Director of Communications

The Director of Communications is the organization’s chief communications strategist, responsible for the successful strategy, design, and execution of a robust public relations and digital engagement program that educates the public about transgender people and the importance of policies and laws protecting them, positioning NCTE and NCTE Action Fund as the leading organizations on issues of national importance to transgender people. This position reports to the Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Action and serves on the management team, participating in discussions to coordinate actions organization-wide and to help set organizational strategies.

About NCTE and NCTE Action Fund

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) is a strong voice for transgender people in our nation’s capital. NCTE advocates for policy change at federal, state, and local levels and works to increase societal understanding and acceptance of transgender people. NCTE has a serious commitment to approaching and engaging in its work with an awareness of how racial and economic justice is intertwined with transgender justice, and a commitment to ensuring that policymakers and society understand the connection as well. Launched in 2017, the National Center for Transgender Equality Action Fund (NCTE Action Fund) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit advocacy organization fighting for transgender equality at the local, state, and federal levels, affiliated with NCTE. The two organizations share office space and staff, including this position.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategy and Prioritization: Lead a strategic communications program that advances NCTE’s and NCTE Action Fund’s robust legislative, policy, public education, and online fundraising priorities, setting strategy, determining priorities, and maintaining overall vision.
• Press Relations: Cultivate strong relationships with journalists and triage daily media inquiries. Proactively pitch reporters on stories. Liaise with reporters to provide background and expert commentary with and through NCTE’s spokespeople, while also serving as an on-the-record spokesperson. Coach and prepare other staff spokespeople for interviews.
• Digital Management: Oversee the digital program, including email, social media, graphics and the website, which is currently executed by a vendor and will later be executed by a full-time digital media specialist under your supervision.
• Content Development & Messaging: Write press releases, op-eds, and related materials and edit digital assets including emails and social media posts. Design messaging on emerging issues, craft talking points.
• Coalition Work: Serve as a thought leader and strategist externally with community-based partners on campaigns and initiatives, coordinating with LGBTQ movement partners, congressional staff, and coalitions on communications efforts.
• Supervision: Hire and supervise a digital media specialist later in 2020. Oversee communications consultants and vendor relationships. Ensure that any supervised staff have reasonable work plans and goals that reflect NCTE and NCTE Action Fund’s strategic plan and values, including values of racial and economic justice, and nurture our organizational culture of sustainable excellence and collaboration.
• Leadership: As a member of the management team, provide vital input for short- and long-term strategic and operational planning within the organization.
• Accountability: With support from the Finance/Operations team who can share information and expertise, ensure that the work this position supervises does not exceed the allotted budget, applicable laws are complied with, and that, as a supervisor, human resource best practices are being followed.
• Flexibility: Strategize and respond to constantly shifting daily events through digital and earned media with a can-do attitude, and project managing in a fast-moving political environment.
• Schedule Flexibility: Understanding and flexibility for working during non-business hours as part of the occasional expected duties of a communications professional in the age of the 24-hour news cycle, though the vast majority of work can be completed during the work day.

Qualifications

• Communications Experience: At least 3-5 years of demonstrated experience in communications for a non-profit or a political campaign. An ideal candidate has more than five years of experience. This experience can be shown through substantial volunteer roles.
• Supervision and Management Experience: Two years of experience of supervising staff members is needed. More experience is preferred.
• Communications Skills: Skilled in creating and proofreading powerful, compelling written communications for advocacy and public education.
• Collaborative Spirit: Ability to lead a team of hard-working, energetic professionals, taking input from a diverse group of colleagues.
• Understanding of Transgender Justice: An deep and nuanced understanding of issues affecting transgender people as well as an understanding of how racism, classism and other systems of inter-connected oppressions affect trans people.
• Understanding Racial and Economic Justice: A full understanding of racial and economic justice and systems of inter-connected oppressions and how this should impact organizational communications strategies and messages.
• Self-direction: Takes initiative and is ambitious to ensure that all projects are moving forward.
• Optimism: An optimism that is unwavering, with a can-do attitude and a problem-solving orientation, and the assumption that most people are also trying to improve the world.
• Strength and Persistence: The ability to be exposed to transphobia and other kinds of discrimination or stress on a daily basis and keep fighting hard for transgender equality.
• Flexibility: Ability to shift one’s one work and expectations given the nature of our work and how it can change quickly.
• Knowledge: Possess a refined sense of design for marketing and advocacy in print and online.
• Prioritization and Detail Orientation: Ability to set and meet goals, prioritize, plan, manage, and complete work on deadline and in optimum quality.
• Technological Knowledge: Familiarity with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery, Blackbaud/Luminate, Drupal, Adobe, or similar technologies is helpful.

Salary and Benefits

For many years, NCTE has maintained high-level benefits and competitive salaries. For this position, the salary range is $95,000-$120,000 with the candidate’s skills and experience determining where they fall in the range. However, for candidates with more than 10 years of experience, salaries above this range may be considered. NCTE offers a strong, generous benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, employer contributions to retirement, pre-tax Metro benefits, paid holidays, vacation, sick and volunteer time off. For information about salary, benefits, and working at NCTE, see https://transequality.org/about/jobs.

Location 

The Director of Communications is a full-time position working out of our office in Washington, DC. For applicants who reside outside the Washington, DC metropolitan area, NCTE offers assistance with relocation expenses. Note: The health of our community is important, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. We anticipate this position starting as remote.

Application and Timeline

Apply via our Applicant Portal at: https://secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/NCTE.careers?CareersSearch. Please, no calls. For more information about timeline and what to expect during the application process, see https://transequality.org/about/jobs.

Equal Opportunity

The National Center for Transgender Equality is an equal opportunity employer. For our full EEO policy, see https://transequality.org/about/jobs.

NCTE is committed to creating a diverse staff made of people who are hardworking, kind, optimistic and committed to social justice from all segments of transgender and allied communities.

Transgender people, including non-binary people, people of color, people who were formerly incarcerated, and people with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply.

NCTE provides reasonable accommodations for the application, interview, or any other aspect of the employee selection process to applicants with disabilities. Please contact us via our confidential medical email at [email protected] so your request can be handled appropriately and confidentially.