Strategic Communications Director

Innocence Project•New York, NY

9h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Innocence Project recognizes the immense power of strategic communications to advance legal and policy reform to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions and achieve criminal legal system reform. Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, the Strategic Communications Director is a big picture communications strategist who understands how to use communications at a multitude of levels and fora to drive change. The Strategic Communications Director directly supervises and oversees the work of the Senior Media Strategist. The Strategic Communications Director plays a key role in developing smart proactive and reactive media strategies that advance the Innocence Project’s (IP) mission. They work closely with IP’s program teams - the Post-conviction Litigation, Special Litigation, Policy and Strategic Litigation departments - as well as IP’s leadership to create and implement strategic communications plans to enhance the impact of the work and further the organization’s reputation. They develop and implement strategic communications plans for campaigns and advancing policy reforms with a keen eye for activating new and existing audiences to achieve results. They recognise the power of storytelling and in particular, of sharing the stories of freed and exonerated people whose experiences are at the heart of all that we do. This leadership role includes the responsibility of supervising and overseeing at least one team member and plays a key part in helping align team efforts with the department’s and organization’s broader goals. As such, they will supervise and guide colleagues in meeting their individual responsibilities and contributing to the overall success of the team. The Strategic Communications Director is responsible for elevating the profiles of IP leadership and key staff - developing comprehensive positioning strategies across a range of platforms and outlets. They cultivate media partnerships to amplify and advance the institutional and programmatic work of the organization in powerful ways. They provide support and advice to leadership, staff and clients across the organization. Together with the Senior Media Strategist, the Strategic Communications Director strengthens relationships with key journalists and influencers in a range of local and national outlets in the print, broadcast and online sectors. They also play an important role in crisis communications and departmental management. The Strategic Communications Director works with communications colleagues to support the daily operations of the department - working on both quick turnaround and long term projects in areas of public affairs, media relations and executive positioning. They draft and place op-eds and other written works for staff and clients. Working with the Senior Media Strategist, they develop a suite of messages around key issues. Importantly, the Strategic Communications Director is a leader in the communications team and the organization. Together with the Senior Media Strategist, they are the go-to team for all things media and communications strategy. They have a strong network of media and non-profit sector contacts and a keen interest in following and imparting trends and learnings in the communications field. We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas and we are not an e-verify employer. The duties of this position require approximately 40 hours of work per week to be performed virtually/in-office. We currently have a hybrid in-office model, with all employees in the office three days per week and the remainder of the week remotely. Wednesday is our organization’s “anchor day” where all staff works in the office. The number of required in-office days is subject to change.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Media or related field plus 11+ years OR Master’s degree plus 9+ years of communications experience, preferably working with a nonprofit with involvement in political or advocacy campaigns
1-2 years staff management experience
Experience developing communications strategies and campaigns to support institutional goals as well as policy and other reforms
Experience drafting succinct and incisive op-eds, backgrounders, and releases and other materials
Experience developing and maintaining professional relationships with journalists and in particular journalists of influence and profile
Deep experience in media relations, a successful track record pitching and placing stories across all media platforms along with skills in shaping the story and controlling the message
Proven ability to serve as an organizational spokesperson
Attention to detail and superior writing, communication, and interpersonal skills
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Nice To Haves

If you have at least 15 years of experience in this or a related field, we encourage you to apply regardless of your educational background.

Responsibilities

Works closely with the CCO to craft smart strategic communications to advance programmatic and institutional goals.
Develops strong working relationships with IP leadership and programmatic teams along with a deep understanding of their work and communications ambitions.
Drives the development of communications plans for program teams and leadership.
Works with communications colleagues to develop thoughtful media relations strategies and related plans that include proactive and reactive goals and tactics.
Works closely with colleagues to maintain a suite of messaging documents for the organization’s work across departments, specific high-profile issues and client-related news.
Serves as an organizational spokesperson.
Pitches and places stories in regional and national print, broadcast and online outlets.
Cultivates relationships with key journalists and influencers and in particular the editorial boards of major media outlets.
Identifies and creates opportunities to build partnerships with an array of print, digital and broadcast platforms to grow the reach and impact of IP’s work.
Serves as an evangelist for communications in the organization, building and strengthening relationships across departments, leading workshops and strategy sessions to ensure strong impact and outcomes from the work.
Has particular responsibility for executive positioning - ensuring that the executive leadership team has a clear voice and profile in key outlets and platforms, and a steady drumbeat of associated content.