Communications Director

Job Overview:

The ACLU of Utah seeks a dynamic, strategic, and mission-driven Communications Director to lead its Communication Department and serve as a member of the organization’s leadership team. The Communications Director is a full-time, exempt, & salaried position that will report to the Executive Director, lead the Communications team, and collaborate with other staff members across the organization to deliver high impact communications. This position is classified as “At-Will” as are all Director level positions at the ACLU of Utah.  

The Communications Director is responsible for creating, supervising, and executing the ACLU of Utah’s communications strategies. Through their work and collaboration with staff, the Communications Director leads the development of communications priorities and opportunities to best amplify our work, promote our brand, and steer the public narrative in a positive direction for civil rights and civil liberties.  

Under the direction and supervision of the Executive Director, the Communications Director supervises the Senior Communications Strategist and, at times, may manage interns, consultants, and volunteers. The Communications Director is a part of the leadership team, which includes all other department heads.  

Primary Responsibilities:

Communications Strategy 

• Create, manage, and execute all traditional and digital communications strategies to enhance the visibility of the organization with the public, members, and supporters in communities statewide, and measure the effectiveness of those strategies. 

• Collaborate with colleagues in the legal and campaigns teams to develop, execute, and track a communications plan for legal cases, policy issues, and organizational campaigns that engages members, policy makers, elected officials, and the general public in our work. Play a critical role in advancing ACLU of Utah’s integrated advocacy efforts. 

• Analyze and assess the communications program’s effectiveness by utilizing data analysis and metrics. Track and evaluate the success of communications campaigns and strategies, ensuring new strategies and tactics are developed to increase impact and effectiveness. 

• Based on program assessment, create communications goals and strategies to expand the organization’s efforts to increase organizational visibility, brand recognition, grow our supporter base, expand the public’s understanding of civil rights and knowledge of our work, and invite engagement to support integrated advocacy initiatives.  

• Work with ACLU of Utah staff and, as appropriate, national colleagues or external allies, to respond rapidly to emerging, strategically important issues with appropriate and influential messaging and tactics. 

• Provide regular updates to the Board of Directors detailing and evaluating the output and strategies of the Communications Department. 

Press and Media Relations 

• Set and execute goals for the ACLU of Utah’s engagement with the press, including reaching clearly defined target audiences. Continually evaluate progress towards these goals. 

• Shape the public voice and amplify the visibility of the organization while ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission, values, and programmatic goals. 

• Lead the ACLU of Utah’s presence in and engagement with statewide media markets by owning relationships with media contacts and building relationships between key staff reporters, editorial boards, producers, and other stakeholders and influencers. Arrange interviews with appropriate topic experts on staff or speak directly with members of the press.  

• Provide media training to staff, including how to participate in an interview, potential questions, and messaging guidance. 

• Provide periodic media updates to ACLU of Utah staff on key civil liberties and civil rights issues; share relevant news and information to departments and staff; identify and define important trends and issues before they become widely known. 

• In collaboration with colleagues, coordinate ACLU of Utah speaking requests and organizational engagement in speaking events.  

• Identify opportunities to elevate the organization’s work through strategic storytelling and media engagement. 

Content Creation and Social Media Management 

• Under the direction of the Executive Director, serve as editor in chief and executive producer for social media and organizational audio/visual content and work in conjunction with the Senior Communications Strategist to maintain the ACLU of Utah websites. 

• Oversee external marketing communications involving branding, message development, and graphic design, including swag, merchandise, etc.  

• Ensure organizational compliance with ACLU branding guidelines. 

• Collaborate with the Senior Communications Strategist to set and reach goals for the ACLU of Utah’s digital presence including, but not limited to, social media platforms and website content. Identify key performance indicators along the way. 

• Manage the Senior Communications Strategist’s work as the primary manager and executor of social media tactics by ensuring that social media content is accurate, compelling, on-message, and strategic, and by acting as a backup executor as needed. 

• Oversee creation and deployment of all organizational print and digital materials, such as annual reports, newsletters, and other publications and digital assets. 

Leadership 

• Oversee communications workflows and production processes to ensure timely and quality delivery of content and work product.  

• Lead interactions with National ACLU communications colleagues and relay information as necessary to ACLU of Utah colleagues. 

• Develop, manage, and monitor the annual Communications Department budget.  

• Lead ongoing development, evaluation, and reporting of key departmental performance indicators. 

• Participate in the leadership of the organization as a member of the leadership team. 

Qualifications:
Essential 

• Minimum 2 years of experience working directly with news media, including traditional and online publications 

• Management experience, including experience providing direct supervision of staff 

• Ability to manage a communications program, including creating and following a workplan and a budget 

• Strong news judgment, political acumen, and the ability to lead with calm and clarity during periods of crisis or heightened visibility 

• Demonstrated experience in a highly collaborative and inclusive work setting, as well as proven ability to work independently 

• Ability to manage programs, direct experience with news media, traditional media, digital communications, graphic design, branding, and/or message development 

• Ability to successfully serve as a team leader within an organization 

• Excellent interpersonal skills including written and verbal communication, along with presentation skills to communicate effectively, comfortably, and respectfully with many audiences, including members of the general public, press, donors, staff at all levels, and lay leaders in conversation or print 

• Demonstrated experience working on a team in fast-moving, high-stakes environments. Exceptional ability to prioritize concurrent tasks and expertly manage projects, manage a high-volume workload in a fast-paced environment, delegate deliberately and ensure follow through, adapt quickly to changing priorities, and help set and meet moving deadlines 

• Ability to effectively manage a highly talented and diverse team 

• Ability to plan and meet deadlines, making judicious use of organizational resources and colleagues’ time and effort 

• Ability to teach and educate others on social issues 

• Ability to communicate to diverse audiences through a lens of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging 

• A strong commitment to racial justice and civil liberties issues affecting all community members 

• A strong commitment to diversity- a personal approach that values the individual and respects difference of race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, ability, involvement with the criminal legal justice system, and socio-economic circumstance 

Preferred 

• 5 years of experience in communications, public relations, marketing, journalism or related field 

• Demonstrated sophisticated understanding of employing strategic communications as a tool in advancing policy advocacy and litigation outcomes, and uplifting community storytelling 

• Experience in speechwriting 

• A background in issue-based or political campaigns is a plus 

• Experience in a non-profit environment, advancing advocacy or political campaigns 

• Ability to translate legal concepts and terminology into easily understandable, compelling information 

• Knowledge of Utah political and media landscape 

• Fluency in Spanish is a plus 

Physical Demands:

• Ability to work at a computer for multiple hours per day 

• Ability to participate in person for public statement  

• Ability to travel short distances within Salt Lake City and its immediate vicinity 

Work Environment:

• Hybrid work requirement consisting of approximately a 40-hour work week with work from home permitted when work responsibility permits. 
• Periodically required to work irregular and extended hours, including some evenings and weekends 

SALARY & BENEFITS: 

The Communications Director salary range is $95,000-$105,000 based on experience. Excellent benefits include: generous paid time off, medical, vision, and dental insurance, and a 401(k) plan with employer matching contribution that vests immediately. 

TO APPLY: 

Please submit a resume and cover letter in order for your application to be considered. 

Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. 

The ACLU of Utah is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please e-mail HR at View email address on acluofutah.applytojob.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.