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Role Description

The NY Communications Director is a senior role responsible for internal and external communications for the New York Working Families Party, developing and executing sophisticated media strategies to advance our electoral, legislative, and organizing priorities, and telling our story to our membership, leaders, and the broader public.

• Foster relationships with news media, editors, reporters, content creators, partner organizations, political campaigns, and public officials to advance campaigns, enhance our reputation and brand, and promote our values.
• Oversee NY WFP’s social media and digital communications and supervise a New York digital campaigner.
• Execute an aggressive communications strategy across multiple timelines, balancing rapid-response, short-term communications, and long-term narrative strategy.
• Serve as a key strategist and organizational leader, a primary shaper and steward of our brand and narrative, and lead the Party’s earned media work and digital program.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of communications experience on progressive campaigns or at political organizations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Detail-oriented, collaborative, and highly organized.
• Ability to react quickly and manage competing priorities without dropping balls.
• Experience mentoring and supervising staff.
• Flexibility and willingness to adapt as news breaks or opportunities arise.
• Fluency in Spanish is a plus.

Requirements

• Develop message and communications plans to advance priority campaigns.
• Plan and execute internal and external communications to develop and grow our brand using earned, paid, and digital media.
• Live in the news cycle; monitor risks and opportunities; seize real-time media opportunities to advance our values, position and brand.
• Build relationships with print, broadcast, new media journalists, content creators, and ethnic media.
• Anticipate, prevent, and, if necessary, manage crisis communications.
• Coordinate with the national WFP communications team on strategy, narratives, and partywide initiatives.
• Produce detailed reports of communications activities for staff and leadership.
• Support State Director and staff spokespeople with talking points and media prep.
• Draft talking points, op-eds, memos, and other materials, as needed.
• Supervise digital campaigner and other staff as assigned.
• Prepare and support State Director to speak with press to elevate the Party’s position.
• Set team work plans and develop and execute communications strategy plan for organizational priorities.
• Manage relationship with consultants and vendors.
• Track and distribute key press clips.
• Coach, train, and develop leaders and senior staffers as media spokespeople and to manage WFP chapter communications.
• Develop and lead strategy for NYWFP social media properties and digital content, working with digital campaigner on production and day-to-day management of calendar.
• Coordinate broadcast email and SMS communications to NYWFP membership.
• Ensure organizers, chapter leaders, and others are trained on digital communications tools.
• Conduct regular trainings with staff, members, candidates, and elected officials on the latest narrative, messaging, and research developments.
• Facilitate and oversee a monthly table of communications professionals of organizational allies and partners.

Benefits

• Base Market A: $78,600 - $111,200 (Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Syracuse)
• Base Market B: $84,100 - $111,200 (Albany, Rochester, Schenectady, Troy)
• High Market: $92,000 - $121,600
• Very High Market: $99,800 - $132,000 (New York City)
• Robust benefit package for full time employees including paid time off; health, dental, vision, and life insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plan options; professional development funding; and remote work support.

Union Affiliation

WFP is a unionized workplace. This is a managerial position, not included in our bargaining unit. WFP's union employees are represented by the New York Metropolitan Area Joint Board, Workers United union.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Working Families Party is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to economic and social justice. Women, people of color, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and members of other historically disenfranchised populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Any applicant who requires an accommodation in order to apply for or perform the essential functions of the job should contact us at [email protected] with the subject line "Application Accommodation" to request such an accommodation.