The Carolina Federation seeks a values-aligned, full-time Communications Director. We’re looking for a creative, experienced story-teller who is eager to develop and grow communications infrastructure that builds the power of our membership, helps win campaigns, broadens our reach, and shifts the ways that people think and talk about a multi-racial, cross-class political movement in North Carolina.

About the Carolina Federation

The Carolina Federation is a statewide organization that brings people together across race and place to build a new political majority in North Carolina. Rooted in a culture of belonging, we are building a movement strong enough to win elections and wield governing power in our state. Our work combines the best of Southern freedom traditions: deep base-building, transformative cultural work, power-building issue campaigns, and large-scale voter organizing. We operate through affiliated 501(c)3, 501(c)4, and PAC entities.

In just five years, our chapter-based membership organization has grown to become one of the largest voter engagement operations in North Carolina. In addition to our voter engagement work, we are equally proud to be known for the depth of our leadership development, democratic endorsement processes, and the governance of our organization by elected member leaders.

Carolina Federation Values

• Commitment to Building Power through elections, issue campaigns, base-building and organizing, centered around the leadership of working-class people and people of color.
• Commitment to Justice: to racial, economic, gender, and environmental justice and to lifting up the leadership and dignity of working-class people and people of color
• Commitment to Interdependence: to bringing our best, relying on the strengths of others, the knowledge that we are responsible for each other’s well-being
• Commitment to Integrity: to drawing from deep values and beliefs with a track record of honesty and courage, with a felt sense of inspiration and alignment with our DNA principles
• Resilient, Ambitious, Relentless: to leaning on professional and personal support systems and internal resources to sustain yourself in challenging times; believing that you and others are capable of greatness and that victory is possible for our people; getting creative and experimental when things get difficult

About the Role

The Communications Director works closely with the organization’s co-directors and team of program directors to develop and manage internal and external communications as we build the Carolina Federation’s narrative strategy, profile, and audience.

As an organization of organizers, our team understands and holds reverence for the power of storytelling to move people into shared values (alignment) and shared purpose (action). Our ability to tell and elicit stories – on the doors, in our training and political education, with our members and staff, and with key stakeholders – is foundational to our success. At the same time, since our inception in 2018 the Federation has held off on investing in mass communications as we’ve prioritized base building through several cycles of experimentation and learning in order to refine our organizing model.

We are ready to add a Communications Director to help us apply what we know about organizing people to mass communications strategy. The person in this role will work collaboratively with our team to generate narrative strategy that integrates with our base building, organizing, and electoral models, helps us reach, move, and grow our base in new and more consistent ways, and establishes the inevitability of multi-racial working class governing power in North Carolina.

Responsibilities

Strategy and Alignment

• Develop and lead implementation of organizational narrative and communications strategy: Develop strategies to build our reach within our constituency, attract new action takers and members from our base into our local organizing efforts, encourage NC residents to vote for our endorsed candidates, and make the case for multi-racial working class governing power in NC. Oversee implementation of specific plans across chapters, ensuring alignment with organizational vision, mission, goals, and resources.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with media and partner organizations: Expand the reach of our messaging and continue strengthening Carolina Federation’s role in the movement.
• Mentor, develop, and supervise a growing team of digital and strategic communications professionals: This may include a statewide digital organizer and recruiting and managing a communications support team of member leaders and contractors.
• Manage tech-tools and vendors tactically to achieve goals.Messaging and Audience
• Refine Carolina Federation’s values and issue-based messaging to engage new audiences and lead to measurable, increased action.
• Grow and manage each of Carolina Federation’s digital platforms to align messaging that engages supporters, partner organizations, and new audiences.
• Track press coverage on developing stories and campaigns related to multi-racial, cross-class political organizing, progressive left movements, and North Carolina politics including print, digital, social, radio, and broadcast media.

Media and Content

• Oversee drafting and publication of press related materials such as media advisories, press releases, and opinion pieces as needed.
• Oversee the creation of content, including digital assets and messaging for social media posts.
• Support the Co-Directors to externally represent Carolina Federation at in-person and virtual conferences, events, and meetings as needed.
• Provide staff with communications resources that support speaking engagements, trainings, and program related activities.
• Manage the creation of reporting documents that support fundraising efforts and summarizes communications activities.Qualifications and Commitments
• Experienced, Strategic Communications Professional: Excellent written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to develop compelling narratives and messages, design and implement communications strategies and campaigns, and communicate with large groups of people across race and class effectively.
• Systems builder: Demonstrated ability to translate a vision into an effective program that gets results; ability to create and document systems, practices, and standards from scratch that can be used (and modified) for years to come.
• Effective Leader & Collaborator: Our ideal candidate is able to recruit, develop, and lead a team, is a model of collaborative leadership, and inspires others to work together to achieve a common purpose.
• Strategic Thinker and Problem Solver: We’re looking for a problem-solver who can grasp the subtleties of complex issues and doesn’t get paralyzed by uncertainty, the unexpected, or the unknown. Instead, we want someone who reaches out to teammates, mentors, and comrades to come up with strategic and sustainable ways to tackle challenges and learn through action and reflection.

Additional Preferred Skills and Experience

• Personal or professional experience living in the South, engaging in multi-racial organizing and/or organizing in the South.
• Experience developing and running or providing significant support for strategic issue campaigns.
• Knowledge and understanding of local and statewide politics in North Carolina and key issues important to working class people across race [ex: housing, public education, healthcare, decriminalization].
• Experience with EveryAction, CRM, and scheduling software.

Benefits and Compensation:

This is a permanent, full-time, exempt, director-level position. The beginning salary range is $77,700 to $87,480 annualized, with opportunity for an increase up to $93,985 after the first 90 days of employment, depending on performance. Benefits include:

• 100% Employer-paid premium for health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), life insurance, short and long-term disability
• 3% Guaranteed employer contribution to retirement after 6 months of employment
• Generous holidays as well as flexible paid time off
• $700 Technology allowance for new employees
• 3 Months full-pay parental leave

Location:

This position must be based in North Carolina. We may be able to offer a stipend to cover in-state or out-of-state relocation expenses. Our in-state staff work in a hybrid manner, a combination of remote work, in-office work, and monthly in-person staff meetings and member events.

To Apply:

The priority deadline to apply for this position is Friday, June 28. Our multi-stage interview process will take place between mid-July and early August. However, the position will remain open until filled.

Send us:

• A resume and a brief cover letter explaining your qualifications and what sparks your interest in our organization and the Communications Director position.
• Three references who can speak to a combination of your values and previous work experience.
• One or two work samples or a portfolio that represents your best work that is relevant to this role (for example: advocacy email, screenshots of social media campaign, strategy document, etc).

You can email these to jenn@carolinafederation.org with the subject line “Communications Director” followed by your first and last name in parentheses ( ).

The Carolina Federation is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all, and strongly encourage women, people of color, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community to apply. We emphasize skill and culture fit and do not require formal education. We encourage you to submit your application if this job excites you!