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Organizational Background:

Californians Together is a statewide advocacy coalition with the goal of better educating 1.2 million English learners by improving California's schools and promoting equitable educational policy.

Position Summary:

The Communications Manager is the sole communications staffer within Californians Together and reports directly to the Executive Director. The Communications Manager is responsible for implementing all communications activities in collaboration with senior leadership and the policy team and is heavily focused on developing strategic narrative building and storytelling through content. The essential duties for this position include framing all communications through a narrative building lens; creating different types of high-quality content; translating research and policy content into easy-to-understand versions for different audiences; developing and implementing the organization’s communications plan, brand and narrative; and collaborating with the organization’s staff to support organizational-wide, advocacy and project communications efforts.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Organizational Communications:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive communications program grounded in narrative building with specific strategies and action plans to effectively communicate with and influence internal and external stakeholders
• Manage media opportunities, including responding to reporters, writing talking points and writing and pitching op-eds
• Develop and monitor communication measurements and analytics to gauge effectiveness and interest level of key audiences.
• Brief staff, leadership and board on communications efforts
• Create high-quality printed and digital materials per the communications plan
• Drive ongoing brand integration and updates, including narrative and design consistency, and clarity across the organization
• Update brand and style guidelines and train staff on how to use them when they develop their own materials; and to share with outside consultants on related projects

Content Development:

• Translate research and policy papers into briefs, executive summaries and other accessible written formats to share with a broad audience
• Write monthly newsletter and topical blasts to highlight organizational news, updates, milestones and needed advocacy
• Manage organizational website and social media accounts to keep content updated and strategically aligned with organization’s goals and priorities
• Build communication/advocacy campaigns, including:
  • Work with colleagues to vet stories
  • Conduct interviews with coalition members, educators and parents and others, and write their stories
  • Promote stories on organizational platforms and share with partners to disseminate
  • Build a bank of freelance photographers to capture visuals from multiple locations across the state
  • Build a list of education journalists, reporters and editors
• Draft white papers with support from senior staff
• Manage the production of photo and video shoots, usage and distribution of photo and video story content for general Californians Together work and specific to social media campaign for Spanish speaking parents

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3 years of experience in a communications capacity, and relevant experience including a mix of the following qualifications

• Commitment to the mission and work of Californians Together with the credibility and persuasiveness to secure support from others
• Bachelor’s degree preferably in journalism, public relations, communications, public policy, marketing or related field required.
• Bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish preferred.
• Experience with strategic communications practices and techniques and/or minimum three years communications experience in education, non-profit, government or related field required.
• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills with a strong focus on creating high-quality content such as briefs, executive summaries, press and social media announcements and other organizational documents

• Excellent organizational abilities
• Ability to design and implement communications ideas
• Experience in editorial work including the planning, development and distribution of communications materials in multiple formats.
• Experience with digital communications, including websites, newsletters and social media
• Experience with policy and research
• Experience with data storytelling
• Collaborative leadership; Able to contribute to a high functioning team environment
• Graphic design skills preferred

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Californians Together is an equal opportunity employer, welcomes a diverse pool of applicants, and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. Californians Together policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, military service, legally protected medical condition, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.

The preferred location for the role is to be based out of the Long Beach, CA office however anyone based in CA is invited to apply with limited travel for key staff meetings, events, etc.

Compensation:

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Includes full health, dental and vision benefits, retirement investment plan with employer matching, holidays, vacation and sick days. Office closed between Christmas Eve and New Year’s.

To Apply:

Please send cover letter, resume and two writing samples (e.g. press release, blog post, etc.) to:

Human Resources at hr@californianstogether.org

Organizational Background:

Californians Together is a statewide advocacy coalition with the goal of better educating 1.2 million English learners by improving California's schools and promoting equitable educational policy.

Position Summary:

Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Legislative Advocate is responsible to lead, manage, and execute efforts to advance Californians Together’s state policy agenda. This position will be representing the organization on legislative and regulatory matters at the state level. Responsibilities include monitoring and tracking state legislative rulings, regulations, and public policy initiatives pertaining and related to English learners; producing reports, proposed legislation and budget requests, presentations, and legislative updates on state legislative progress; researching and drafting letters, talking points for public comment at legislative and policy bodies and monitoring legislative and policy body hearings; and implementing legislative action plans at the state level.

In addition, the Legislative Advocate will work with and maintain strong relationships with allies, stakeholders, policymakers, and others to influence state policy agendas and advance the organization’s policy goals.

This position will work collaboratively with the Californians Together team to build successful advocacy and legislative campaigns that actively engage our coalition partners and networks. The Legislative Advocate will set strategies in collaboration with senior leadership and the policy team.

This position is based in Sacramento, California and will be fully remote.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Build high level relationships with state policymakers, represent Californians Together in the state capitol, and serve as a spokesperson on policy priorities.
• Track state legislative and agency activity, policy, and media developments on key issues, to provide strategic advice in response to opportunities and threats to launch and scale campaigns.
• Write and shepherd legislation and budget language to implement policy priorities.
• Support the development of policy and advocacy agenda, setting policy priorities, developing strategy and tactical plans (including legislative, administrative, and other elements as appropriate) to advance policy goals, in collaboration with the organization’s senior leadership and Policy team.
• Determine the strategy for achieving legislative and policy objectives and successfully execute state-level issue campaigns, in collaboration with the policy team.
• Leveraging Californians Together policy, program, and network assets to achieve policy outcomes.
• Advance English learner issue priorities through communications, presentations, and earned and paid media.
• Build, sustain, and expand partnerships with Californians Together coalition members, other state-wide coalitions, allies, and elected officials to advance policy priorities, and represent Californians Together in those settings.
• Collaborate with policy and communications teams to develop issue analyses, position statements, talking points, and public information materials that energize network participation, elevate English learner issue priorities, and educate partners and policymakers.
• Organize policy/advocacy activities, including roundtables, town halls, and legislative visits, and provide technical assistance and issue support to develop spokespeople.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required and master’s degree a plus.
• Ability to register as a lobbyist.
• Experience working in Sacramento and engaging with state policymakers.
• At least 3 years of experience developing and executing high-impact issue advocacy campaigns, combining policy, legislative, field and communications strategies and tactics.
• Substantive knowledge of and ability to maneuver effectively the legislative and policy making process, and state government structures (e.g. legislative/administrative process, budget, state agencies, etc.) to advance policy goals.
• Experience writing legislative proposals and budget requests and shepherding them through the legislative process.
• Excellent writing skills and ability to synthesize information and present it in a variety of formats and styles (e.g., issue one-pagers, position letters, blog posts, op-eds, talking points).
• Excellent verbal communication skills and ability to represent Californians Together effectively in various settings (e.g., trainings, presentations, press conferences, interviews, and legislative testimony).
• Experience engaging a wide range of stakeholders (coalition partners, legislators and their staff, media, foundations, business, and academics), working in coalitions, and building high-impact partnerships.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and thrive in a complex environment with multiple priorities and tight deadlines, working both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to self-start and manage up, as well as communicate effectively across multiple teams and with multiple staff members in various locations around the state
• Adapt information to the state level as appropriate and produce and present it in a variety of formats and styles (e.g., issue one-pagers, position letters, blog posts, op-eds, talking points).
• Acute attention to detail.

Personal Characteristics:

• Commitment to the mission and work of Californians Together with the credibility and persuasiveness to secure support from others
• Highly self-motivated with the ability to work independently
• Ability to work with diverse people, build and maintain strong working relationships with both internal and external partners.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to develop and follow a prioritized plan of work, set and keep deadlines and work on multiple projects concurrently.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to listen well.
• An energetic person who is emotionally mature and dependable.
• Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment.
• Ability to contribute to a high functioning team environment.
• Patient, personable and approachable.
• Must be a team player who is inclusive, flexible, creative, energetic and fair-minded.
• Passion for improving the educational experiences and outcomes for dual language learners and English learners.
• Bilingual skills are preferable.

Compensation:

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Includes full health, dental and vision benefits, retirement investment plan with employer matching, holidays, vacation and sick days. Office closed between Christmas Eve and New Year’s.

To Apply:

Please send cover letter, resume and writing sample (e.g. policy analysis, legislative report, proposed legislation, action alert, or other relevant sample) to:

Human Resources at hr@californianstogether.org