About the Texas Organizing Project (TOP): Founded in 2009, TOP is the leading statewide organizing group in Texas, advancing racial and economic justice through community and electoral organizing. Our programs are anchored in the three largest metro regions of the state: Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. TOP has a base of more than 300,000 members and supporters who reflect Texas’ growing population of Black and Latino families. Through on the ground organizing, grass-roots leadership training, direct action, policy advocacy and electoral engagement, TOP has made substantial gains in policy solutions and public investments in neighborhood infrastructure, family-sustaining jobs, affordable housing, community schools, health access and immigrant rights that have improved the lives of our communities. TOP also runs the largest independent grassroots electoral field operation in the state, engaging hundreds of thousands of voters of color each election cycle.
At TOP, you will be encouraged to experiment and grow. TOP is searching for a communications director who centers our members’ fight, and moves the media to recognize that our members and staff are the experts they need to talk to when covering the issues that impact them.
About the Position
TOP is seeking a motivated, creative and highly relational communications director to lead all communications, media and online strategies for the organization and our campaigns.The communications director develops compelling narratives and utilizes effective strategies to share our campaign messages and our broader vision for justice.
The communications director will work closely with TOP’s campaigns and fundraising teams to develop and execute social media, earned media, and digital organizing strategies and will manage our organizational communications. The communications director will also supervise the two members of the communications team, consultants and vendors, and report to the executive director. The position is part of the senior leadership staff team.
General
- Create and oversee the execution of plans that advance the organization’s campaigns and membership goals
- Manage communications team and appropriate staff to execute strategy.
- Promote the organization’s message through all media platforms including website and social media.
- Act as the organization’s liaison and spokesperson to media outlets and maximize media relationships and opportunities.
- Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, and function as an advisor to all campaigns.
- Develop explicit messaging strategies to reach Black and Latino audiences in Texas
Digital Organizing
- Manage the creation of creative content to advance TOP’s campaign messages and uplift the voices of affected communities and allies, including graphics, photographs and videos.
- Create and oversee a social media strategy to support street actions, base-building, campaigns, and organizing goals.
- Oversee existing social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. As well as regularly post content from events, rallies and other actions.
- Coordinate digital actions such as Twitter storms or thunderclaps by creating toolkits and coordinating with ally organizations.
- Support TOP’s actions by sharing promotional material before, during and after events and coordinating live streams.
- Create plans to grow and maintain email and text lists
- Oversee paid digital strategy on digital platforms including Facebook and Google
Member communications
- Strengthen internal communications with existing TOP membership and leaders.
- Initiate and maintain communications with new members and supporters
- Oversee execution of texting and email campaigns to members and supporters
Website
- Maintain the integrity and quality of TOP’s online properties through ongoing review and maintenance, updating out-of-date content and purging/archiving expired content.
- Oversee online media and messaging calendar
Donor communications
- Work with development staff and consultants to communicate with donors
Press
- Develop and execute high-level strategic communications plans to help win political and organizing campaigns.
- Create related communications including press releases, press statements, press advisories, talking points, fact sheets and speeches.
- Monitor regional and national press for relevant stories and hooks and coordinate timely responses to emerging media opportunities. Help position TOP as the “go-to” source for media on our issue areas.
- Plan and coordinate media and public events, media outreach and interviews, including preparation of members and spokespeople.
- Shape TOP’s brand and messaging, ensuring that it is integrated into campaign efforts.
- Manage relationships and contacts with media outlets across the state.
- Serve as on-the-record spokesperson when needed
- Assign and oversee relationships between management team members and press
- Prepares spokespersons – members and staff – for media opportunities
- Find new publications to promote TOP to our base including blogs
Support communications
- Develop materials as needed by organizing staff: posters, flyers, etc.
- Assist campaign partners
- Help organizers communicate with members and supporters through emails, texts and robos
Qualifications:
- Minimum of five years experience developing and leading successful strategic communications efforts as an integral component of political, issue-based or organizing campaigns.
- Proven ability to strategize and implement plans in the context of a campaign.
- A strong commitment to social justice, political activism, and the importance of community-led social change.
- A high level of professional judgment and the ability to take initiative.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Willingness to work long, irregular hours including some weekends and travel when needed.
- Team spirit, eagerness to work collaboratively with others.
- Expertise using social media, paid digital platforms as well as digital organizing tools to influence decision-makers, reach our community and shape the public discourse.
- Commitment to advancing racial, economic and legal justice for Black and Latino Texans.
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize and lead multiple projects, activities, and actions with competing deadlines and levels of urgency. Ability to balance short and long-term objectives.
- Fluency in English and Spanish is preferred.
If you don’t meet all the criteria above but still feel your experience could be a good fit for the role, please apply. We recognize that candidates who don’t check every box can still add value to our team.
Like all TOP staff, this position will generally work from home during shelter-in-place. In the future, this position can be based in any of our counties (Harris, Dallas, Bexar or Fort Bend).
How to Apply
To apply, please email a cover letter, resume and three references to recruit@organizetexas.org. Please include at least three samples of your communications work, a combination of written, design and video. The position will be open until filled.
Women of color and directly impacted individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.
This position supervises positions that are within a bargaining unit that is represented by a union.
Salary Range: $92,000 – $109,250, depending on experience.
Generous benefits package includes: comprehensive medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid holidays including a week-long period of rejuvenation at the end of each calendar year, vacation, parental leave, sick leave, and travel reimbursement.