Executive Director

ABOUT THE POSITION:

We are looking for an experienced operative to lead an aggressive issue advocacy and accountability effort on behalf of Empire State Voices (ESV) in New York’s 17th congressional district–and, to a lesser extent, in NY-01, NY-02, NY-11, and NY-21–in close coordination with district, state, and national partners.

Based in New York, the Executive Director will plan, oversee, and coordinate issue advocacy campaigns in support of progressive economic policy priorities. The Executive Director will be responsible for recruiting, training, and managing state and district staff as well as collaborating with state and national partners.

In this position, you will:

• Develop and execute the strategy for long-term economic education and accountability campaigns with strong message discipline that meet specific goals and metrics of success, including budget oversight, communications operations, and community organizing and events.
• Manage staff, including a Communications Director and two Regional Organizing Directors; and support Regional Organizing Directors in recruiting storytellers and adding to existing storyteller repository, and ensuring regular cadence of regional events and earned media coverage.
• Act as the key liaison between consultants, staff, and other parties in running the organization.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships, including with community leaders, elected officials, businesses, advocacy organizations, educators, and policy makers.
• Advise on and help execute earned media strategy, to solidify ESV’s position as authority on economic issues and how leaders’ decisions impact working people in New York.
• Represent the organization in public communications and at public events in coordination with communications staff.
• Strategize on paid programming and review paid advertising creative to advise on district resonance and fit.
• Ensure equity, diversity and inclusion is thoughtfully practiced across your program and team.

You should:

• Have significant relevant work experience on issue-based and/or electoral campaigns including political communications.
• Have experience managing staff.
• Understand the political landscape of the district and/or New York State.
• Be a proactive big picture thinker, detail-oriented, and analytical.
• Have a strong sense of creativity and interest in tackling new challenges.
• Have experience with and be comfortable building relationships with and managing district, state, and/or national partners.
• Have experience overseeing spending and managing a budget.
• Have experience representing campaign efforts to the public and press.
• Be able to demonstrate cultural competence and an understanding of the different social, economic, and political communities within the state.
• Be good under pressure and nimble in a changing campaign environment.
• Be willing to organize in and travel to the far corners of the district(s) / state.

In addition, it would be a bonus if you:

• Are a proactive big picture thinker, detail-oriented, and analytical.
• Have a strong sense of creativity and interest in tackling new challenges.
• Have experience working with communities of color and the working class.
• Are familiar with and passionate about, communicating on issues important to district residents.
• Understand the political landscape of the district and/or state.
• Have connections to partners and high-profile spokespeople in the district.
• Are fluent in both English and Spanish.

A stipend for health insurance to assist with covering costs of health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as paid leave for holidays, vacations, and sick days is available to employees of the organization.