Director of Communications

Position Title: Director of Communications

Reports to: President

Location: Washington, DC

Start Date: Immediately

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Want to help drive much-needed change in American politics, policy and the Jewish community when it comes to Israel/Palestine? Do you believe there has to be balance and nuance in the polarized debate over one of the toughest and divisive issues in American politics? Are you committed to working for peace, justice, equality and democracy?

J Street is looking for a Communications Director with significant experience spearheading communications and media relations for advocacy organizations, political campaigns or elected officials, and who is skilled at writing in a range of voices and formats.

About J Street

J Street organizes pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans to promote US policies that align with Jewish and democratic values, that help secure the State of Israel as a just, democratic homeland for the Jewish people, and that advance freedom, safety and self-determination for the Palestinian people.

J Street focuses its work in three main arenas: (1) Public policy: Advocating and demonstrating support for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy policies in Congress, with the Administration and in the media; (2) US politics: Endorsing and raising money for federal candidates who share J Street’s agenda; and (3) Jewish Community: Educating and raising awareness of balanced views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the organized Jewish community, in Jewish communal institutions and in the broader public.

About the Role

J Street’s Director of Communications will manage and lead a talented and hard-working eight-person communications team. They will work with the organization’s executive leadership and board to devise and implement long-term strategies, medium-term campaigns and rapid response to the day-to-day developments of a fast-paced and demanding issue, all the while ensuring that J Street’s communications reach and resonate with our key audiences.

The Director will play a pivotal role in all aspects of the Communications Department, working closely with the Director of Communications Operations, the Digital Director and the Deputy Director of Communications, as well as junior comms staff. They will coordinate with many other parts of the organization - from our lobbyists in Washington, to our Political Action Committee, to students on college campuses and leaders in Jewish communities nationwide.

They will ensure J Street’s pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy message is breaking through in the national and Jewish media, impacting debate on the Middle East in the American Jewish community, on Capitol Hill, in the political arena and beyond.

Key responsibilities

• Strategy: Spearhead development and implementation of J Street’s communications strategy. J Street communications advance the organization’s mission and strategic goals by identifying and reaching specific target audiences with effective messages and messengers. The Director of Communications is responsible first and foremost for developing and executing a thoughtful and effective strategy.
• Message: J Street communications are distinguished by their nuance and precision. Messages are crafted to reach specific audiences and achieve concrete goals. The Director must be a nuanced communicator and effective at conveying those messages to staff, leaders and other validators for J Street’s work.
• Media: J Street is an active presence in the media debate on contentious and prominent issues. The Director serves as on-the-record spokesperson for the organization and oversees an extensive media relations and outreach operation.
• Manage: Provide the communications team guidance and support to thrive and grow professionally and produce first-rate content.
• Training: Provide staff and organizational leaders with communications and messaging skills and comfort, leading weekly messaging calls for staff and participating in regular meetings with board and leadership to convey messaging guidance.
• Content oversight: J Street produces large amounts of content across a range of communications platforms and channels, including email, social media, targeted digital/text outreach/advertising, earned media, J Street’s website and associated microsites. The Director is responsible for final approval of all content across platforms and is responsible for crafting and writing significant content pieces.

Desired Skills and characteristics

• The ideal candidate will have at least 10+ years of communications/writing/media relations experience with an advocacy organization, political campaign, elected official or similar public affairs-related employer.
• Strong writing skills are an absolute must - both the ability to write quickly and to communicate nuanced messaging clearly.
• Strong multi-tasking and project management skills; ability to meet short and long-term deadlines. Environment and issues are fast-paced and multi-faceted.
• Success in this role will require prior knowledge of the policy and political dynamics of the US-Israel relationship and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• Passion for the goals, values and mission of J Street and the pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy movement is a must.
• Strong team player who knows how to work collaboratively, to give and receive feedback (especially on writing) and who can synthesize views, suggestions and edits into compelling and professional final product.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly with fellow team-members and colleagues with empathy, eagerness to help and support.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time exempt position, with occasional work outside traditional work hours on an as-needed basis. The salary range will be $150,000 - $175,000, depending on experience.

Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Unlimited personal time off
• Sick leave
• Generous parental and family paid leave (up to 12 weeks)
• Paid time off on many federal and Jewish holidays,
• Health and dental insurance
• Company-paid life insurance
• A 401k program including an employer match
• Commuter benefits
• A flexible spending account

J Street recognizes a staff bargaining unit affiliated with IFPTE Local 70, a union for non-profit workers. This position is in management and not part of the bargaining unit.

Physical Requirements

There are no extraordinary physical requirements for the performance of the essential functions of this position. J Street will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

In order to prioritize the health and safety of all employees J Street employees are required to provide proof of up-to-date COVID vaccination. J Street will discuss reasonable accommodations with employees who may be unable to receive a vaccine due to disability, the advice of a medical provider, or sincerely held religious beliefs.

To Apply

We are excited to receive applications from a broad range of applicants as we grow our organization to better reflect the diversity of the communities that care about our mission. Please submit the items listed below:

1. Resume
2. A cover letter that explains why you are interested in working at J Street and the best candidate for this position
3. List of Three References

Applications are being accepted now and the position will be filled as quickly as possible.

At J Street we value an inclusive, welcoming, and diverse workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to understanding and valuing each other’s perspectives at all levels of the organization thereby creating a culture that allows us to better serve our employees, and the communities we work with. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. This policy applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment and fellowship, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits, and termination.