State Communications Strategist

About The Clean Slate Initiative

The Clean Slate Initiative (CSI) is a national, bipartisan organization advancing policies that automate and expand eligibility for record sealing. Our work helps ensure that a past arrest or conviction does not remain a lifelong barrier to employment, housing, education, and full participation in civic life.

Today, one in three people in the United States has a record. For millions, that record limits their opportunities, even long after they've completed their sentence and remained crime-free. Our vision is a society where no one is defined by their past, and everyone has a fair shot to achieve their full potential.

Clean Slate laws have been enacted in 14 states and Washington D.C., impacting more than 18 million people. We work alongside partners, directly impacted individuals, and community leaders to shape policy, drive implementation, and reframe the public conversation around second chances — turning hope into opportunity.

About the Opportunity

CSI is hiring two State Communications Strategists to lead the development, execution, and optimization of strategic communications supporting our state work. We are hiring for two distinct focus areas: 

• State Communications Strategist - Campaigns , who will support active state legislative campaigns. 
• State Communications Strategist - Implementation , who will support colleagues and state partners in states with newly enacted state laws, including increasing knowledge and awareness among impacted individuals and communities. 

People hired for these positions will craft and support communications strategies that drive public awareness and mobilize support for Clean Slate policies. In doing so, they will partner closely with our Director of Campaign Communications, other members of the Marketing & Communications team, campaign strategists, implementation managers, and external advocacy partners.

Depending on the position, they will support either Clean Slate campaigns or implementation efforts at the intersection of marketing, communications, and strategy—advancing high-impact partnerships, digital engagement, earned media, and partner communications.

Responsibilities

• Serves as CSI’s representative on communications working groups in state coalitions. 
• Develop and maintain public-facing communications and educational resources that support CSI’s emerging notification practice by helping impacted individuals understand record sealing relief and navigate the process of checking or confirming whether their records have been sealed.
• Provide hands-on support for our partners as they create educational materials (web, flyers, social media, etc) for impacted individuals after Clean Slate laws are passed.
• Create media strategies for legislative and implementation successes and to influence government actors during legislative campaigns or when there are implementation problems.
• Serve as the primary communications partner to state coalitions, building trusted relationships while supporting the development of collaborative communications plans, messaging, and opportunities to amplify state efforts through CSI channels.
• Collaborate with CSI campaign strategists and implementation managers to ensure communications are aligned with legislative strategy, implementation goals, and partner needs.
• Collaborate with partners to expand their visibility and media confidence by helping them craft compelling stories, connect with journalists, and develop long-term media relationships that position them as reliable and trusted sources for journalists.
• Coordinate content creation and deployment: collateral (flyers, one-pagers, toolkits), digital assets, video/story assets, campaign microsites, etc. 
• Create and disseminate outreach guidance, templates, and training materials for coalition partners that are informed by best practices.
• Serve as a subject-matter contributor and communications advisor to internal teams and external stakeholders: i.e., guiding partner organizations, coalition members, and state teams in communications best practices.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 5 -7 years of strategic marketing/communications experience, preferably in a nonprofit, advocacy, or policy-campaign setting.
• Proven ability to develop and implement integrated communications plans that include digital, earned media, partner/collaborator channels, and storytelling.
• Demonstrated success in education-oriented communications: translating complex guidance into accessible and usable information.
• Strong writing and editing skills: able to translate complex policy/data into accessible, compelling messages for multiple audiences.
• Demonstrated success in educational or issue-oriented communications strategies: aligning communications strategy with organizational, legislative, and post-legislative goals.
• Strong collaboration skills: able to partner across teams (campaigns, research/data, program, external partners) and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Solid analytical and metrics-driven mindset: comfortable interpreting data, setting KPIs, and adjusting strategy accordingly.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and centering directly impacted voices in narrative work. 
• Ability to work in a remote environment, across time zones, with minimal supervision and strong self-management.

Preferred

• Experience working in or with state/federal policy campaigns, legislative or advocacy environments.
• Background in narrative change, brand building, and social justice/justice-reform communications.
• Prior experience with public relations and media placements (national or regional).
• Familiarity with and passion for the mission of Clean Slate, criminal legal system reform, and second-chance initiatives.
• Lived experience (or close family experience) with the criminal legal system is valued at CSI.

Success Metrics

• Build and facilitate active state communications working groups.
• Foster strong, trusted partnerships with state communications leads.
• Develop collaborative communications plans aligned with campaign goals.
• Increase participation of directly impacted leaders in communications efforts.
• Drive effective use of CSI messaging, narrative, and communications resources.
• Ensure timely, consistent communication and aligned messaging across state coalitions.
• Strengthen partners’ communications, media, and storytelling capabilities.

Compensation and Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, a 6% employer match towards 401k retirement, pre-tax transportation benefits, and paid holidays, vacation, sick, and casual time off. The Clean Slate Initiative is committed to transparent and fair compensation. The hiring range for this position is an annual salary range of $90,000-$95,000 per year.

The final salary within this range will be determined based on qualifications and relevant experience. Once an offer is made, we do not negotiate the compensation package. 

This is a full-time position and is considered exempt for overtime purposes. This is a remote position and we are location agnostic regarding where in the US you are based.  However, we will discuss a hybrid or in-office work location for candidates in proximity to our Orlando office.  You will need to:

• Currently reside in the United States and be authorized to work in the United States
• Work collaboratively with a team in various time zones
• Be close to a major airport with the ability to travel approximately 10-15%
• Attend required onsite planning meetings at least 2 times a year in various locations
• Attend 1 all staff learning trip and our annual convening each year

The Clean Slate Initiative is a 501(c)(3) public entity that passes and implements laws that automatically clear eligible records for people who have completed their sentence and remained crime-free and expand who is eligible for clearance.  CSI is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. CSI’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

How to Apply

We encourage all applicants to review our website to fully familiarize themselves with The Clean Slate Initiative before applying: cleanslateinitiative.org .  If you are an interested candidate, you may submit your application via our Talent Portal . Questions about this job posting or the process should be directed to View email address on j.brt.mv . 

Tentative Timeline

• Application Period: July 21, 2026 through August 11, 2026
  • Applications will be reviewed continuously. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications early for immediate consideration. Applications received after August 11, 2026 may be considered, but consideration is not guaranteed.
• First Interviews: weeks of August 17, 2026, August 24, 2026, August 31, 2026
• In-Basket Exercise: After first interviews, candidates will be expected to complete an in-basket exercise provided by The Clean Slate Initiative.
• Panel Interviews: week of September 14, 2026 and September 21, 2026
• Finalist Interview with CEO: week of September 28, 2026
• Reference Checks: week of September 28, 2026 
• Offer Extension: week of October 5, 2026
• Tentative Start Date: October 19, 2026

The Clean Slate Initiative reserves the right to make changes to the announced timeline. 

Reasonable Accommodations

To center the safety and well-being of its employees, and in accordance with relevant federal, state, and local laws, The Clean Slate Initiative provides equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the recruitment and selection process. If you require an accommodation to participate in the interview/hiring process, please contact human resources at View email address on j.brt.mv .

Other Employment Standards

Applicants for employment in the United States must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.

Job candidates will not be obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest as part of the hiring process.