Director, Campaign Initiatives Lab

Gary Community Investment Corp•Denver, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of the Campaign Initiatives Lab leads a strategic innovation function focused on designing, testing, and deploying public-facing campaigns that shift narratives, influence behavior, and mobilize communities toward impact. This role oversees multiple high-profile initiatives, translating strategic priorities into creative experimentation and real-world implementation. The Director is responsible for setting the Lab’s vision, managing project teams, cultivating partnerships, and ensuring campaigns are grounded in community insight and evidence-based practices. This position plays a critical leadership role in how GCV shapes public conversations and catalyzes action around Colorado’s most pressing issues.

Requirements

Deep understanding of campaign strategy, public engagement, or narrative change approaches.
Familiarity with community-centered design, behavioral science, and/or creative development cycles.
Knowledge of equity principles, anti-racist practice, and community power-building.
Understanding Colorado’s civic, policy, and community landscapes (or ability to learn quickly).
Strategic planning, systems thinking, and the ability to balance long-term vision with near-term execution.
Exceptional communication: written, verbal, and visual, with the ability to distill complex issues into compelling narratives.
Facilitation skills, especially in cross-sector, multi-stakeholder environments.
Strong organizational, project management, and resource management skills.
Ability to build trust and work collaboratively across diverse teams and communities.
Ability to lead through ambiguity, adapt to emerging opportunities, and guide teams in experimentation.
Ability to manage multiple high-profile initiatives simultaneously.
Ability to integrate equity into all aspects of strategy, decision-making, and practice.
Typically requires a master’s degree or above in public affairs, communications, public policy, social innovation, community engagement, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
7+ years of related experience, including at least 3–5 years of management experience.
Demonstrated success leading complex campaigns, initiatives, or innovation projects.
Experience cultivating partnerships across community, creative, policy, and/or research sectors.
Experience supervising staff and leading teams toward shared outcomes.

Responsibilities

Set the long-term vision, priorities, and strategy for the Campaign Initiatives Lab.
Translate organizational priorities into actionable campaign roadmaps and innovation portfolios.
Develop near-term and annual plans, allocating resources to meet operating and strategic objectives.
Establish processes and criteria for campaign selection, experimentation, and evaluation.
Ensure adherence to investment policies, guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
Maintain accurate records, prepare performance and compliance reports, and support audits and the due diligence process.
Implements and enforces approved policies and procedures
Build and maintain relationships with community organizations, creatives, policy partners, researchers, and other collaborators.
Represent GCV in external convenings, coalitions, advisory groups, and cross-sector networks.
Work with partners to advance bold, community-informed solutions and messages.
Supervise, mentor, and develop team members; contribute to hiring decisions and team structure.
Create a culture of learning, experimentation, accountability, and equity.
Manage unit budgets, contracts, operations, and reporting.
Supervise, mentor, and develop team members; contribute to hiring decisions and team structure.
Create a culture of learning, experimentation, accountability, and equity.
Manage unit budgets, contracts, operations, and reporting.