SMS Director
Washington, DC /
Digital – Digital /
Full -Time
/ On-site
The Democratic Governors Association (DGA), the campaign committee responsible for electing and supporting Democratic Governors, is seeking to fill the SMS Director role within the Digital Department for the 2023 - 2024 election cycle. The position will report to the Digital Fundraising Director.
The Digital Department is responsible for the DGA grassroots fundraising program, creating digital content in support of Democratic Governors and Democratic gubernatorial campaigns, and coordinates with campaigns to enhance their digital communications while also providing support to other departments within DGA.
The expected salary range for this position is $75,000 annually before benefits and applicable withholdings, but salary is commensurate with experience. Candidates who are comfortable handling the following responsibilities and have the appropriate skill sets at the mid-level are encouraged to apply.
We expect many well-qualified candidates to apply to this position and this application will remain open until at least March 21, 2023, or until the hiring committee has identified at least top 3 candidates after the first round of interviews, whichever is later.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Manage the DGA’s SMS list; prioritize list health, develop strategies to convert prospects, and innovate on how best to reach and mobilize our supporters while growing our list.
- Be responsible for driving the SMS calendar and continuing the DGA’s history of testing and optimization, including working with vendors on acquisition.
- Maintain and further develop the infrastructure of the SMS program as the DGA continues to further professionalize this program, setting high expectations for content creation, ideation, drafting, and production;
- Innovate how the DGA reaches supporters over email and SMS while identifying opportunities to integrate these channels into our broader efforts.
- Assist in the execution of the DGA grassroots fundraising program by means of email, online advertising, direct mail, telemarketing, SMS, and other channels;
- Provide the Digital Fundraising team with added capacity to write fundraising emails.
- Write compelling copy for fundraising and engagement broadcast SMS and emails;
- Manage our SMS production process, ensuring messages are accurate and segmented correctly; produce, checklist, and send SMS copy within Tatango;
- Oversee strategy for SMS testing, and assist in the maintenance of goal-oriented, data-informed content calendars;
- Identify ideas for new digital fundraising campaigns, both long-term and rapid response;
- Work with the Chief Digital Officer and Digital Fundraising Director to identify opportunities to innovate and continually improve the digital fundraising team’s reporting, analytics, and processes;
- Support other special projects, assignments, and tasks in collaboration with DGA leadership and other DGA departments.
Minimum Qualifications
- Experience working as a part of successful, large-scale, online fundraising operations for Democratic political campaigns, political committees, and/or like-minded organizations;
- Management or copywriting for a large-scale broadcast and/or P2P texting program, including rapid response;
- 2+ campaign cycles or equivalent experience writing fundraising emails and text messages; especially for an electoral campaign, committee, digital agency, advocacy organization, or nonprofit;
- Experience leading vendor communications for an organization or clients;
- Experience producing emails, including complex segmenting and testing, in a CRM such as BSD or NGP;
- Experience producing text messages, including complex segmenting and testing in SMS Marketing Software such as Tatango, Switchboard, Scale To Win, Hustle, or Mobilize America.
Attributes:
- The ability to recognize a meaningful news story and communicate it in a way that fits within the DGA’s greater political landscape and narrative strategy;
- The ability to stay calm and act quickly in rapid-response situations;
- Familiarity with political and digital best practices and an interest and commitment to master emerging technologies;
- Ability to work collaboratively under tight deadlines;
- Comfort with long, irregular hours during peak election seasons, including some evenings and weekends;
- Well-organized and detail-oriented while moving in a fast-paced environment;
- Passion and commitment to advancing the principles and goals of the nation’s Democratic Governors.
Diversity Practices
The DGA recognizes that its continued success requires a staff of hardworking, intelligent people from diverse backgrounds. The DGA is committed to ensuring equal opportunity employment regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status.
The DGA strongly encourages individuals with a diverse background to apply to this position and to share why your demonstrated commitment to diversity and experience working in diverse communities makes you a strong applicant.
Closing
The DGA offices are based in downtown Washington, DC and staff are currently in a hybrid work protocol due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The DGA will work with potential candidates to schedule remote interviews and process on-boarding procedures remotely, if necessary.
This position comes with 100% employer-paid health care for employee + spouse/partner + dependents, up to 4% 401(k) matching program, employer paid phone bill and other employee benefits.
