Center for Constitutional Rights

Communications Director

Full-time

Location: Remote eligible on a case-by-case basis; must reside on the East Coast for periodic visits to headquarters in New York City; existing policy is in-office 1- 2 days per week. 

Reports to: Associate Executive Director

Direct Reports: Communications Coordinator, Web and Multimedia Manager, Digital Engagement Manager, Communications Associate, and part-time Communications Assistant

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

The Center for Constitutional Rights works with communities under threat to fight for justice and liberation through litigation, advocacy, and strategic communications. Since 1966, we have taken on oppressive systems of power, including structural racism, gender oppression, economic inequity, and governmental overreach.

Too often, the law supports systems of power that violate our most fundamental rights and prevent people from living with dignity. We use creative and aggressive advocacy, communications, and legal strategies to combat the most virulent forms of oppression and to push law and policy to meet the demands of justice. Our teams partner and work with systems-impacted communities and social movements to build power and co-design legal, policy, and cultural interventions that advance the vision of the world our partners and clients want to see. And through strategic communications, we increase public support for our efforts to challenge dominant narratives that normalize injustice.

Our approach is holistic, fearless, and relentless. You have a role to play in this fight. Join forces with our activists, lawyers, and storytellers to fight oppression and build power.
 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Communications Director leads and is responsible for Center for Constitutional Rights' overall communications strategy and implementation in alignment with Center for Constitutional Rights' priorities. The Communications Director is responsible for management of the Communications Department. As a member of the organization's senior management (MT), the Communications Director collaborates to shape organizational decision-making and lead progress toward the Center for Constitutional Rights' mission and goals. 

The Center for Constitutional Rights has a robust multi-channel communications program, including media relations, thought leadership, social media, email, video, and a user-friendly website.

This is a unique opportunity for a kind, inclusive, and empathetic communications leader to build upon a foundation of strength and help lead the Center for Constitutional Rights to continue to share important stories, reach loyal and new audiences, and raise awareness in traditional and social media for the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.

The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic leader committed to empowering and equipping the Communications team to take a proactive role in shifting narratives and supporting the political thought leadership of the Center for Constitutional Rights. They are collaborative, collegial, humble, and lead with a deep sense of humanity. They are creative and open to a variety of ideas, no matter how big or how small, and they inspire creative thinking among the team. The ideal candidate is also a strong manager who enjoys inspiring and empowering the team, staff, and colleagues. They bring lived and/or professional experience working with marginalized communities, deep and authentic alignment with the values of the Center for Constitutional Rights, and new ideas while honoring and respecting what has been done in the past.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Communications Director will provide strategic communications and organizational leadership for the Center for Constitutional. These responsibilities include: 

Communications Strategy

• Work with the team to build on the strong foundation of success with traditional, institutional communications activities, long present at the Center for Constitutional Rights

• Lead a thoughtful and inclusive process to identify and develop new opportunities including: narrative shifting tools and campaigns, rapid response communications to support staff operating in highly fluctuating environments, and new digital and video capacity

• Develop and implement powerful narrative-based, narrative-shifting, and digital communications and advocacy strategies to advance programmatic work and shift public debate around the issues the Center for Constitutional Rights and its partners work on

• Drive innovation in new communications channels to help amplify ideas, messages, research, and convenings

• Collaborate with staff and consultants to promote a compelling brand platform that resonates with diverse audiences

Audience Engagement

• Work with the team to identify priority audiences, including women, people of color, and young people, and design strategies and tools to increase engagement with these communities, including digital and social media

• Design and implement ways to track and measure audience engagement and use those tools to inform future work

Media Relations

• Work with staff and leadership to develop a strategic media relations plan

• Develop and maintain high-impact relationships with the media to maximize coverage of the Center for Constitutional Rights, advance its profile, and attract funding and donors

• Collaborate with the team to increase national and international media opportunities

• Build media toolkits and help increase media training and readiness among the staff at large

Management, Operations, and Supervision

• Manage the Communications program, including media relations and press releases, website and social media, branding and design of Center for Constitutional Rights assets, multimedia production

• Oversee Center for Constitutional Rights content creation, including publications, reports, videos, and social media content, to ensure alignment with overall organization strategic goals

• Support each team member in skills growth and professional development and through building capacity for and sustainability in the work of the Communications team

• Guide the Communications team’s coordination with the Legal and Advocacy teams with project- and case-specific communications plans

• Serve as executive producer for multimedia content such as podcasts, webinars, and videos

• Work closely with the Development Department to design and implement communications components of development strategies, including the annual report and donor mailings

• Oversee the operations of the Communications Department

• Hire, train, supervise, mentor, and create professional development opportunities for department staff

• Develop and monitor goals and objectives for the department, including workplans and team/individual goals; prioritize as needed

• Approve department staff requests for schedule modification, paid leave, and comp time accrual; monitor staff workload and make adjustments or arrange for coverage as needed

• Provide staff with regular and constructive feedback and conduct annual performance evaluations 

• Plan and facilitate regular department meetings, planning sessions, and team-building retreats

• Work with the Finance Director (FD) and other staff as relevant to plan and allocate resources to staff and accomplish the work effectively

• Work with the FD to ensure that the department operates within its approved budget

Organizational Leadership and Strategy

As a Department Director and member of the Management Team, your leadership responsibilities will also include the following:

• Lead the development and implementation of the Center for Constitutional Rights’ external communications work

• Advise on strategic communications and media training for staff and clients

• Set strategic communications goals, assessing team progress and performance, building productive inter-departmental relationships and assessing inter-departmental workflow

• Measure and evaluate impact of media strategies

• As a member of the MT, determine organizational plans and priorities, make decisions, resolve problems, develop and/or approve policies, and help steward organizational change

• Actively model positive organizational culture, adherence to policies and protocols, respect for process, and the Center for Constitutional Rights' mission, vision, and values

• Ensure communication of relevant activities, developments, changes, etc., to all staff via Center for Constitutional Rights communications channels (biweekly reports, email, staff meetings)

• Foster and sustain collaboration, communication, and knowledge sharing within and across departmental and functional lines

• Participate in discussion and negotiation of union matters when needed

• Work in collaboration with MT and across departments to solve problems, resolve conflicts, and develop more effective ways of working together

• Prepare reports on status of Center for Constitutional Rights Communications work for Board and MT as requested

• Perform or other responsibilities or lead projects as assigned by the Associate Executive Director

QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong interest in and commitment to the Center for Constitutional Rights’ mission

• Demonstrated 10+ years of communications experience, including experience in a leadership role, and a demonstrated track record of results in media relations and social media

• Experience working collaboratively with senior leadership

• Experience working with social justice movements preferred

• Record of success designing, implementing, and measuring  narrative shift strategy

• High level of competence in managing staff and teams

• Commitment to open communication, teamwork and collaboration, accountability, and professionalism

• Comfort working with a diverse population with myriad backgrounds and lived experiences

• Experience with video recording and production preferred

• Commitment to vigorous promotion of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and demonstrated cultural competence for issues including but not limited to race, gender, sexuality, disability, religion, and class

• Excellent leadership, planning and prioritization, communication, interpersonal, time management, and organizational skills

• Ability to be productive in a fast-paced environment, effectively juggle multiple projects and meet deadlines while maintaining a positive and professional attitude

• Ability to anticipate problems and use judgment appropriately to plan solutions and manage obstacles as they arise

• Proficiency in MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Google applications

• Comfort working in a progressive legal and advocacy environment

• Integrity, grace under pressure, and a sense of humor

SALARY AND BENEFITS
Salary is commensurate with experience. The salary range for the position is $141,505 to $206,880. Benefits include 100 percent employer-paid health benefit premiums, including medical and dental; life and short- and long-term disability insurance; employer contribution to 401K plan and flexible spending account; vacation and sick leave; and all federal holidays.

Vaccine and booster requirements: Center for Constitutional Rights requires all staff to submit proof and be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Center for Constitutional Rights IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER AND ACTIVELY RECRUITS WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, LGBTQIA+, AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING PEOPLE.