Director of Programs and Communications
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) and BISC Foundation
This
job description is intended to convey information essential to
understand the scope of the position. It is not intended to be an
exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities
associated with the position.
The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) has an immediate full-time opening for the position of Director of Programs and Communications for
its Washington, DC office. The Director of Programs and
Communications is a new position responsible for the overall day-to-day
management of the program and communications work of BISC and the BISC
Foundation.
The perfect candidate is a politically savvy, trusted leader and manager with ballot initiative campaign experience
who can set and execute a comprehensive vision for ballot measure
campaign success. This candidate will also be an innovative,
strategic thinker who knows what a good communications strategy can do
for an organization both internally and externally.
Overview
The
Director of Programs and Communications is primarily responsible for
building strategic relationships with state partners, managing the BISC
"Labor Table", providing support to ballot measure campaigns, helping
to drive BISC's research program in the states, including the
dissemination of key results and findings to initiative advocates, and
guiding BISC's communications strategy, both internal and external.
The
Director of Programs and Communications will direct communications
strategy for the organization and coordinate creation of materials for
partners, stakeholders, funders and other interested parties..
This
position manages several program areas and multiple staff and is
responsible for overseeing technical support to campaigns, and, with the
BISC senior management team, developing short- and long-term
organizational goals.
Responsibilities
Program
- Develop and maintain trusted relationships with progressive national and state leaders and gather real -time campaign and political information from partners in the states
- Manage BISC's Labor Table, acting as day-to-day contact with labor allies
- Conduct regular briefings, trainings and collaborative discussions for national state ballot-initiative actors
- Set goals and strategy for all BISC programmatic work in collaboration with the BISC senior management team
- Working with the ED and Proactive Campaign Manager, advise on strategy for BISC's Proactive Project;
- Coordinate the dissemination of BISC-led and other relevant research to ballot measure advocates to help inform infrastructure development and other investments
- Coordinate, in collaboration with the Executive Director and Proactive Campaign Manager, investment based on research and real-time information gathering from BISC stakeholders, allies, state and national partners
- Monitor ballot measure and policy trends for threats and opportunities; raising the flag as issues arise;
- Supervise technical assistance for our state and national stakeholders on both defensive and proactive campaigns
- Provide general organizational leadership as part of the Senior Management Team, requiring collaboration with the ED and other senior staff regarding fundraising, communications, organizational health and program.
- Represent BISC as various events and meetings, including public speaking
- Lead program development for the Road Ahead, BISC's annual convening including responsibility for theme, facilitating agenda creation, identifying speakers and moderators, as well as managing all preparation and staff in the project
Communications
- Guide BISC's communications strategy both internal and external, including management of staff and communications consultants when needed
- Oversee implementation of BISC's digital library, a comprehensive electronic catalog of ballot measure campaign materials, documents and planning documents
- Develop and execute BISC strategic communications plans, with Communications Manager.
- Provide communications support and messaging guidance to staff and partners.
- Coordinate creation of materials and presentations.
- Oversee and edit as needed all digital/online content, including websites and social media.
- Prepare the Executive Director and other assigned staff for public events and media interviews.
Qualifications
Applicants will ideally have a mixture of electoral, organizing and communications skills with a focus on ballot measure experience.
Applicants must have demonstrated an ability to negotiate, build
consensus, and strategically disagree. The applicant must also be a
self-starter, willing to work long and irregular hours and travel as
needed, and must possess the following:
· 2+ cycles of significant statewide ballot-measure experience in a senior staff or consulting role
· 5+ years in a senior political role including significant project management and communications experience
· Ability
to work both independently, and to work as a team leader who will
productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within
and outside the organization
· Strong facilitation and on-the-go critical thinking skills
· Demonstrated experience in coalition-building and managing stakeholder relationships
· Able to balance competing priorities, complex situations, and tight deadlines
· Excellent
editing, writing and public speaking skills, and significant
experience preparing materials
for presentation to a variety of
audiences
· Experience developing strategies and creative tactics for communicating with key audiences
· Comfort working with, and representing the organization to, key partners, funders and stakeholders
· Knowledge of communications tactics and how to use ballot measures to create a unique message environment or narrative
· Familiarity with social media strategy and best practices
· Able to manage staff, including those working remotely
· Demonstrated emotional intelligence and a sense of humor
· Long-term commitment to the progressive movement and demonstrated commitment to social, economic and racial justice
Compensation: Salary negotiable based on background and experience. Benefits include health, dental, vision and 401(k).
Full-time Regular Position, Overtime Exempt
To apply: Submit cover letter, resume, 2 writing samples and at least three references to Jobs@ballot.org with subject line: Programs and Communications by February 15, 2015 Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until position is filled.
About BISC
Ballot-measure
campaigns affect everything progressives fight for. But for the past
forty years, the Right has dominated the ballot-measure process,
harming our communities and forcing us to fight costly and diversionary
defensive campaigns.
The
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC, a 501(c)(4) organization) is
changing this dynamic. BISC strengthens democracy by building a
national progressive strategy for ballot measures.
We
recognize that ballot measures are a permanent part of the political
process, and that strategic, well-crafted measures can be powerful
tools for progressive change – to advance good policies, turn out key
voters, frame the issues in elections and build our movement's
infrastructure in states.
As
the only national progressive organization focused exclusively on
ballot measures, BISC is ideally positioned to act as a neutral and
trusted third party, providing expert guidance, facilitating
collaboration and promoting strategic investment, for the benefit of
the entire progressive movement.
Equal
employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental
principles at BISC and the BISC Foundation, where employment and
promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and
qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender
identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national
origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any
other protected characteristic as established under law.