Senior Communications Manager

Summary:

With strong storytelling skills, the Senior Communications Manager will play a key role in shaping and guiding narrative strategy and development for priority electoral and legislative policy campaigns, strengthening media engagement, and advancing the visibility of the alliance and its core and network partners. The Senior Communications Manager will work with OC Action program staff and alliance partners, and allies to develop and implement both regional and statewide communications strategies and ensure that messaging and narrative are integrated into all aspects of policy advocacy and movement-building efforts. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and compelling storyteller, with experience in media relations, content creation, digital advocacy, and a deep commitment to advancing justice for communities of color.

Essential Functions:

Communications Strategy and Implementation Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement strategic, comprehensive, and measurable campaign communications strategies to further OC Action’s mission, vision, and priorities
• Ensure the consistency and quality of OC Action’s brand identity, credibility, and voice
• Lead planning, and creation of digital and earned communications content
• Guide content production for strategic campaign communications, including electoral and legislative policy campaigns
• Enact communication priorities in disciplines including writing, digital content creation, videography, graphic design, website, and photography
• Manage OC Action social media platforms and website
• Build relationships with targeted media and journalists, identify media opportunities, and shape larger news narratives around policy, programmatic and political priorities
• Support the development of voter engagement and campaign collateral and visual assets including voter guides, campaign mail pieces, voter surveys and mailers
• Represent OC Action on regional and statewide Communications and Narrative Strategy alliances and partnerships
• Manage consultants, vendors, and contractors to oversee graphics, writing, editing, and promotion, as needed

Leadership, Staff, and Organizational Development:

• Support a diverse, inclusive workplace culture to attract, retain, and motivate a values-aligned and high-performing team
• Assist with organizational responsibilities that further the strategic goals of the organization

Qualifications and Skills Required:

• 5+ years of experience in coordinating or managing strategic campaign communications and communications planning
• Excellent storytelling, writing, copy editing skills
• Demonstrated capacity for high-level strategic planning, driving strategies and campaign development to shape narrative and issues through proactive messaging and outreach
• Skilled in project management, setting and meeting deadlines, and time management
• Demonstrated success in rapid response communications, including the ability to grasp and appropriately respond to both internally and externally precipitated crises
• Experience organizing alongside, and working with communities of color
• Excellent cross-cultural skills, including the ability to communicate with people at all levels and from various backgrounds and work in a diverse team of colleagues and populations
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends
• Verification of employment eligibility and Background Check required
• Current and valid California Driver’s License or ID
• Access to transportation to travel to conferences, meetings, and trainings (if driving, verification of car insurance is required)

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Knowledge of Orange County and Southern California ethnic media markets, including Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese and other non-English speaking outlets, reporters, and media markets
• Knowledge of Local and County agencies and legislative process
• Understand or have had experience in navigating across c3, c4, and PAC communication and administrative systems
• Web and print design skills, particularly in the areas of graphic design and campaign and organizational branded materials
• Experience working in coalitions, and/or social justice movements
• Excellent organizational skills--good attention to detail and well organized
• Self-motivated and proven ability to work independently and in a team and to overcome obstacles

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position is responsible for vendors, contractors and several volunteers as needed.

Environmental Conditions (Working Conditions)

The environment for this position is an office environment (may include shared space) as well as out in the field, exposed to weather conditions and noise level prevalent at the time.

Physical Requirement

In the course of performing this job, the incumbent typically spends time sitting, standing, driving, walking, typing, filing, listening and speaking.

Application Process

Please email a cover letter, resume, and 2 professional references (past supervisors including email address and phone number) to: info@ocaction.org.

Please ensure that the email subject has the job title: Senior Communications Manager

No phone calls please.

Application deadline: Open until the position is filled.

Organization Background:

OC Action is committed to a long-term progressive transformation of the Orange County

electorate and will continue to move towards the change that our people deserve.

OC Action is an innovative partnership of community-based organizations committed to

increasing the quality, scale and effectiveness of civic participation in communities of color and

among low-income populations. Partner organizations are: Resilience OC, Orange County

Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Orange County Congregation Community, Orange

County Labor Federation, Orange County Environmental Justice, and the California Healthy Nail

Salon Collaborative.