Strategic Communications Vice President
United States
Media Relations /
Full-time /
Remote
We’re looking for a Vice President in Strategic Communications to join our team.
When you come work with us, here’s what you’ll find:
- Work that is meaningful. We are a fast-paced, deadline-driven consulting firm that only works with nonprofit clients who are essential to advancing the cause of justice, alleviating suffering, and solving the greatest challenges we face.
- Commitment to Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion (AEI). We envision an anti-oppressive workplace that ensures an inclusive employee experience, promotes equitable outcomes for staff, and supports clients to center accessibility and anti-racism in their programs.
- Colleagues you can count on. Kind, dedicated, passionate people who work collaboratively to get things done and help you do your best.
- An organization that embraces change. We strive to improve and adapt and always seek new ways that we can contribute to a just, inclusive, and sustainable world. We are also continually working on making M+R a better place for our staff.
So that’s us. Now about the work:
- We run innovative and strategic advocacy, organizing, and electoral campaigns that build grassroots power, shift public opinion, put pressure on decision makers, and create lasting change.
- We provide a full suite of strategic communications services to nonprofits, coalitions, and foundations that are committed to making the world a more just and sustainable place. We put forward personal stories, powerful studies, and expert voices in the news on a variety of causes we’re proud to support.
- Day-to-day, we’re working hand-in-hand with nonprofit clients like Planned Parenthood and the Vera Institute of Justice to figure out how to drive the narrative, make the most of news moments, and magnify the voices of those most impacted. We use the power of the press to advance climate justice, support immigrant communities, and protect democracy and voting rights.
- Our electoral work focuses not just on winning elections but building a long-term organizing infrastructure that can hold people in power accountable. We have a particular focus on developing new models to mobilize infrequent voters in marginalized communities.
- We leave no idea unconsidered that might build power, from social media influencers to massive digital ad campaigns to innovative PR tactics to state-level field campaigns to relational organizing.
Here’s what you’ll be doing in this role:
- Lead strategic conversations and advance the communications strategy for multiple high-profile client accounts to deliver impact and wins for our clients.
- Develop and oversee integrated campaigns that leverage public affairs, media, and digital tactics to reach key audiences and achieve client goals.
- Build and own relationships with client senior executives.
- Serve as a leader in our Area, and across the firm, advancing M+R’s culture and values, helping to develop and market new services, and sharing ideas across teams to better serve our clients and support our staff.
- Lead strong teams -- rally staff behind client goals, set clear expectations, build relationships with teammates at all levels, ensure time for the team to connect, and be accountable for resolving issues.
- Lead business development efforts: seek meaningful opportunities to grow existing client accounts, win new business, and proactively expand our relationships in the progressive movement and Beltway media.
- Assign and review junior staff deliverables -- providing feedback, coaching, and guidance at every step.
- Directly supervise staff -- being proactive about their professional development and well-being.
- Drive conversations and processes that help build inclusive spaces within your teams and across M+R.
- Do your part to help us run smoothly, including carefully tracking all of your hours.
Skills and experiences required for this role:
- 10-12 years of relevant work experience in progressive politics, strategic communications, media relations, advocacy, journalism, or a related field. At least 3 of those years must be in a leadership role where you were responsible for the success of the communications efforts.
- Extensive network of broadcast bookers, reporter/newsroom relationships, with a particular emphasis on Beltway and political media. Proven track record of securing broadcast placements and preparing clients for on camera media opportunities.
- Experience developing and implementing comprehensive crisis communication strategies mitigating reputational risks, ensuring timely and transparent communication, to safeguard client brand and reputation.
- Understanding of organizing and advocacy communications, including social media campaigning, digital creative (website copy, social media posts, articles, etc.), local, state, and national politics, and how to engage with members of the media for both rapid response and long lead stories.
- An avid consumer of news, with a strong news sense and knowledge of the media, and experience engaging and maintaining strong relationships with key reporters covering the top issues of the day.
- Demonstrated ability to run meetings to identify project goals and ensure successful outcomes.
- Experience supporting the professional development of more junior staff or interns, and directly supervising and coaching staff.
- A personal commitment to and knowledge of social justice and a passion for advancing progressive social change.
We love hearing from anyone who strives to make the world a better place! Not sure if you meet all of the qualifications? There is no harm in applying! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply!
Skills and experiences we expect of all M+R employees:
- Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively to gain trust and give respect to others through honesty, integrity, kindness, empathy, and authenticity.
- Acute attention to detail and demonstrated ability to prioritize time to meet deadlines for multiple projects.
- Proven track record to successfully pick up new skills, including learning new technologies.
- Drive to seek what can be improved and offer ways to fix any potential roadblocks.
- Comfort admitting what you don’t know and recognizing that feedback is part of the learning process.
- Ability to communicate persuasively in a way that articulates your ideas and conveys your expertise, whether on the phone, in-person, or in writing.
- Able to work within equitable and inclusive decision making models in moving decisions and initiatives forward.
Skills and experiences that are preferred, but not required:
- Experience in an agency setting or at another consulting firm.
- Experience in broadcast, radio, or print journalism.
- Experience working directly on electoral campaigns.
- Experience serving in a press secretary or speechwriter role for an electoral campaign or advocacy organization.
Salary and benefits:
- This is an exempt position. The annual base compensation for this position is $132,609 (dependent on years of experience) and total compensation for this position includes eligibility for our bonus program. The bonus is based on a combination of firmwide and individual performance and has averaged $16,000-$24,000 in past years. As part of M+R’s commitment to compensation equity and transparency, we have a no negotiation policy. Salary negotiations can introduce bias and perpetuate wage inequality. If your years of relevant experience for this position are more than what is required above, we may offer a higher starting salary to reflect that, and compensation will be discussed more in depth in the initial interview.
- Three weeks vacation, three personal days, and 15 paid sick days;
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits with premiums fully paid for by M+R for individual employees;
- 401(k) plan with employer match;
- Quarterly discretionary profit-sharing contributions;
- Flexible work schedules and the option to work remotely anywhere within the United States and its territories with broadband internet;
- Annual $1,000 professional development stipend;
- Flexible Spending Accounts for medical, dependent care, and transit.
We also offer a generous benefits package:
The fine print:
M+R staff have the option to be fully remote within the United States, or work from one of M+R’s current office locations (Washington DC, New York City, or Oakland CA).
Staff working from an M+R office are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and all staff will be asked to provide information regarding their vaccine status.
To apply, use the button on this page. No calls please.
Our Hiring Process:
We aim to be transparent and efficient in our hiring process. Each question you will be asked throughout our hiring process ties directly back to one of the skills and experiences listed above. In each interview, you will be asked to provide examples of these skills and experiences or how you would draw on your experience to handle a scenario commonly found at M+R. Our typical hiring process includes:
1) Phone Interview
2) Written Skills Assessment
3) Video Interview(s)
4) Reference Check
Depending on logistics and scheduling, our hiring process generally takes about 4-5 weeks from phone interview to a job offer. There is no application deadline; we review applications on a rolling basis. We let candidates know after each step in the process, once we’ve made a decision, whether they are moving forward to the next stage or not, so candidates know the status of their application. If you need accommodations for this application process or any of the hiring process steps listed above, please email accommodations@mrss.com or call 202-681-8743.
M+R is an equal opportunity employer and all applicants will be considered. As a firm we are committed to being an anti-racist, equitable, and inclusive organization where all staff feel welcomed, valued, and empowered, resulting in meaningful, rewarding, and enriching experiences throughout their careers here. We work to center our AEI values in all aspects of our work, so our culture, clientele, policies, and practices are reflective and affirming of people -- inclusive of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, immigration status, citizenship status, and so much more. We strongly encourage folks from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.
