’s Board of Directors.
Website Management
· Overall responsibility for ensuring the Campaign’s website is a useful and engaging tool to support and further the Campaign’s work. This includes ensuring the website is up to date, user-friendly, prominently features on-going campaigns and opportunities to engage, tells the Campaign’s story and who is involved, is easy to navigate, and clearly communicates who the Campaign is and how it operates.
· Facilitate the redesign of our website alongside the contracted agency.
· Create website management protocols for the Communications Team to follow.
Social Media
- Build on and strengthen the Campaign’s social media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube to broaden the Campaign’s reach and influence to change policy and practice.
- Develop innovative and engaging social media plans for campaigns, events, and publication releases that saturates our audiences with important data and opportunities for action.
- Utilize social media platforms to engage partners in disseminating information about our campaigns and advocacy efforts and develop tools, such as social media toolkits and graphics, to support the engagement of our partners.
- Engage and train appropriate staff to support social media efforts.
- Review social media copy written by our communications associate as needed.
E-Communications
- Write and/or curate content for e-blasts, newsletters, and the Campaign blog. Act as primary editor for written content by other staff members and outside contributors.
- Maintain a robust editorial calendar that reflects key deliverables, partner activities, holidays, important higher education milestones i.e., back to school and graduation, legislative deadlines, elections, etc.
Qualifications:
- Be passionate about the Campaign’s mission with a strong interest in eliminating racial inequity in higher education through policy advocacy and have some knowledge of the governance and workings of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and University of California.
- Minimum five years of related communications and some design work experience within an organization or a communications agency with demonstrated experience working on issues of racial equity in public policy;
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Graphic Design or Public Affairs or related field;
- Outstanding communication skills including verbal, written, and graphic design, with a deep knowledge of effective storytelling and reaching across a wide range of audiences;
- Creative thinker and demonstrated ability to bring innovation to organizational brand;
- Demonstrated ability to describe complex issues in simple ways clearly and accurately;
- Impeccable attention to detail;
- Excellent project management skills and ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-moving, intellectually intense, team-oriented environment;
- Experience and drive necessary to coordinate with senior members of the Campaign with maturity while engendering respect and trust from others;
- Good judgement, can-do resourceful attitude, and high integrity that is both a leader and a do-er;
- Quick study with flexibility and comfort in ambiguity, open to new ideas and approaches i.e., willingness to experiment and learn;
- Experience with Constant Contact – Email Marketing database or similar platform preferred;
- Experience with Meltwater – Media contact database or similar platform preferred;
- Experience with Hootsuite- Social Media Scheduler and Tracker database or similar platform;
- Experience copyediting publications that include significant amounts of data;
- Excellent eye for design, typography, color, visual composition and layout;
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint with knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat)
- Experience with WordPress, Google Analytics, and social media metrics;
- Experience creating short videos preferred.
Compensation
Annual salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications no lower than $68,000 and no higher than $86,000.
The Campaign offers 100% medical, dental, and vision insurance premium coverage for you and your dependents and provides a generous match of up to 5% for your retirement contributions.
The Campaign provides three weeks paid vacation and annual professional development opportunities as approved by your Supervisor.
Selection Process
The Campaign for College Opportunity will accept applications for the position beginning September 27, 2021. Interested parties should forward a cover letter and resume indicating “Communications Director” in the subject line by email to: recruitment@collegecampaign.org
All applicants should visit our website to learn more about the Campaign at www.collegecampaign.org before submitting a cover letter and resume. All candidates should review our research and publications to understand the work expected for this position.
The Campaign for College Opportunity is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified persons of every background.
No phone calls please.