Director of Strategic Communications

Director of Strategic Communications

Full Time – Exempt

Reports to Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)

About the New Pennsylvania Project:

The New Pennsylvania Project (NPP) is a voting rights organization with a year-round primary focus on voter registration, civic education and mobilization. NPP centers historically disenfranchised and often neglected Black, Indigenous and other people of color, immigrant communities and the youth in our work. Through civic engagement, we ensure all eligible voters feel compelled to exercise their freedom to vote in the Commonwealth.

The New Pennsylvania Project has a shared services agreement with the New PA Project Education Fund (“NPPEF”), a non-partisan 501(c)3 voting rights organization. Staff may, at the request of NPP, provide similar services to NPPEF. Any time spent providing services to NPPEF will be considered part of the hours and duties set forth by NPP.

NPP centers communities who live in urban, rural and suburban Pennsylvania to include: Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester, Bucks, Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster, Allegheny, Berks, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties. We are consistently engaging these communities, educating neighbors, colleagues, and friends about civil rights, fair education funding, marijuana legalization, economic justice, and environmental justice and stewardship.

The Role: Director of Strategic Communications

The Director of Strategic Communications will report directly to the CSO, will interact with the Board of Directors and be an important member of the senior leadership team. As a prerequisite, the successful candidate must believe in the core values of NPP/NPPEF and be driven by the mission. The candidate should demonstrate a passion for breaking new ground to lead social change. This is a strategic role with a heavy emphasis on brand creation and management. 

The Director of Strategic Communications is responsible for managing all organizational communication activities and building external relationships with NPP & NPPEF’s constituencies, digital media and external media relationships. The Director of Strategic Communications must be well versed in the legislative process and follow policy proposals, bills, legal proceedings and political developments in both Harrisburg and Washington, in order to build a communications plan which addresses relevant legislative and judicial activities.

The Director of Strategic Communications will set and guide the strategy for all communications, website, digital media, and public relations messages and collateral to consistently articulate 

NPP/NPPEF’s mission. The Director of Strategic Communications will ensure that NPP is viewed as the primary source, disseminator, and conduit of information within this diverse network and constituent base. This role will work closely with a senior leadership team within the organization as the communications partner on a variety of strategic initiatives.

Because our target communities and colleagues come from a wide range of backgrounds, this position needs to be able to thoughtfully navigate issues related to diversity, race, equity and inclusion, and bring a deep commitment to advancing these values. The incumbent will also need to bring a strong commitment to excellence and true collaboration, an ability to work quickly but carefully, and appreciation for/patience, and developing and growing team members.

Additionally, this position has recurring work situations that involve having a high degree of discretion. The need for accuracy and effective utilization of accepted programs and routines is high.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement and evaluate the overall and ongoing communications plan
• Create a brand/marketing/public relations strategy that will allow NPP/NPPEF senior and board leadership to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted, high level external audiences, including the media, public officials and key influencers 
• Craft messaging around relevant bills and proposals in the PA and national legislatures, create copy regarding such proposals stating relevant context and NPP/NPPEF’s position.
• Follow cases in the PA and Federal courts regarding voting rights and other areas of interest for the organization, and highlight those cases in the communications plan.
• Educate and train NPP/NPPEF staff on relevant legislation and court cases, and the legislative process in general.
• Generate all copy intended for public consumption and ensure its alignment with the strategic communications plan
• Participate during weekly staff and leaderships meetings and provide report backs
• Put communications systems in place to create momentum and awareness as well as to test the effectiveness of communications activities
• Manage the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic communications including, but not limited to, eBlasts, newsletters, brochures, social media posts, and NPP/NPPEF’s websites
• Administer NPP/NPPEF’s website —ensure that new and consistent information (article links, stories, and events) is posted regularly
• Develop and distribute press releases, media advisories, opinion writing, lookbook distribution and pitching
• Develop Media plans including coordinated efforts and targeted pushes, and pitch all press material to necessary vendors and outlets
• Manage all digital media to include our social media platforms (TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and more) in conjunction with and through supervision of a social media consultant
• Train and prepare staff and Board members for media interviews
• Exercise judgment to prioritize media opportunities, and prepare talking points, speeches, presentations and other supporting material as needed
• Lead crisis communications efforts and coordinate rapid response initiatives as needed
• Track and measure the level of engagement within the network over time for board reporting and grant funders

Qualifications and Skills:

The ability to take knowledge and transform it into exciting and useful messages and disseminate it to the right audiences through the best distribution channels is critical.

• Sincere commitment to work collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, board members, volunteers, donors, program participants, and other supporters
• Self-starter, able to work independently, and innovatively enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives
• At least three years of communications experience, ideally in an “in-house” leadership role within a complex (number and variety of constituents) nonprofit entity
• Knowledge of (and ability to communicate regarding) policy proposals and proposed policy amendments in circulation in both the state federal chambers
• Experience managing and executing across several communications media
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, required 
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, required 
• Experience with NGP/EveryAction, strongly preferred
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite, preferred 
• Experience with WordPress and/or HTML, strongly preferred 
• Willing to execute day­ to day tasks and work independently

Position Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree preferred or relevant experience
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred
• Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation as this role requires moderate amounts of travel throughout the Commonwealth and outside the Commonwealth for events and conferences
• Some familiarity with, or interest in, relationship-based organizing, leadership development, and team building
• Fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus

Other Information:

The Director of Strategic Communications is not a strictly 9am-5pm position. The work schedule can at times be greater than 40 hours per week and includes evening and weekend work, as necessary, with moderate travel through Pennsylvania as necessary to complete job duties (including attending events).

Compensation:

• Salary range between $65K-$75K/year, paid weekly, commensurate with experience 
• Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays 
• 100% individual medical, dental and vision insurance, and life insurance
• Retirement plan eligibility after three months 
• Mileage Reimbursement 

No calls. Please email your resume to jobs@newpaproject.org and indicate, “Director of Strategic Communications” in the subject line.

• Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays 
• 100% individual medical, dental and vision insurance, and life insurance
• Retirement plan eligibility after three months 
• Mileage Reimbursement