Senior/Capacity Builder

We Make the Future is looking for a Senior/Capacity Builder to join our team at We Make the Future (WMTF) to help grow the multi-racial movement for the issues of most public and political importance. This role is responsible for working with state-based organizational leaders to develop the capacity to use best practices around strategic communications, race-forward messaging, and the Race Class Narrative (RCN). This work includes driving strategic and collaborative narrative implementation across the country, designing and leading learning experiences that aid partners in applying our tested approaches to their work, overseeing message testing and distribution strategies, and coaching organizations on integrating communications into their organizing/field, and policy planning. Our state-partners run innovative campaigns that leverage national resources to support local and state power building. The Senior/Capacity Builder will work on-the-ground directly with state-based partners, while being part of our remote team.

ABOUT WE MAKE THE FUTURE

Opening our doors in 2021 as WMTF – an implementation home for the RCN and other race forward empirically based messaging research – we are committed to helping movements stay connected with the base, effectively engage everyday people, and reinforce narratives that help us win on the issues we care about. We do this long term narrative change work by combining strategic communications and coalition building to motivate our base to persuade the middle so together our work benefits people across issues, campaigns, and geographies.

Our work is based on years of experience when housed within other organizations, where we learned there are three pillars for shared narrative work needed to be relevant in the real world:

1. Collaborative Public Opinion Research – We work with researchers and on-the-ground partners to employ evidence-based public opinion research that motivates our base, who are primarily people of color (POC), while also persuading as many white people as possible on our economic and racial justice policy solutions.
2. Alignment at the National, State and Local Level – In partnership with national, state and local movement organizations, we help to build narrative alignment that engages the public and creates repeaters of our narratives addressing race and class.
3. Bridging Research and Implementation – We create a bridge between narrative research and practice through the creative implementation of messaging research in print, video, audio, and face-to-face.

If one of these three pillars is missing, then the work will be less effective, so we work in partnership with researchers, content creators, labor, policy and community-based organizations, aiding in the implementation of messaging research by building the capacity of communicators, organizers, and spokespeople.

As a staff team and individuals we work to…

• Demonstrate a commitment to social justice and social change.
• Collaborate as strong team players, familiar with team dynamics and willing to work in a virtual team environment.
• Assess tradeoffs and derive and communicate data-driven insights.
• Excel at both 10,000 feet as well as in the weeds of complex problems.
• Convey friendliness and encouragement via email, video conferencing, and phone.
• Willingly embrace learning new technologies, tactics, and strategies.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The primary responsibility of the Senior/Capacity Builder is to develop the capacity of in-state organizational partners to advance strategic race-forward communications across our areas of programmatic focus. Organizers, communicators and coalition leaders are encouraged to apply.

This is how:

Train, coach and develop narrative leaders (~50%)

• Coordinate and support multi-state collaboratives of ongoing and new state-based partners advancing race forward strategic messaging practices in their communications and organizing.
• Lead the facilitation and evaluation of workshops on the Race Class Narrative and other messaging research to aid partners, policymakers, organizers, and other social justice leaders in applying our tested approaches to their work.
• Facilitate the sharing of experiences, dissemination of successful practice, and fostering of a learning culture among our state partners using innovative practices with special attention to communications, racial justice, and online learning.
• Design, write and edit tools and workshop materials, including presentations, interactive activities, publications, and web content that incorporate the latest messaging research and broader strategic communications recommendations.

Provide helpful and timely technical assistance to support strategic narrative implementation (~25%)

• Provide strategic guidance, rapid response, technical assistance and input, and editing to state partners’ news releases, op-eds, and other communication materials.
• Identify opportunities to deploy race forward messaging and support rapid-response coordination through the creation of communications materials.
• Develop the capacity of in-state partners to create integrated communications plans, to produce content (i.e. social media, canvassing scripts, mail programs, etc.), to test messaging, and to develop robust distribution strategies.
• Guide and support microgrants from WMTF to in-state partners who are implementing narrative pilot projects.
• Analyze, track and assess capacity building needs among partner organizations

Collaboratively be a leader (~25%)

• Publicly represent WMTF at convenings, etc. and organize partners for strategy sessions and workshops
• Work collaboratively with national advocacy organizations and campaigns, as needed.
• Work collaboratively with the WMTF team to develop and define our strategic initiatives to integrate communications, narrative, and organizing: particularly as we look to the 2024 elections and shaping the integrated narrative capacity of states on progressive revenue, climate justice, public education, and democracy.

Other Duties

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of required activities, duties, or responsibilities. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The role comes in two different levels depending on the qualities and experiences candidates bring: Capacity Builder and Senior Capacity Builder. The Senior Capacity Builder holds additional responsibilities of strategy development and staff management, and serves as a strategic resource to the most seasoned leaders of our partner organizations. Must haves for both levels of the role are described below.

Experience in relationship building and/or coalition management:

• Collaborates and builds alignment with organizers and communicators at statewide progressive organizations.
• Seeks to understand other people’s perspectives and motivations, while building trusting relationships across lines of race, gender, and other group identities with attention to power and privilege.
• Effectively navigates conflict and collaborates toward shared goals.

Coaching, training, and facilitation skills:

• Practiced in walking side by side with partners to aid them in learning concepts in a way that sticks and translates into implementation.
• Facilitates workshops or other inclusive learning experiences that allow participants to engage and grow.
• Gives and receives feedback to advance learning and outcomes.

Racial justice commitment and skills:

• Works to acknowledge and address the impacts of systems of oppression on our work and partnerships.
• Consistently identifies potential for bias and actively works to minimize inequities.
• Creates an environment in which people and groups on the margins can engage in our theory of change.

People and project management:

• Juggles multiple complex streams of work in a fast-paced remote environment, making smart judgment calls on where to prioritize.
• Engages multiple stakeholders, works collaboratively, and builds trust and followership from across the organization.
• Have operable wifi or internet connection during regularly scheduled working hours.

Candidates with the qualifications below in addition to the Must Haves above may be considered for a Senior Capacity Builder role…

Communications and narrative strategy:

• Track record of developing and implementing impactful advocacy communications efforts, utilizing the full-range of communications tactics our partners deploy (digital, earned media, print media, etc.)
• Ability to develop, drive, and implement communications and narrative strategy that is woven into organizing campaigns at an organizational and multi-organizational level
• Ability to serve as a strategic thought partner and advisor to the Executive Directors of our partner organizations in narrative capacity building and implementation

People Management skills:

• Practices equitable, sustainable, and results driven management; Creates the conditions for their staff to thrive.

While not required, it would be nice for The Senior/Capacity Builder to have…

• Professional working proficiency of Spanish language.
• Popular education or experiential facilitation skills.
• Established relationships with state, regional, and national racial justice and movement building organizations.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The Capacity Builder role is a full-time salaried position with an annual salary of $75,000-$85,000. The Senior Capacity Builder role salary range is $85,000-$95,000.
• This is a remote position and we are excited about applicants throughout the United States. Our priority states are in the South and Midwest (Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin).
• A range of 10-15% of national travel is required and is dependent on COVID safety considerations. Some weekend and evening hours will be required.
• Work-related expenses are reimbursed according to policy.
• Our strong benefits package includes healthcare, dental, and vision, retirement matching, professional development opportunities, paid family leave, a flexible work environment and a generous vacation allowance.
• This position will report to one of the Co-Executive Directors of We Make the Future.

In order to counter pay inequality and uphold internal parity, salaries are non-negotiable beyond the listed range for new and current employees.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please email an attachment to jobs@wemakethefuture.us with:

1. Your resume
2. A cover letter that addresses the following questions:
   1. Which role are you applying for (Capacity Builder or Senior Capacity Builder) and what interests you about this job?
   2. This role is focused on integrating communications and organizing rooted in racial justice. What’s something you’ve done that demonstrates your abilities, skills or knowledge in these areas?
   3. What’s a common strategic communications mistake made by nonprofits who conduct advocacy work? What should they do to improve?
3. (Optionally) A sample of your work

Questions about this position or the application process can be sent to jobs@wemakethefuture.us

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis for an ideal start date in November 2023. Please do not submit an application without a cover letter that includes answers to the requested questions.

We Make the Future provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, criminal history, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

We believe that marginalized communities must be centered in the work we do and strongly encourage people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people to apply.