Chief Communications Officer
Location: Oakland, CA or Washington, D.C. preferred
Reports to: ASJ President
Start Date: ASAP – position open until filled
Position type: Full time
Summary
Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ) is seeking an experienced communications professional with a passion for social justice to serve as Chief Communications Officer. Reporting directly to the president, the Chief Communications Officer will be an integral part of a high-impact team with the opportunity to build and lead all aspects of communications for a growing national initiative and its lead state-based organization, Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ).
Founded in 2016, Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ), a project of the Tides Center, is a national organization that aims to win new safety priorities in large incarceration states across the country. At a time of immense opportunity, ASJ partners with leaders and advocates to advance state criminal justice reform through policy advocacy, coalition building, research, education and strategic communications. ASJ also brings together diverse crime survivors to advance policies that help communities most harmed by crime and violence. ASJ's sister organization, Californians for Safety and Justice (CSJ), also a project of Tides Center, has been leading state advocacy efforts to replace over-incarceration in California with new safety priorities for the last five years. With a substantial California staff and a strong track record, CSJ operates as ASJ's flagship state advocacy effort.
The Chief Communications Officer will be responsible for developing and leading all aspects of ASJ and CSJ communications. This is the first position of its kind for the organization. She/he will serve as a key member of the senior management team.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Oversee and lead all aspects of the ASJ and CSJ communications teams;
- Develop and execute sophisticated, high-impact communications strategies across multiple states and nationally that advance ASJ and CSJ's mission, vision, and goals;
- Work closely with ASJ and CSJ leaders to ensure integration of communications strategies with complex justice reform policy strategies, detailed research and data on criminal justice, and organizing strategies with survivors of crime;
- Develop and manage the national and California brands, including ongoing development of messages that uplift our programmatic, campaign, and legislative work, and ensure external communications are on message and effective;
- Build a unified, effective, diverse communications team that serves ASJ and CSJ and has the capacity to develop and execute effective earned media, digital media, and paid media strategies in numerous states, and ensure alignment and leveraging of resources between the ASJ and CSJ communications efforts;
- Oversee the development and marketing of publications, including research reports on criminal justice and crime survivors;
- Ensure staff has familiarity with current social media platforms and their relevance for effective communications and campaigns;
- Oversee the creation of high impact briefing materials for the philanthropic community on justice reform and issues related to our advocacy, and work in close coordination with the development team to ensure effective written communication with donors on advocacy updates and developments in the field;
- Develop sophisticated public education and culture shift strategies in collaboration with Alliance for Safety and Justice and Californians for Safety and Justice advocacy partners in our states;
- As the organization grows, develop and coordinate a cohort of ASJ affiliate communications directors to ensure their effectiveness, alignment, and ongoing professional development;
- Ensure ASJ and CSJ build and sustain relationships with key journalists and media influencers nationally, in California, and in ASJ states across the country, including ensuring consistent strong capacity to pitch reporters and producers in target media outlets on CSJ and ASJ initiatives respectively.
Education and/or Experience
A minimum of 10 or more years of experience in social change communications and a strong track record in strategic communications leadership, preferably related to criminal justice, public safety, racial and/or economic justice issues;
- Extensive experience recruiting, training and leading communications staff in multiple states and in fast-paced and rapidly shifting campaign environments and integrating immediate term communications priorities with longer-term communications strategies;
- Experience with nonprofit advocacy fundraising communications a plus;
- Proven track record using sound political judgment and serving as an advisor during political and communications crises;
- Experience integrating research, legislative detail, data, and messaging, ideally on criminal justice, to shift media coverage and influence media narratives;
- Experience as an on-the-record spokesperson a plus;
- Extensive experience in working with new, social, and traditional media;
- Experience working with diverse survivors of crime and/or communities and individuals directly impacted by crime, violence and incarceration preferred;
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
- Passion for ASJ and CSJ's mission of reforming the criminal justice system and implementing new safety priorities;
- Familiarity with California's criminal justice reform landscape and the national criminal justice reform landscape a strong plus;
- Ability to develop and execute strategies involving staff and a diverse group of partners around the country;
- Strength in hiring and managing and in developing individuals and experience leading large staff teams that operate remotely
- Excellent writing, editing, verbal, presentation, and analytical skills;
- Excellent interpersonal skills;
- Ability to maintain high-level and consistent work ethic in working relationships and all work-related duties;
- Mature, solution-oriented team player;
- Ability to appreciate and contribute to a work environment that values integrity, adaptability, reliability, collaboration, a commitment to learning, and a sense of humor;
- Comfortable and skilled at communicating with diverse audiences;
- Willingness to travel.
Physical Demands
Must be able to sit at a computer for extended periods of time. Some travel may be required.
Work Environment
Oakland, CA or Washington, DC based. Downtown office environment with open seating areas and individual offices. Standard work desks and furniture, fluorescent lighting. There is an elevator in the building. Located close to train station. Work hours, dependent on deadlines, may sometimes be odd and include occasional night or weekend assignments.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary will be commensurate with experience. The Tides Center offers a competitive benefits package including health insurance, retirement, and annual leave.
To apply:
Applications should be sent to jobsasj@safeandjust.org with a reference to the job title, "Chief Communications Officer," in the subject line. Please send:
- A one-page cover letter that explains your interest in the position and how you match the stated requirements;
- Your resume;
- 3-4 professional references
Position open until filled.
The Alliance for Safety and Justice, a project of Tides Center and the sister organization of another Tides Center project, Californians for Safety and Justice, as well as Alliance for Safety and Justice Action Fund, a 501(c)4 project of The Advocacy Fund, is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.
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