Civic Strategic Communications

Position: Civic Strategic Communications

Division: Narrative and Communications Division

Department: Strategic Communications

Supervisor: Deputy Director, Strategic Communications (interim President and Executive Director)

Salary: $90,000 - $110,000 annually

Benefits: Full medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance covered at 100%; flexible work schedule; flexible paid time off with approval from supervisor; paid holidays; phone and travel allowance; child and pet-friendly workplace.

Position & Status: Full-time, 40 hrs/week, exempt

Anticipated Start Date: August 2025

Location: Hybrid (based in Oregon). This role allows for up to four days of remote work per week, with a required in-person workday every Thursday at our Old Town, Portland office. Attendance at monthly Thursday staff meetings in Old Town is also required.

Physical/Cognitive Details: Regularly required to use a computer and phone to perform work and communicate with others for several hours each day during agreed-upon work days. The noise level in the office is moderate.

ABOUT IMAGINE BLACK

Imagine Black (formerly known as PAALF Action Fund) helps our Black community imagine the alternatives we deserve and build our political participation and leadership to achieve those alternatives. Since our start in 2009, we have envisioned a world where people of African descent enjoy the rights, resources, and recognition to be a thriving, resilient, and connected community.

At Imagine Black, we have strengthened our commitment to a Black Queer Feminist (BQF) theory and practice. BQF provides a more holistic understanding of our conditions and connectedness as Black people. As a result, we understand that liberation for all Black people can only be realized by lifting up the voices and experiences and prioritizing the issues of historically silenced and vulnerable groups within Black communities – specifically, queer, trans and GNC, femme, poor, disabled, working and undocumented people (adapted from BYP100).

Imagine Black is a 501(c)(4) multi-issue grassroots organization in partnership with our sibling 501(c)(3) organization, Imagine Black Futures. We have a staff of nine and an operating budget of around $3.5M.

More information about Imagine Black can be found at imagineblack.org.

POSITION SUMMARY

Imagine Black is seeking a passionate and skilled Civic Strategic Communications Director to lead the development and execution of Imagine Black’s civic communications strategy to advance Black civic power in Oregon. This role oversees digital engagement, manages the Black Possibilities app and its budget, supervises the communications and video content team, and coordinates with external media contractors. The Director will shape and implement narrative and educational campaigns that uplift Black communities, amplify civic engagement opportunities, and align with Imagine Black’s mission and 501(c)(4) advocacy priorities.

Key responsibilities include supervising issue-based communications staff, leading public-facing digital content such as social media, newsletters, and podcasts, managing public relations efforts, and providing communications support to coalition campaigns. The Director also steers political communications to ensure Imagine Black’s voice is bold, values-driven, and effective in shaping discourse at the local and state levels.

The ideal candidate brings experience in political communications, staff supervision, digital media strategy, and media partnerships. They are a skilled storyteller, strategic thinker, and collaborator, with a strong commitment to Black liberation and deep familiarity with Oregon’s civic and political landscape.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Communication (30%)

• Collaborate with the Movement Building and Leadership Development teams to embed strategic narrative and communications into Imagine Black’s broader programmatic goals.
• Build and maintain relationships with media outlets to expand the organization’s visibility and influence.
• Manage the Black Possibilities app, including content strategy, engagement planning, and annual budget oversight.
• Ensure that all civic communications reflect Oregon and Washington’s evolving political context, adjusting tone and strategy to align with policy shifts, movement momentum, and community needs.
• Develop, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the growth and impact of communications strategies.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of civic narrative campaigns and make recommendations for improvement.

Political Communications (20%)

• Lead Imagine Black’s political communications strategy to strengthen public advocacy and issue awareness.
• Craft and oversee messaging around elections, legislative campaigns, and ballot initiatives.
• Partner with coalition allies and policy staff to coordinate aligned, timely messaging.
• Prepare rapid response communications during high-impact political moments.

Supervision & Team Development (40%)

• Directly supervise and support issue-based communications staff, ensuring that individual work plans align with organizational goals.
• Provide coaching, training, and development opportunities to build team members’ capacity and leadership.
• Guide the creation of public-facing materials that integrate civic engagement with political education.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and promote a culture of feedback and professional growth.

Organizational Support (10%)

• Support the development team in identifying funding opportunities and crafting compelling grant narratives and reports on the impact of narrative and communications.
• Attend internal staff and department meetings and collaborate with other staff as needed.

The duties mentioned above are intended to serve as a partial list of all responsibilities required for this position. This job description is intended to provide a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. This role may only be necessary to perform some of the listed duties and may be required to perform additional duties as requested.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• At least five years of experience in strategic communications, political education, narrative strategy, or related fields, with a demonstrated commitment to Black liberation, social justice, and Imagine Black’s mission of building Black civic power in Oregon.
• Deep understanding of Black radical imagination, self-determination, Black resistance history, and frameworks for dismantling oppression, with a strong commitment to applying a Black Queer Feminist lens to communication strategy and messaging.
• Proven ability to develop and implement issue-based strategic communications campaigns that center community voices, shift narratives, and drive political participation.
• Familiarity with the political landscape in Oregon and Washington, or the ability to quickly analyze and adapt to regional political dynamics in support of movement goals.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and developing staff within narrative, media, or organizing environments, especially in alignment with power-building strategies.
• Strong writing and editing skills, with experience producing compelling public-facing materials such as toolkits, social media content, newsletters, campaign messaging, and political education materials.
• Demonstrated ability to design and facilitate values-aligned, community-centered narrative and messaging strategies rooted in popular education principles.
• Highly organized, with strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, and collaborators while maintaining strategic focus and quality.
• Skilled in relationship-building and communication with diverse Black communities, particularly descendants of enslaved Africans, African and Caribbean immigrants, and refugees.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment, with flexibility and adaptability to shifting priorities.
• Proficient in cloud-based tools such as Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and project management platforms like Asana and Slack.
• A creative and imaginative thinker, eager to experiment with narrative tools and emerging media to inspire deeper civic engagement, policy impact, and political education.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Familiarity with Imagine Black’s civic and political priorities.
• Knowledge of electoral justice campaigns to increase community power through strategic communications mobilization.
• Familiarity with political strategy and the local and state political landscape.
• Bi- or multi-lingual applicants are encouraged to apply, especially those fluent in Arabic, Amharic, Swahili, or Somali.
• Lived experience with Black community issues, particularly in Oregon.
• Experience managing cross-departmental collaborations.
• Experience with managing grant budgets related to narrative and strategic communication.
• Comfortable with platforms like Asana, Zoom, EveryAction, and Slack.

Imagine Black offers excellent benefits, including full medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance covered at 100%; flexible work schedule; flexible paid time off with approval from supervisor; paid holidays; phone and travel allowance; child and pet-friendly workplace.

TO APPLY

Please apply using the provided link by submitting your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample. In your cover letter, highlight your interest in the position and demonstrate how your experiences and skills align with the qualifications outlined in the job description.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with priority given to those received by Monday, June 9, 2025.

Please do not send emails or make phone calls regarding your application.

Racial equity is of utmost importance for our search. If you do not meet all of the required qualifications for this role but feel you can be a great addition to our team, please apply and let us know why we should meet you! 

Imagine Black profoundly embraces diversity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool because we know the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.