Position: Communications Director (Spanish & English)
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Reports to: Executive Director and Managing Director of External Affairs
Direct reports: Communications Manager & Press Secretary
Start date: As soon as possible
About Equality California and Equality California Institute:
Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer+ (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization with over 900,000 members.
Equality California brings the voices of LGBTQ+ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people.
We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating, and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve.
For more than 20 years, Equality California has been fighting for full, lived LGBTQ+ equality in a number of ways: electing pro-equality leaders up and down the ballot; passing pro-equality legislation in California, Nevada and Washington, DC; and fighting for LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice in the courtroom.
For the purpose of this job description, “Equality California” is used as an umbrella term for Equality California and its sister organization, Equality California Institute.
Equality California Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization that has a parallel mission to Equality California, its 501(c)(4) counterpart.
Equality California Institute works to achieve full, lived LGBTQ+ equality by reducing disparities in LGBTQ+ health and well-being, developing a pipeline of LGBTQ+ leaders and increasing civic participation within the LGBTQ+ community.
Position Overview:
Equality California seeks a bilingual (Spanish & English) Communications Director based in San Francisco, Sacramento or Los Angeles to lead strategic communications, media relations, digital communications and email marketing for the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.
Reporting to the Executive Director and the Managing Director of External Affairs, the Communications Director will work collaboratively with senior leadership to develop, implement and oversee all aspects of the organization’s communications strategies.
The Communications Director will manage a team that currently includes one direct report, a Communications Manager & Press Secretary (additional junior staff positions may be added in the future), and outside digital marketing, graphic design and web development consultants, as well as a Nevada-based strategic communications consultant for Equality California’s affiliate Silver State Equality.
This full-time, salaried exempt position will require a flexible schedule including evening and weekend work time, as well as regular travel across California and Nevada.
Applicants will be reimbursed for mileage and must have a reliable vehicle and be able to drive in California.
Responsibilities:
- Work with Managing Director of External Affairs to develop and ensure consistency in Equality California’s branding and marketing across various programs, campaigns and affiliates.
- Work with Managing Director of External Affairs and Political Team to develop and implement strategic communications campaigns in support of Equality California’s endorsed candidates up and down the ballot.
- Work with Program Director to develop and implement strategic communications campaigns to amplify Equality California Institute’s education and advocacy programs.
- Work with Legislative Director and National Policy Director to develop and implement strategic communications campaigns in support of state and federal legislation sponsored and supported by Equality California.
- Work with Development Director to develop and implement strategic communications campaigns that support organizational fundraising efforts, amplify fundraising events and lead online fundraising efforts.
- Earned Media:
- Lead Spanish and English-language earned media outreach for Equality California, including drafting media materials and pitching and briefing press.
- Develop and manage relationships with press and serve as an on-the-record spokesperson for the organization.
- Help to expand Equality California’s reach and deepen the impact of the organization’s work by growing its network of print, digital and broadcast media contacts, with a focus on engaging outlets that target priority audiences and diverse communities.
- Digital:
- Oversee digital advertising and email marketing program, including drafting, editing and building both engagement and fundraising emails in EveryAction’s Nonprofit Software.
- Develop and oversee creation of social media and digital advertising content, including daily communications across Equality California and affiliates’ social media channels as well as the creation of digital toolkits for partners, board members and the community.
- Develop and oversee production of creative content, including managing video, photo, design and other vendors and consultants.
- Management:
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- Serve as a member of Equality California’s senior management team and collaborate with the Managing Director of External Affairs to grow the organization’s reach and impact and advance the organization’s mission.
- Develop and manage spending of annual budgets for communications team.
- Ensure direct reports are properly onboarded, oriented and understand Equality California policies, procedures and logistics.
- Lead and develop direct reports to ensure professional growth, including supporting a culture of performance management and coaching and provide ongoing timely and direct feedback about performance.
- Build and sustain a staff community that encourages understanding and implementation of organizational values, respect, collaboration teamwork and healthy conflict resolution.
Ensure any legal and/or human resources issues are addressed promptly and proactively.
- Assist with the development of fundraising and community events, meetings, town halls, conferences and other public events throughout the state to advance the organization’s mission.
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- Representation:
- Represent Equality California in various coalitions and partnerships working to engage the LGBTQ+ community, allies and the diverse communities to which we belong to advance full, lived LGBTQ+ equality.
- Speak on Equality California’s behalf at community events, press conferences and other public events.
- Other:
- Draft remarks, speeches and statements for Executive Director, Managing Director of External Affairs and other organizational spokespeople.
- Additional duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Applicants for this position should bring the following knowledge, abilities, and attitude:
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
- Fluency in English and Spanish.
- Network of local, state and national earned media contacts.
- Experience as on-the-record spokesperson preferred.
- At least 3-5 years of experience in strategic communications, digital and earned media.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with people inside and outside the organization.
- Strong administrative skills, including the ability to engage in many projects simultaneously, set priorities and manage expectations.
- Successful experience managing, motivating, supervising, evaluating, and hiring staff, interns, and consultants.
- Speechwriting experience preferred.
- Proficiency with Meltwater, EveryAction, ActBlue, NGP VAN, WordPress, Adobe Creative Suite and other communications and digital platforms and applications strongly preferred.
- Ability and willingness to travel.
Salary commensurate with experience.
Compensation package includes competitive benefits (healthcare, dental, vision, long/short term disability, life insurance, and 401K).
This full-time, salaried exempt position will require a flexible schedule including evening and weekend work time, as well as regular travel across California and Nevada.
Applicants will be reimbursed for mileage and must have a reliable vehicle and be able to drive in California.
Equality California is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Equality California does not make employment decisions or discriminate based on protected characteristics including, but not limited to, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sex, gender (including gender identity and/or gender expression), sexual orientation, age, physical or mental handicaps, veteran status, or genetic information as prescribed by applicable local, state, and federal law.
We strongly encourage diverse candidates to apply, including, but not limited to, women, people of color, people of diverse gender identities, and non-LGBTQ+ allies.
Qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with the requirements of the California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act and Los Angeles’s Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.
To apply:
Email resume (including names and contact information of 3 references), cover letter, and two writing samples to jobs@eqca.org.
Please be sure to put “Communications Director” in the subject line of your email.