Skip to main content

Manager or Senior Manager, State Communications

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that advances federal and state policies to help build a nation where everyone — regardless of income, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ZIP code, immigration status, or disability status — has the resources they need to thrive and share in the nation’s prosperity.

CBPP combines rigorous research and analysis, strategic communications, and effective advocacy to shape debates, affect policy, and inform effective implementation both nationally and in states. It works closely with a broad set of national, state, and community organizations to design and advance policies that promote economic justice; improve health; broaden opportunity in areas like housing, health care, employment, and education; and lower structural barriers for people of color and others in communities that continue to face systemic barriers to opportunity. CBPP promotes policies that will build a more equitable nation and fair tax policies that can support these gains over the long term. CBPP also shows the harmful impacts of policies and proposals that would deepen poverty, widen disparities, and worsen health outcomes.

The State Fiscal Policy (SFP) department conducts research on and analysis of tax and budget policies in the states, with a focus on how they affect low-income people and build antiracist, equitable, and inclusive communities and economies. SFP also coordinates and provides in-depth assistance to a nationwide network of state-level policy organizations, the State Priorities Partnership (SPP) network. The SPP network is the nation’s leading network of state policy organizations working to advance racial, social, and economic equity to build broad prosperity and thriving state economies.

SFP is hiring two Managers or Senior Managers of State Communications, with both roles reporting to the Director of State Communications. The Managers/Senior Managers will bolster the SPP network’s policy campaigns by providing technical support and strategic advice on communications strategies – with one role focused on digital media and the other focused on earned media. They will design and lead trainings that increase the network’s digital and earned media capacity, develop materials to elevate state policy issues across digital platforms and media outlets, and provide communications support to the SFP team to maximize the impact of research products at the state level.

Responsibilities:

  • Manage technical assistance to the State Priorities Partnership on communications strategy development and policy campaigns.
    • Digital media portfolio includes advising organizations on message development, organic social media content, the fundamentals of design, and/or video editing and production.
    • Earned media portfolio includes advising organizations on media relations, message development, and writing and editing.
  • Develop an in-depth understanding of skill- and capacity-building goals across State Priorities Partnership staff. Identify opportunities to create training sessions that increase the digital or earned media capacity of the State Priorities Partnership.
    • Digital media portfolio includes trainings on how to use different platforms, one-on-one coaching, and content strategy toolkits.
    • Earned media portfolio includes media training presentations, one-on-one media coaching, and media landscape analyses.
  • Collaborate with the Director of State Communications and other CBPP communications staff to provide timely strategic guidance to SPP staff.
    • Digital media portfolio includes tracking developments in digital media and advising SPP staff on how changes to platforms will affect their brand management and digital campaign tactics and goals.
    • Earned media portfolio includes driving earned media coverage of key state policy campaigns and elevating the work of the SPP network through the creation and implementation of rollout plans.
  • Serve as project manager on special projects for the state communications team.
    • Earned media portfolio includes acting as the communications lead in developing state-level federal advocacy strategies to support CBPP’s federal policy goals, including message development and tactical guidance.
    • Digital communications portfolio includes acting as liaison to the State Priorities Partnership Communications Advisory Committee, to include providing logistical support and serving as a project manager for the annual development of the State Fiscal Policy communications team’s training curriculum, which will include workshop tracks at annual conferences.
  • Identify resource gaps and produce materials, such as talking points or digital templates, to help maximize the impact of state tax policy research and support state partners (for example, resources that call attention to key policy trends and developments at the state level).
  • Senior Managers will be expected to perform the responsibilities above with more autonomy and will take the lead in making decisions for their work, products, and functional work. Senior Managers will also be expected to identify and propose new lines of work in the digital or earned media portfolios with the SPP network, be the driving force in providing hands-on coaching to network partners and SFP staff, and manage contracts and consultants for this work.

Qualifications:

  • Education and/or Experience
    • Manager: A bachelor’s degree and at least five years of relevant experience in digital communications or in writing, editing, and earned media at a policy research or nonprofit organization, in a campaign environment, or at a journalism outlet. A relevant graduate degree may be substituted for two years of work experience.
    • Senior Manager: A bachelor’s degree and at least seven years of relevant experience in digital communications or in writing, editing, and earned media at a policy research or nonprofit organization, in a campaign environment, or at a journalism outlet. A relevant graduate degree may be substituted for two years of work experience.
  • Alignment with Mission
    • A commitment to CBPP’s mission to improve the well-being of low- and moderate-income people and advance racial equity and inclusion, and a belief that strong, evidence-based policy solutions can help achieve that mission.
  • Communications
    • Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including the ability to make state and federal policy information accessible to a nonexpert audience.
    • A strong background in digital communications, particularly the production of digital content to support policy education and advocacy campaigns, or a strong background in earned media strategy, including drafting short, policy-focused op-eds and blog posts and writing talking points that drive an overarching message.
    • Experience with graphic design platforms such as Canva or the Adobe Suite and content management and marketing tools such as Sprout, Action Network, or Mailchimp, or experience using media monitoring systems such as Cision or Meltwater and a track record of developing strong relationships with reporters and placing earned media stories.
    • Senior Managers:
      • A proven track record of proposing and developing communications strategies to meet specific goals.
      • Experience coaching a range of staff members, from new staff members to experienced policy analysts, on core communications skills such as policy writing and editing, speaking to the media, or using digital media platforms to build their expert profile.
  • Policy Campaigns, Partner Engagement, and Project Management
    • Experience with campaign or project planning, including a demonstrated skill and interest in engaging effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
    • Capacity to work on multiple tasks, often on a time-sensitive basis, and strong project management skills.
    • Senior Manager:
      • A track record of designing and leading communications campaigns or project planning processes that include internal and external stakeholders and multiple reviewers.
      • Experience developing contracts with external consultants and managing contracts to ensure terms and deliverables are met.

CBPP is currently operating on a hybrid work schedule of two in-office days (Tuesday and Wednesday) per week, as well as the first Thursday of each month in our Washington, D.C. office.

This position reports to the Director of State Communications.

Terms of Employment: full-time, exempt.

Bargaining Unit Status: This is a bargaining unit position.

Compensation: Salary and title commensurate with experience, with the Manager salary beginning at $70,000 and the Senior Manager salary beginning at $83,740; excellent benefits, including three health insurance options, dental and vision care, life and long-term disability insurance, retirement, and generous vacation leave, sick leave, and holiday schedules.

Please upload a cover letter and resume. In your cover letter, please include a discussion of what draws you to the mission of the Center and this role.

Please submit your application here.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and welcomes diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages all qualified persons to apply regardless of race, color, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, credit information, pregnancy or parental status, family responsibilities, personal appearance, creed, military or veteran status, religion, ancestry or national origin, union activities, disability, or other status protected by applicable law.