Summary
Salary: $7,500/month or higher based on experience
Benefits:
- Reimbursement for health coverage for individual
- Paid vacation and sick days
- Mileage reimbursement
- Phone reimbursement
Location: Must be based in Kansas City or Springfield.
Travel requirements: This position requires significant travel between Kansas City and Springfield during the 2026 election cycle, including some evenings and weekends during peak voter engagement periods or in rapid response.
The IE Communications Director will be responsible for developing and executing district-by-district earned media plans in key state legislative races.
Responsibilities
Electoral Communications Program
The IE Communications Director has overall responsibility for:
- Writing and executing an overarching communications plan and a weekly communications plan in consultation with local leaders and experts. This plan should include earned media, digital organizing, social media suggestions, and weekly messaging frames or hooks
- Rapidly responding to news events, hooks, or crises, and updating the strategy as situations change
- Recruiting, training, and supervising organizers or volunteers as needed to execute the plan
- Monitoring team member social, press releases, and communications to ensure message discipline
- Coordinating with the other coalition partners or consultants who are working in other capacities for the statewide Independent Expenditure (IE) table
- Tracking and reporting results regularly
- Analyzing the success and impacts of the communications team at the end of the cycle, and making suggestions for program adjustments or improvements in future state legislative IE programs
- This person often also acts as a communications organizer themselves, but are in a coordination role (see below).
Supervision – Communications Staff
Manage and supervise a communications team that may include paid regional communications organizers and volunteer spokespeople.
Leadership Development
- Develop strong regional leadership among communications staff and volunteers
- Coach staff on best practices, leadership growth and campaign execution
- Conduct regular debriefs to strengthen program effectiveness
IE Coordination and Coalition Work
Coordinate regularly with:
- Legislative campaign staff
- IE partners
- Labor and community coalition partners
- Civic engagement organizations
Fundraising and Program Sustainability
- Support grant reporting and funder updates related to communications programs
- Provide data, stories and metrics for fundraising materials
General Administration
- Turn in timesheets, mileage, receipts and reimbursement requests weekly
- Maintain a healthy and effective workspace and team culture
- Ensure all campaign reporting, budgeting and data tracking systems are updated regularly
- Maintain files and documentation related to communications operations, staffing, and compliance
To apply: Please submit your resume and three references to info@willofthepeoplemo.org. The job will be open until filled.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience in communications, public relations, political campaigns, advocacy, labor, nonprofit, journalism, or related fields.
- Strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex issues into compelling public-facing messages.
- Experience developing and executing communications plans, media strategies, messaging campaigns, or public engagement programs.
- Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and respond effectively to rapidly changing circumstances.
- Experience coordinating with multiple stakeholders, partners, consultants, or community organizations.
- Ability to maintain message discipline and ensure consistency across communications channels.
- Proficiency with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, social media platforms, and digital communications tools.
- Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and willingness to travel regularly between Kansas City, Springfield, and targeted legislative districts throughout Missouri.
- Ability to work evenings and weekends as required during campaign, rapid response, and voter engagement activities.
- Must reside in or be willing to relocate to the Kansas City or Springfield area by the start date.
- Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive political and organizational information responsibly.
Preferred Qualifications
- At least one election cycle of communications, media, organizing, advocacy, labor, or public affairs experience preferred.
- Experience working on political campaigns, independent expenditure programs, advocacy campaigns, labor campaigns, or issue-based organizing efforts.
- Experience developing earned media strategies and building relationships with reporters, editors, producers, and media outlets.
- Experience drafting press releases, media advisories, talking points, op-eds, statements, speeches, and digital content.
- Experience managing rapid response communications and crisis communications efforts.
- Experience supervising staff, consultants, volunteers, or communications teams.
- Experience managing social media campaigns, digital organizing programs, or online engagement efforts.
- Familiarity with Missouri politics, legislative races, and electoral communications programs.
- Experience coordinating communications efforts across coalitions, partner organizations, and consultants.
- Experience collecting and analyzing communications metrics, media coverage, and program outcomes.
- Graphic design, video editing, photography, or digital content production experience is a plus.
Physical and Work Environment Requirements
- Ability to travel frequently throughout Missouri, including occasional overnight travel.
- Ability to attend meetings, events, press conferences, canvasses, and community activities in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.
- Ability to operate a computer, smartphone, and other communications technology for extended periods.
- Ability to occasionally transport campaign materials, event supplies, and communications equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.
- Ability to remain available for time-sensitive communications and rapid response activities outside of standard business hours when necessary.