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Arena · 1 day ago

Director of Communications

Washington, DC

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

10+ years exp

Arena is the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a union of about 2 million diverse members in healthcare, the public sector, and property services. They are seeking a Chief Communications Strategist to provide executive leadership for SEIU’s communications operations, aiming to build political power and shape public narratives while centering workers’ voices.

Higher Education

Growth Opportunities

Responsibilities

Develop and execute comprehensive communications strategies that advance SEIU’s campaigns, organizational goals, and political priorities, with measurable impact on membership growth, public perception, cultural relevance, and policy outcomes

Serve as a core member of SEIU’s leadership, contributing to high-level strategic direction and translating the vision of the Chief of Staff and Design Committee into clear, executable communications priorities

Lead the modernization of SEIU’s communications infrastructure, including transition to video-first production, enhanced digital capacity, creative standards, and data-informed decision-making

Support organizational change management, ensuring communications capacity aligns with organizing, political, and campaign priorities and functions coherently across the union

Establish innovation frameworks that encourage creative experimentation, cultural relevance, and rapid iteration while maintaining message discipline, accountability, and strategic coherence

Oversee press, media relations, and external communications, ensuring consistent, values-aligned, and strategically targeted messaging across traditional and emerging platforms

Build institutional capacity for video production and creative content, including studio infrastructure, production standards, talent development, and training systems that position SEIU as a video-first organization

Lead comprehensive digital strategy across owned, earned, and paid channels, prioritizing audience ownership, engagement, and long-term movement-building rather than reliance on traditional media intermediaries

Integrate research, data analytics, and audience insights into communications planning, establishing systems for message testing, content performance tracking, and impact measurement

Expand narrative reach beyond core membership to include potential members, younger workers, culturally influential communities, diverse geographies, and values-aligned publics

Craft compelling narratives grounded in race-class analysis that center workers’ lived experiences, advance SEIU’s values, influence public debate, and articulate a bold vision for a just society

Embed racial equity and justice into all communications strategies, practices, narratives, and team culture, advancing SEIU’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization

Ensure message discipline across decentralized operations while empowering authentic, member-led storytelling within shared strategic narratives

Lead crisis communications planning and rapid response operations with clarity, humanity, and political acuity, protecting marginalized communities while maintaining strategic focus

Monitor media trends, cultural shifts, political developments, and public opinion to inform proactive strategy and anticipate narrative opportunities and threats

Partner with hub directors, organizing leaders, and political teams to integrate communications into union-wide initiatives from inception, ensuring communications functions as a strategic driver rather than tactical support

Collaborate across communications, digital, organizing, research, and political functions to break down silos and create integrated, efficient workflows

Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leaders, helping frame decisions, anticipate narrative implications, and align internal and external messaging

Provide strategic communications support, capacity-building, and training to SEIU locals and allied organizations

Establish shared accountability systems around clearly defined goals, decision rights, and measurable outcomes, enabling faster decision-making and responsive communications

Serve as senior spokesperson with national media, elected officials, coalition partners, cultural leaders, and key stakeholders, representing SEIU’s strategic interests in high-level forums

Build shared narrative power across the labor and social justice ecosystem, aligning communications efforts with movement partners and amplifying worker voices in national and international discourse

Strengthen SEIU’s reputation as a communications and cultural leader in economic and racial justice movements

Cultivate strategic relationships with media leaders, cultural influencers, and digital platforms to expand SEIU’s reach beyond traditional labor communications channels

Manage communications staff, consultants, and resources while fostering a culture of inclusion, equity, creative excellence, accountability, and professional development within a 40+ person team

Supervise department directors and senior staff, providing clear direction, performance management, mentorship, and support while empowering distributed leadership and innovation

Recruit, develop, and retain diverse communications and digital talent, building long-term organizational capacity and advancement pathways for emerging leaders

Oversee the Communications Department budget, ensuring strategic, responsible resource allocation aligned with SEIU’s values while investing in modernization and creative infrastructure

Qualification

Digital strategyCommunications leadershipCrisis communicationsNarrative developmentVideo productionData analyticsBudget managementStakeholder relationsSocial justice commitmentExceptional writingTeam leadership

Required

Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership in communications, digital strategy, or integrated media operations, primarily with unions, nonprofits, campaigns, or mission-driven organizations

Leading digital transformation or modernization initiatives within complex organizations, including implementation of new platforms, workflows, and production capabilities

Managing press relations, digital communications, and multi-channel campaigns for large-scale organizations with documented impact on public perception or organizational goals

Leading organizational change, including restructuring teams, shifting operating models, and building stakeholder buy-in

Serving as organizational spokesperson in high-stakes environments with media organizations, elected officials, and coalition partners

Building and leading high-performing teams while creating inclusive cultures of accountability and excellence

Strategic planning and execution that connects communications to long-term organizing, political, and institutional objectives

Deep fluency in contemporary digital communications ecosystems, including video production and strategy, social media platform dynamics, content analytics, and emerging media trends

Proven ability to craft messages that resonate across diverse audiences, translating complex issues into clear, compelling narratives

Data-informed decision-making using research, analytics, and performance metrics to guide strategy and resource allocation

Budget management including strategic resource allocation, vendor management, and financial oversight

Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills with ability to produce high-quality content across formats

Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-pressure environments, exercising sound judgment while managing competing priorities

Deep commitment to anti-racism and social justice, with demonstrated understanding of structural racism and determination to embed racial equity into communications strategies and organizational culture