Communications Director

About The Equity Alliance

The Equity Alliance (TEA) is a Black-led organization building independent Black cultural, political, and economic power across Tennessee. Founded and led by award-winning Black women, we envision a Tennessee where Black communities are thriving and have equitable access to power, resources, and the freedom to choose their quality of life. We organize year-round to ensure Black people have self-determination over the policies, resources, and decisions that shape their lives — educating, empowering, and mobilizing our communities to take action and hold government accountable. Named the Tennessean’s 2020 People of the Year, TEA is the leading Black-led organization in the state taking bold action to mobilize the Black electorate, challenge systemic inequities rooted in white supremacy, and defend our democracy.

TEA is more than a single organization. We operate as a multi-entity network — The Equity Alliance, The Equity Alliance Fund, The Equity Alliance Action PAC, The Equity Alliance State PAC, Young, Gifted & Black PAC, and The Equity Group Consulting — built so Black Tennesseans can build power on every front: organizing communities, advancing policy, electing accountable leaders, and growing economic power that lasts. We don’t separate democracy from economic stability; we treat democracy as an economic strategy. When Black communities have power, families are more stable, policies are more equitable, and long-term prosperity becomes possible. Learn more at theequityalliance.org.

Position Summary

The Communications Director is a new position for the organization and reflects our intention to grow over the next three years. The Equity Alliance (TEA) is looking for a high-performing go-getter who can see a problem and spring into action to create a solution. We are looking for a bonafide leader who can work independently and with a team, while managing multiple projects in an ever-changing environment. This person will be comfortable working in a fast-growing nonprofit startup organization which can lead to opportunities for autonomy, advancement, and innovation. The ideal candidate is courageous, an unapologetic wordsmith, not afraid to speak truth to power, and willing to go above and beyond to advance racial justice. This is the dream job for someone who wants to be on the front lines of the opposition to the current attacks on Black voting power, in an organization deeply committed to building power at scale through organized people, money, and ideas.

As TEA’s senior communications leader, you will own both our earned media — press, public relations, and media relationships — and our owned media — website, email, social, podcast, and print — ensuring one consistent, unapologetic brand voice across every channel and every entity in the TEA network.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Developing and implementing a comprehensive, data-driven communications and digital organizing strategy rooted in The Equity Alliance’s mission, goals, and initiatives.


• Leading TEA’s earned and owned media — from press and public relations to our website, newsletter, social channels, and podcast — and amplifying our work and impact to community members, disenfranchised constituencies, coalition partners, stakeholders, volunteers, policymakers, funders, and donors.


• Supporting TEA in maintaining a strong public voice in the social justice movement and in the media to advocate for the wider adoption of equitable and just policies and practices rooted in reparations, self-determination, and liberation, influencing shifts in power to grassroots organizing led by Black people, including those directly impacted by institutional harmful policies.
  

Essential Functions

The following are indicative of the essential functions required to perform this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This profile is not intended to be all-inclusive of tasks and responsibilities required; it provides a description of the critical responsibilities associated with this position.

Organizational Branding, Direction, and Strategic Oversight

• Implement an integrated communication strategy that ensures brand consistency across all channels and aligns communication with TEA’s mission and objectives;


• Contribute to increasing TEA’s racial equity, civic engagement, and power-building capacities, coordinating input from staff on communications materials, and shaping how we communicate these values externally;


• Expand the reach of TEA’s message and communications projects to diverse audiences;


• Develop and strengthen the organization’s unapologetic brand “voice”;


• Develop and maintain annual communications work plans, program budgets, and timelines across TEA’s network of entities;


• Provide quality control for printed and digital materials, such as palm cards, voter guides, graphics, press releases, social media, and slide decks;


• In partnership with executive leadership, provide final approval of all outgoing communications and materials;


• Monitor developments in communications best practices, tools, and technologies that will strengthen TEA’s communications;


• Support development of fundraising, campaign, and event materials, videos, and digital content;


• Maintain contracts and relationships with consultants and external vendors providing communications services and tools.

Team and Executive Management Support

• Supervise and provide strategic oversight of communications staff, interns, consultants, and contractors;


• Work with team members to identify and respond to opportunities in the media, legal and political, and nonprofit advocacy landscapes to advance TEA’s issues and organizational presence through strategic communications;


• Supervise and assist in the development of speeches, op-eds, talking points, digital and web content, blog posts, press releases, and public statements;


• Create presentation slide decks for funders, donors, and public stakeholders;


• Prep directors for media interviews and speaking engagements;


• Provide talking points for speaking engagements;


• Provide production support for the Porch Politics podcast in collaboration with the TN Holler;


• Synthesize and operationalize staff requests related to communications and streamline the review and approval process.

Resource Development, Branding & Storytelling

• In partnership with executive leadership, provide strategic leadership in the creation of a resource development strategy to grow independent annual revenue by $1M over the next 3–5 years, as part of TEA’s strategic growth plan;


• In partnership with executive leadership and the Board of Directors, lead the development of a new strategy for engaging individual donors;


• Lead the branding, message development, and execution for annual fundraisers such as the Big Payback, Giving Tuesday, and Signature events. 

Program and Event Support

• Develop and execute individual communications plans for key events, which may include hiring and managing photographers or videographers, coordinating social media engagement efforts, pitching media stories, or drafting press releases;


• Lead the overall project management and production of the Tennessee Voter Guides, including developing editorial calendars for election cycles and coordinating the production process with a contracted project manager and volunteers;


• Create communications toolkits for community partners to amplify events, projects, and issue campaign messages;


• Coordinate creative services for communications materials.

Accountability Communications and Base-Building Narrative Development

• Incorporate race-class narrative into persuasive communication messages;


• Work with the Policy Department to craft narratives and strategies that communicate the impacts of policy decisions on core constituencies and allied communities;


• Deploy rapid response communications related to breaking developments with legislation, policy, policymakers, and lobbying efforts;


• Work with key team members, as well as coalition partners, to design strategies to engage core constituencies and public officials in communication, public education, and advocacy campaigns.
  

Owned Media: Digital & Content Creation

• Supervise and manage the day-to-day effectiveness of social media, digital outreach, podcasts, and video development in coordination with key team members;


• Write, edit, and curate content for our website, weekly e-newsletters, social media, event announcements, print materials, media articles, and internal publications;


• Develop digital organizing strategies and implement content to support online fundraising and raise the visibility of The Equity Alliance through email, website, and social media;


• Monitor social media engagement and impact;


• Maintain the website and monitor analytics;


• Compile data reports regularly to analyze and report to staff, partners, and funders on communications impact.

Earned Media: Press & Public Relations

• Oversee and implement an earned media plan, including media market research for key activities, press outreach, maintaining press clippings of earned coverage, and maintaining press contacts;


• Serve as press contact and draft press materials including media advisories, press releases, talking points, letters to the editor, and other communications priorities.
  

Mandatory Qualifications

Digital Content Creation

• Supervise and manage day-to-day effectiveness of social media, digital outreach, podcasts, and video development in coordination with key TEAm members;


• Write, edit and curate content for our website, weekly e-newsletters, social media, event announcements, print materials, media articles and internal publications;


• Develop digital organizing strategies and implement content to support online fundraising and raising the visibility of The Equity Alliance through email, website, and social media;


• Monitor social media engagement and impact; 


• Maintain website and monitor analytics;


• Compile data reports regularly to analyze and report to staff, partners and funders on communications impact.

Media Relations

• Oversee and implement an earned media plan, including media market research for key activities, press outreach, maintaining press clippings of earned coverage, and maintaining press contacts. 


• Serve as press contact and draft press materials including media advisories, press releases, talking points, letters to the editor, and other communications priorities.

Mandatory Qualifications:

• A passion and commitment for The Equity Alliance’s mission and theory of change;


• Passionate about social justice and racial equity and a commitment to transformative change;


• Experience working in social justice movements;


• Strong attention to detail, planning, and execution skills;


• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in communications, public relations, journalism, public affairs, or a related field is required. Political campaign, advocacy work, or Capitol Hill experience a plus;


• At least 5–7 years of applicable senior-level communications, campaign, or related policy experience;


• Experience building a strategic communications plan that targets multiple stakeholder audiences and leverages traditional, digital, and social media platforms;


• Experience creating overarching communications plans for organizations, issue campaigns, or related contexts;


• Experience managing a team;


• Exceptional writing skills with a keen eye for proofreading and editing (experience with op-ed, news writing, and speech writing preferred);


• Good eye for visual content and the ability to effectively present information;


• Proven track record of pitching and placing in local and regional media outlets;


• Proficiency across social media platforms and an understanding of how to grow and engage an audience;


• Excellent problem-solving skills;


• Ability to work gracefully under pressure with tight deadlines and multiple, competing priorities;


• Ability to work both independently and within a team on multiple projects and across several time zones;


• Good people skills and an infectious, positive attitude when communicating about The Equity Alliance’s work;


• Impeccable judgment and discretion in dealing with sensitive information;


• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, G Suite (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive), social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok), and basic web platforms, database software, project management software, web browsers, and conferencing software (Zoom and StreamYard).

Desired Qualifications:

• Graphic design skills, preferably proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and/or InDesign, or Canva;


• Working knowledge of EveryAction, NGP VAN, and Hustle, and ThruText civic engagement software tools


• Basic video editing skills;


• Experience creating mass emails with MailChimp;


• Strong media networks and relationships;


• Experience using a race-class narrative in verbal and written communications;


• A sense of humor, creativity and innovative thinking;


• Competitive, warrior spirit to clap back in the face of opposition;

Logistics

• Ability to travel multiple times per year, often across the state of Tennessee, including overnight travel for events, stakeholder meetings, and community partner meetings. 


• Ability to drive. Must have reliable transportation, a cell phone, and a valid driver’s license.


• Flexibility to work on evenings and weekends, as needed.

Conditions

Full-time, exempt, at-will position, with benefits with 3 months probationary period. Some remote working is optional.

Compensation

The salary range is $60,000-$70,000 based on experience. TEA provides a very generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and life insurance. Unlimited PTO, paid family leave, and a generous holiday schedule, including Juneteenth and the last week of December.

Job Location

Tennessee

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should submit a resume, portfolio of work, and a writing sample online at theequityalliance.org/jobs. (NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE)

Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis.

The Equity Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.