POSITION SUMMARY
As an integral part of CIPC’s Leadership Team, the Communications Director is an expert writer and storyteller. They have a fierce and clear point of view and leads the work of capturing essential stories to communicate impact and needs of the organization to external stakeholders (funders, partners, government officials and general public) with compelling and consistent messaging. The Communications Director works in close collaboration with the others on the leadership team to envision and implement a strong strategy for narrative change around key immigrant rights issues.
For the past two years CIPC has been leading innovative research to study effective strategies to achieve positive change in personal bias and perspective—the Communications Director is an important voice in designing this research and ensuring that CIPC’s communications work and strategies otherwise absorb key learnings from this research.
They are an accomplished media professional with experience in print and video journalism, leading the work of CIPC’s self-produced communications (website, social media, e-blast on variety of issues including fundraising asks) and building relationships with media gate-keepers (reporters and other media representatives) for opportune and effective communications.
CIPC is deeply invested in supporting immigrant rights groups across the state in telling effective stories celebrating immigrants and telling the stories of our struggles. The Communications Director is at the helm of this work and as such must be community oriented, an expert trainer and a reliable resource for CIPC’s campaigns.
The Communications Director reports directly to the Executive Director, and directly supervises the Digital Organizer. We prefer the Communications Director to be geographically based in either our Los Angeles or Sacramento office. Remote employment, preferably based in the Oakland/Bay Area region within California, will be considered for the right applicant.
Frequent and travel on short notice is sometimes required.
RESPONSIBILITIES
· Develop and implement a strategic communications plan for CIPC;
Maintain and expand relationships with CIPC’s media contacts by finding opportunities for CIPC’s media contacts by finding opportunities for CIPC’s staff and partners to provide commentary on issues we work on and pitch timely stories effectively;
· Work with journalists to help them pitch to their editors creative articles on the immigration detention system that involve interviews with people in immigration detention either in person or over the phone;
· Work with campaign leads to develop talking points and quotes as needed often on a crisis response timeline;
· Coach CIPC staff on interview techniques for print, radio, and broadcast media opportunities;
• Analyze digital performance of all platforms, develop and implement recommendations for improvement, including ongoing monitoring of emerging digital platforms to determine which would be beneficial for CIPC;
• Conceive and create new projects that use the media to advance our mission;
• Provides supervision support to Communications managers with an emphasis on professional skills development;
• Participate in developing the annual budget for program areas and prepare quarterly program reports for the Executive Director.
• Serve as a focal person between fundraising, communications and field teams to ensure coherence across external communication.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Minimum of eight years experience managing mainstream and digital media presence and email program of a high-profile organization with demonstrated ability to grow audiences, raise dollars and increase engagement;
• Some experience with narrative work specifically within the immigration rights work is essential;
• Excellent writing, editing and speaking skills and familiarity with current digital media platforms and their relevance for effective advocacy campaigns;
• Experience coordinating grassroots and other advocacy campaigns with communications staff to generate conventional news coverage and opinion pieces (print, broadcast and online news outlets) and provide content for related social media campaign efforts;
• Proven ability to facilitate and engage broad stakeholders and build common cause;
• Experience in developing strategic plans, tactics, and media hooks for effective conventional and social media communications;
• Experience working with immigrant rights organizations and community-based groups, is preferred;
• Experience working as a journalist or directing advocacy campaigns on behalf of progressive organizations, is strongly preferred;
• Strong organizational and time management skills;
• Experience supervising staff is strongly preferred.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Proficiency in non-English languages spoken by Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, African, Caribbean, and Arab communities preferred. Fluency in more than one language desirable.
Benefits
Salary Range: $85,000 – $100,000 DOE
Salary commensurate with experience. CIPC provides a comprehensive benefits package to its employees, including fully employer paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement contributions and paid parking. CIPC has a generous holiday and time off policy including flex time off after busy work periods and an annual winter recess during the last week of December.
How to Apply
Position is open immediately until filled. Please send a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample via e-mail to the Communications Director selection committee: hr@caimmigrant.org. Please note that we will only be able to respond to short listed candidates. Those candidates will be asked to submit 3 references.