Director of Communications

New Pluralists is a cross-ideological collaborative composed of funders and field builders to catalyze pluralism in American culture. We believe that the promise of pluralism is core to America realizing our founding ideals of liberty, equality, and justice — making it possible for us to live among, work with, and care about people different from us. It enables us to navigate conflict as a natural part of a healthy and peaceful democracy. It invites us to come together across race and ethnicity, faith, geography, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, and other lines of difference to strengthen our communities and solve the challenges we face as a democracy.

The work of living up to our founding ideals has been unfinished, with hopeful steps forward alongside profound failures. We are growing increasingly segregated and polarized along class, racial, ethnic, religious, and ideological lines, and we are losing trust in each other and the promise of participatory democracy. Research suggests that most Americans are exhausted with the current climate and hungry for different ways to come together, navigate conflicts both big and small, and solve problems.

New Pluralists is meeting that hunger by inviting us all to proactively build a different reality that reflects our country’s founding commitment to equality, dignity, and justice. As a pooled fund, we are raising and investing $100M by 2032 to catalyze this fundamental cultural shift, by:

• Strengthening the pluralism ecosystem. We are strengthening an ecosystem of practitioners, storytellers, researchers, and innovators from across many different fields, sectors, and communities who share our vision, so that together, we can build a culture of respect and belonging in America.
• Catalyzing culture change. We use our voice, connect, and invest resources in transformational people and ideas will enable millions of Americans to have the skills, incentives, and imagination to belong in a politically vibrant, multiracial, and multifaith democracy.
• Influencing philanthropy.  We are influencing, organizing and forming partnerships with peer efforts to galvanize $1 billion by 2032 to nurture and expand the broader pluralism ecosystem - of which New Pluralists is a part.

About the Role & Responsibilities
As a key leader in our young, ambitious, and vibrant organization, the Director of Communications will play a vital role in elevating pluralism and making it feel concrete, energizing, and useful across a range of audiences and stakeholders. To power the momentum and potential of pluralism to take root in our culture, the Director of Communications will break down dynamic, ambiguous, complex and nuanced ideas into simple and resonant messaging and stories, and enable New Pluralists to respond to dynamic cultural moments in ways that advance our mission.

By driving impactful strategic communications and creative storytelling, the Director of Communications will foster alignment among  New Pluralists, our field, and funding partners to practice and engage others in pluralism. They will position New Pluralists, our field and funding partners, and the pluralism ecosystem for impact and influence, such that many types of audiences, sectors, and partners see the value in and want to build a culture of pluralism with us.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Communications will develop and execute on creative and dynamic communications strategies that elevate and amplify the impact of New Pluralists, our strategies, and initiatives.

• Delivering strategic, actionable communications spanning earned and owned media to advance New Pluralists’ mission, vision, and initiatives
• Working collaboratively with the New Pluralists team, our funders and field partners to create inclusive and dynamic communications campaigns
• Developing, executing, and measuring the effectiveness of New Pluralists’ short- and long-term communications strategies, messaging frameworks,  and multimedia content
• Scoping, vetting, and managing savvy communications partners to meet critical capacity needs and implement key projects with us
• Gathering and leveraging storytelling moments and assets from across New Pluralists’ network, including from our field partners and grantees
• Cultivating and maintaining relationships with media contacts, including but not limited to reporters, producers, editorial boards, and influencers
• Anticipating, advising, and leading on New Pluralists’ crisis communications
• Expanding and overseeing the organization’s social media presence, digital communications, and other types of original content
• Identifying dynamic communications opportunities and meeting evolving needs with decisive solutions and actions on behalf of New Pluralists
• Elevating the voice and thought leadership of the Executive Director, New Pluralists funders and field builders, grantee partners, and other collaborators

in ways that align with our values and advances our mission for culture change

Qualifications and Experiences of the Ideal Director of Communications

New Pluralists is open to candidates whose skills and experience have been developed and proven in a variety of settings (e.g. public awareness and education campaigns, narrative change and grassroots calls to action, community building communications, long-form storytelling and journalism, creative agency, and brand/mission-promise work). Strong strategic thinking, verbal and written communications skills are absolute musts.

The Director of Communications will bring to our lean, entrepreneurial and dynamic team and collaborative:

• High motivation and drive for both self-directed and collaborative work, with a lively, curious, and creative intellect; a style that includes flexibility and inventiveness, and an understanding that goals and mission are moving targets and require flexible, realistic strategies.
• A keen sense of responsibility to move seamlessly from big ideas into deliberate and effective action with tangible outcomes.
• Exceptional social-emotional skills to listen deeply, draw from and respect divergent opinions from across organizations, consultants, and leaders with different missions and values.
• A passion for and lived experiences with pluralism, bridging divides, fostering belonging, and recognizing and bringing in outsiders.

Ideal candidates will bring:

• A track record of creatively positioning people, ideas, organizations for influence and impact, with extensive experience in strategic communications, social and digital media, public affairs, and/or marketing.
• Experience driving communications strategies that make ideas relevant, sticky, and energizing, with measurable impacts on beliefs, behaviors, and actions.
• A track record of attracting, engaging, and building audiences from across a diverse range of leaders, sectors, communities and organizations.
• Success building and leveraging press and media relationships, creatively drawing press attention, and achieving meaningful earned media to advance strategic outcomes.
• Excellent active listening, writing, editing, analytical and verbal communication skills, including the ability to collect, synthesize, and present information across varied communications platforms.
• Experience coordinating with external agencies as well as hands-on experience in the design, editing, and production of omni channel messaging.
• Strong project and stakeholder management skills across internal and external stakeholders, including supporting leaders of organizations meeting their strategic and developmental goals.
• Solid research and analytical skills, and the ability to cull and synthesize information from large bodies of knowledge and complex concepts, and draft brief summaries, analyses, and recommendations.

Compensation, Benefits and Travel

The salary range for the Director of Communications is $140,000 - $170,000. A robust benefits package is offered through the fiscal sponsor, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, including medical, dental, retirement, etc.  Anticipated frequent travel for team meetings, retreats, partner events and other convenings.

New Pluralists is working with Amy Segelin at Chaloner to conduct this search. Please apply at www.chaloner.com.