Communications Coordinator

JOIN OUR TEAM!

NC Counts Coalition is excited to announce the creation of a Communications Coordinator position.

NC Counts Coalition seeks an innovative Communications Coordinator to advance our work developing traditional and digital content highlighting both NC Counts Coalition and our collective impact across North Carolina. The successful candidate will have an organizer’s mentality, a passion for creative storytelling & movement-building, and be a practitioner of narrative change who is committed to winning the battle of narratives, ideas, and expressions in the public sphere to deepen racial and social justice work. The Communications Coordinator will report directly to the Director of Communications and be an integral part of our communications team, bringing their expertise and creativity to our ongoing work of supporting organizations rooted in equity and the ecosystem in North Carolina.

ABOUT NC COUNTS COALITION
NC Counts Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to building a healthy, just, and equitable North Carolina through cross-sector partnerships that advance systemic solutions for communities facing systemic barriers, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, low wealth, immigrant, and other communities.

Building on our momentum and partnerships from the 2020 Census, NC Counts has created a lasting infrastructure to drive civic engagement, mobilize for equity, and prepare for future census operations. Our work ensures that census efforts promote fairness, strengthen democracy, and serve as tools for equity, supporting fair representation, equitable resource distribution, and informed policymaking.

Historically, the census has undercounted BIPOC communities, immigrant communities, and low-income populations, resulting in disparities in political power, government funding, and private-sector investment for these communities. By convening and creating a collaborative space for alignment and partnership among North Carolina nonprofits, grassroots communities, government agencies, and philanthropic organizations, NC Counts successfully mobilized trusted messengers to encourage census participation in historically undercounted communities and achieved a census count that led to North Carolina gaining an additional congressional seat. Our work on the census showed us how the collective power of nonprofit and grassroots organizations, supported by government agencies and philanthropy and united around a vision for inclusion and equity, is immeasurable. 

NC Counts Coalition (NC Counts) has built a large body of work in a relatively short amount of time. From the 2020 Census, to redistricting, to health equity, and now to digital equity and inclusion, NC Counts uses a long-term power-building model to support increased civic engagement in BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+, low wealth, immigrant, and other communities. Candidates must bring to the table a nimble attitude, an entrepreneurial spirit that centers equity,  and the ability to work in a fast paced environment, as NC Counts is a fast-acting organization tethered to a rapidly changing time and place, and expectations and definitions of success will be fluid as the organization grows and navigates new challenges. NC Counts Coalition employees can expect to see changes in the programs and responsibilities as community needs and funding imperatives change over time.

One of NC Counts Coalition's core values is accountability to the communities we serve. Our communities must be centered in the work we do. Therefore, candidates must be able to demonstrate their strong commitment to advancing racial equity and social justice and must have shared lived-experiences with the communities we serve. 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS POSITION INCLUDE:

Digital (15%)

• Write copy & design graphics for all materials and web presence to reflect commitment to equity & justice
• Regularly draft social media content in collaboration with the communications team
• Manage NC Counts Coalition’s email programs, including drafting, building, and distributing emails to our lists
• Regularly update and keep relevant NC Counts Coalition website

Program Support (50%)

• Lead development and implementation of communications strategies, campaigns, events, and other initiatives for NC Counts’ programs in alignment with NC Counts’ organizational strategy and priorities
• Work closely with NC Counts Coalition’s staff to develop communications content and strategies, planning and executing communications programming to highlight NC Counts Coalition’s programmatic work
• Maintaining up to date knowledge on matters pertaining to NC Counts’ programmatic work and other relevant issues, particularly through monitoring news
• Work with members and partners to develop programmatic communications strategies
• Support preparation of external reports, presentations, & documents 

Partner & Coalition Support (25%)

• Support the development of toolkits, talking points, memos, and other external communications for member and partner organizations.
• Attend NC Counts Coalition’s coalition meetings, convening, and regional meetings along with other NC Counts Coalition staff
• Serve as a communications expert for partner organizations to consult

Other (10%)

• Continuously work with the communications team to dismantle communication barriers and support advancing language access and language justice at NC Counts Coalition
• Draft press releases in collaboration with staff and member organizations
• Assist with compiling and drafting NC Counts’ email newsletters
• Lead and implement communications strategies and member engagement strategies for external organizational events, including our annual statewide convening
• Utilize data and metrics to analyze how organizing approaches and creative content are working and adapt to setbacks to continually improve the program performance
• Attend trainings and engage in professional development opportunities to expand knowledge of communication strategies, trends, and information-sharing tools
• Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

First and foremost, we are looking for talented people with diverse backgrounds and shared experiences with the communities our organization serves, who are inspired by our mission, and who are highly motivated to dismantle systemic racism and inequities and build an equitable North Carolina. You’ll be an amazing fit with NC Counts Coalition if your passion for justice and equity drives your work, you enjoy cultivating strong relationships and elevating yourself, your work, and the people around you to the next level. 

We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. We encourage you to apply, even if you do not believe you meet each one of our qualifications as described below.

Experience and Expertise

• 3–5 years of experience in journalism, marketing, public relations, advocacy communications, or a related field.
• Proficiency with communications and creative tools, including social media, CRMs, Google Suite, WordPress, social media scheduling tools and Adobe Creative products (Undesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc). 
• Skilled in graphic design, with an eye for detail and the ability to interpret and use web, social, email, and press analytics.
• Strong understanding of North Carolina’s history, politics, and regional distinctions.
• Familiarity with North Carolina’s news media landscape, including print, broadcast, and online.

Skills and Attributes

• Strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives that inspire action.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to meet deadlines and adapt to changes.
• A self-starter who independently identifies tasks and executes them with creativity and initiative.
• A team player willing to take on diverse tasks in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• A creative and expansive understanding of narrative change, incorporating arts, popular culture, and other mindset-shifting strategies.
• Basic video editing skills preferred.

Equity and Inclusion

• Shared lived experiences with BIPOC communities and a demonstrated commitment to advancing racial equity, social justice, and inclusive organizational culture.
• Familiarity with the challenges and systemic barriers facing BIPOC communities in North Carolina.
• Proven ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with multicultural coalitions, community organizations, and stakeholders.

Work Requirements

• Flexibility to work remotely while maintaining focus and meeting deadlines.
• Availability to travel across North Carolina and occasionally nationally as needed.
• Reliable access to a phone, internet, and transportation.
• Flexibility to occasionally work outside standard Monday-Friday, 9-5 hours.

Experience in Social Change

• Experience in communications with organizations that work in public policy, advocacy, electoral organizing, issue or community organizing.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategies into actionable plans in complex, fast-paced environments.

Environmental Conditions and Physical Demands

• Manual dexterity sufficient to type, operate technology and equipment, create and edit content, etc.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Other Preferred Qualifications

• Experience navigating and working effectively within complex collaborations, especially with regard to power dynamics and/or lines of difference.

DISCLAIMER

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.