Director of Communications

In the US, local election departments are under-resourced and under-supported. And when local election departments are not supported, they fail voters—particularly those who need their help the most. There’s good news: election departments, with research-based support, can and will improve election quality. 

CTCL makes sure that all eligible voters, regardless of zip code, can participate and engage in the democratic process confidently and without friction, election after election. We do this through:

• Election department support: We bring together election officials, designers, technologists, and other experts to help local election departments improve operations, develop shared values and standards of practice, and obtain access to best-in-class resources to run excellent elections

• Field building: From advocacy to research to technical assistance, we bring complimentary partners together to develop and execute collaborative strategies that catalyze excellence in election administration and benefiting American voters at scale

• Actionable insights: We build knowledge that informs the decision-makers and the broader public about the systems that shape election administration, American government, and civic engagement.

As CTCL Communications Director, you will develop and implement CTCL’s communications strategy in service of the organization’s mission to catalyze excellent election administration across every jurisdiction in the U.S.

This role involves developing and executing compelling storytelling strategies that resonate with key audiences while providing strategic leadership in program development. The Communications Director will navigate cross-functional teams, balancing diverse priorities, and fostering strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve shared goals. The Communications Director will also be responsible for building out,  shaping, and leading a growing, high-performing team. 

You’ll report to the Executive Director and work in collaboration with other members of the CTCL team. 

Responsibilities

• Develop communications strategies and plans

  • Create and execute CTCL’s overall communications strategy in line with organizational goals, CTCL leadership, and stakeholders.  

  • Elevate CTCL’s impact by supporting CTCL departments in strategically engaging key audiences across a range of external and internal  communication channels.

  • Hone CTCL’s voice of celebrating and building capacity of U.S. election officials, and develop content plans through that lens. 

  • Help safeguard the organization’s brand by creating and maintaining rapid response and issues management plans.

• Direct all of CTCL’s communications

  • Oversee CTCL’s public channels including multiple websites, social media, newsletters, and media relations.

  • Draft and review communications materials like press releases, media advisories, Op/Eds, background memos, and talking points.

  • Create an internal communications guide and work with staff across departments to ensure consistency in messaging and communication throughout the organization

• Manage and build out a communications team

  • Develop and lead an internal team of high performing communications professionals providing them with strategic direction and holding them accountable.

  • Lead a team of communications and media relations consultants in service of CTCL’s overall mission. 

• Contribute to CTCL leadership 

  • Surface and consider cross-organizational questions, challenges, and feedback. 

  • Act as a thought partner, providing perspectives within the context of our organizational priorities.

  • Contribute collaboratively as a member of CTCL’s leadership team. 

• Travel domestically on a regular basis

  • The Communications Director role comes with frequent travel obligations. Candidates must have easy access to a major airport, and be comfortable traveling on relatively short notice. 

Growth

CTCL uses organizational systems to keep staff connected and accountable to each other and the work. These systems include goal-setting, evaluations, and staff retreats every 6 months, as well as staff meetings and 1:1 calls each week. While we maintain structures, it’s also important that CTCL be adaptive to respond to the changing needs of the world around us. This might look like setting goals, evaluating our tactics, and deciding to shift priorities over time. This means the people who work with CTCL are thoughtful in both making plans and also adjusting them based on emerging information.

We stay curious and persistent as the landscape of U.S. election administration shifts. To adapt to new challenges and invest in the excellence of our team, all positions at CTCL provide opportunities for increased responsibility. We focus on professional growth opportunities related to the scope and complexity of your work, specialized knowledge, independence, and leadership.

A successful candidate for the Communications Director is a seasoned communications professional (10+ years) with a background in strategic communications. While no candidate will possess every quality, the successful candidate will possess many of the following qualifications and personal attributes:

• Strategic leadership: 

  • You have the confidence to independently lead communications campaigns and projects, while engaging in constructive debates about strategy and driving decisions. 

  • You anticipate challenges and opportunities for strategic communications, proactively propose new ideas, and engage other team members to see and work toward that vision

• Team-building expertise: 

  • You have experience leading a team and department and are familiar with project management tools and best practices. You can create project plans that define what success looks like while maintaining focus on high-level organization goals.

  • You are skilled in managing multiple direct reports, as well as growing, shaping, and inspiring a new, high-performing team for long-term success. 

  • You are comfortable in a virtual professional setting. You can lead a fully remote team and foster a sense of community in the digital space. 

• Narrative vision: 

  • You bring a deep knowledge and skill in constructing and delivering storytelling strategies that resonate with and engage core audiences.

  • You have skills and experiences that help you understand people who face barriers accessing public services. For instance, you may be multilingual with experience working with native speakers of a language other than English. 

• Cross-functional agility: 

  • You are able to unify cross-functional teams with diverse and sometimes competing priorities.

  • You are able to adapt to changing needs with flexibility and grace. 

  • You are capable of moving quickly to match the pace of urgency in line with CTCL’s mission and goals.

• Collaborative mindset: 

  • You possess the ability to build relationships and collaborate effectively, internally with other CTCL directors, as well as with external stakeholders, aligning mutual goals and fostering long-term partnerships.

  • You know that feedback loops can help you create the best work. You create opportunities to get input from colleagues and partners. 

• Familiarity with the elections field: 

  • You are familiar with the structure and dynamics of the elections landscape, with an understanding of key processes and issues.

  • You are enthusiastic about making elections more secure and inclusive. You believe in democracy and you care about voting.