Director of Communications

Who Are We

Kairos is working for liberation at the intersection of technology, racial justice, and democracy by building a world where tech works for all. Technology can–and should–be used to improve the quality of life for all people without being at the expense of others and the environment. We believe that people have the authority and agency to determine how technology intersects with their everyday lives. 

We organize, train, educate, convene and support everyday people as they develop capacity and skills to combat authoritarian technology at local and state levels. We also create pathways for people to share skills and learnings from their local contexts.  

Our organizational values are: Interdependent Leadership, No Lone Wolves, Principled Struggle, Durability, Curiosity and Care, Fighting for Black and Trans Liberation, Resiliency, Growth Oriented, Rigor and Discipline, and Technology Is Not Neutral. To be successful, we challenge ourselves to live our values and vision as we build the world we want. Joy, laughter, fun, and rigor are the ingredients we include as we work toward our vision together.

Kairos is a remote, nimble, and growing team. Our team consists of ten full-time staff persons and a few contractors, with collaborative input and clear decision-makers. We are still growing and learning and are looking for someone who will dive in and help shape our work for years to come. 

Role Overview

The Director of Communications creates, implements, and evaluates Kairos’ communication strategy. This is done by ensuring alignment across teams and leading external messaging, which includes overseeing public & media relations, content creation, crisis communication, narrative interventions in partnership with staff, and building our social media presence. 

Bringing a strong organizing praxis to communications work, they will collaborate across the organization to flesh out the story of how we are developing a massive base of everyday people against authoritarian technology and how this work will help slow down authoritarian consolidation and provide key pathways to building an internet that works for all.  The Director of Communications will report to the Chief of Staff.

Salary and benefits

This is a full-time, exempt, permanent position. Kairos staff work roughly 40 hours a week, understanding that the schedule must flex to accommodate the necessary ebbs and flows of the work and everyday life, such as multi-day trainings, breaking news moments that are crucial for our communities, and personal matters that may require a shift in regular working hours. 

The salary for this position starts at $113,000 and increases from there based on years of prior experience. Basing compensation on someone’s willingness and ability to negotiate or on their prior pay rates leads to vast inequities and bias in how people are paid, particularly for groups experiencing historical oppression. Therefore, we do not ask for prior pay history from our candidates, and our offer-making process is negotiation-free. We also have a progressive compensation philosophy that guides salary increases and role promotions for our staff.  

Our salary and benefits are an extension of our organizational values, and we endeavor to remain competitive while centering the humanity and needs of our people. To that end, our benefits package includes generous vacation (including three weeks of office closures each year); full health, dental, vision and flex benefits; 403b retirement match plan; ongoing training opportunities; funds for home office set-up and professional development. 

Location

As we are a distributed team, your primary residence may be located anywhere in the United States. This role may require moderate levels of travel (6-8 times each year) to connect with partners and internal stakeholders. Organization-sponsored travel for conferences, Kairos’ trainings, partner meetings, and face-to-face staff gatherings is required.

Responsibilities

Communications Leadership and Strategy (30%)

• Create, oversee, and evaluate Kairos’ communications strategy and implementation, in concert with the Executive and Leads (Director) teams 

• Identify & champion the “voice” of Kairos’ communications across various channels

• Develop brand standards and ensure the Kairos team is following those standards

• Identify opportunities to share Kairos’ work and Theory of Change externally 

• Develop effective communication procedures and policies for various situations or crises

• Monitor and analyze communications metrics to ensure the effectiveness of strategies

Communications Team Management & Development (20%)

• Develop and assess a plan for capacity needs for the Communications team in collaboration with the Executive team 

• Hire, train, and manage communications team, staff and consultants 

• Manage and oversee Kairos’ communications budget

• Develop content to support Kairos’ communications efforts, including but not limited to the website, newsletters, talking points, speeches, presentations, social media and press releases

• Manage the production of content for reports and dispatches, such as the User Error series or ReOrganizing: Ideation, Research, Drafting and Release in collaboration with staff

• Support the Executive Director in developing external communications, including but not limited to, writing talking points for conversations with funders and other external stakeholders, prepping the ED for speaking engagements, writing articles & think pieces

Comms Execution (20%)

• Monitor news landscape for relevant articles and turn them into communications opportunities that invite engagement

• Create content for various audiences (social media, lists, etc…) that includes drafting messaging and press releases

• Manage the regular production of content for reports and dispatches 

• Media relations: In collaboration with the Executive Team, interact with media and answer questions on the organization's behalf, build relationships with reporters, respond to media inquiries, and manage earned media communication plans as needed 

• Create templates for others to use for communications content needs, as needed 

General Duties (expected for all employees at Kairos Fellowship)

As a member of the Kairos staff, the Director of Communications performs certain functions that are not specific to their job, but support the organization as a whole. This includes:

• Acting as backup to other team members as needed

• Submitting expense reports, time tracking, and other necessary compliance requirements by stated deadlines

• Attending and preparing as necessary for all staff meetings, team meetings, 1:1 meetings  and required trainings and events

• Participating in organizational development and change processes, including providing input or participating in special working groups as needed 

• Supporting culture and values; aligning outcomes, practices, and communications within organizational culture.

• Managing work independently and collaboratively as needed, and managing others (up, down, and laterally) in order to be successful 

• Assisting with special projects and other duties as assigned

Manager Responsibilities (10%)

In addition to general responsibilities and responsibilities specific to their role, all managers have special responsibilities, including:

• Managing and supporting staff so they can fulfill their responsibilities and grow in their roles, in alignment with Kairos’ Management Philosophy and Practices,  including:

  • Clearly communicating needs and expectations, 

  • Evaluating progress, 

  • Spotting opportunities for growth, and

  • Keeping informed of the staff person’s work so they can effectively communicate status to the rest of the organization.

• Modeling and coaching staff on how to fulfill organizational responsibilities and practices and act in accordance with organizational culture and values.

• Communicating the team’s needs and the team’s vision to the person they supervise. 

Team Lead Responsibilities (10%)

Team Leads have the responsibilities of supervisors and, in addition, they have Leads specific responsibilities, including:

• Setting, designing, and directing the mission and vision for their team’s work.

• Engaging with other senior colleagues on sharpening overall organizational theory of change, and driving the theory development for how their team connects to Kairos’s overall goals and strategy 

• Implementing and communicating a vision of their team’s work to colleagues, incorporating input from colleagues and overall organizational needs and goals 

• Collaborating and coordinating with other team leads on cross-team opportunities and spotting opportunities for their team to contribute to organizational-wide goals, and informing leads about challenges meeting expected outcomes as soon as they arise 

• Communicating and contributing to organizational vision and team vision.

• Contributing to advancing overall leads culture and their teams in keeping with Kairos values

• Supporting fundraising efforts of the organizing, including holding relationship funders and looking for opportunities to raise money through program or pitching work

• Strong story teller with proven Senior-Level leadership as it relates to oral and written communication; able to disseminate Kairos’ message with excellence through a variety of modes (press kits, social media, style guides, team leadership, written communication etc)

• Superior writing, editing and presentation skills

• Strategic mindset that continually looks to provide creative solutions

• Ability to respond to challenging situations with discretion and in line with Kairos’ values

• Strong discernment as it relates to Kairos’ messaging

• Commitment to attending special events as a Kairos representative/spokesperson

• Strong sense for brand style/standards, and commitment to hold the team to the standards

• Conduct quality control on all communications (internal & external)

• Strong ability to develop collegial relationships with media & other external partners

• 3-5 years working within community, grassroots or union organizing

Competencies Expected

Job duties describe what each role must do. Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be successful in doing those duties.   Of the following competencies, everyone, regardless of position, will have different strengths and growth edges.  All staff are expected to strive to be competent in all of these dimensions, but expectations increase as seniority, responsibilities, and management responsibilities increase.

Understand the overall organizational vision, values, and culture; team’s area of work; and the field of play.

• Every staff person needs to understand the following aspects of our work:

  • Overall organizational vision, values, and culture  (including Kairos theory of change, strategy, goals, and how they add up to long term vision as well as practices that ensure values and culture are )

  • Principles that animate their team’s work (e.g., everyone on the organizing team needs to understand organizing principles and organizing online; everyone on campaigns needs to understand campaigning principles and online campaigning; everyone on operations needs to understand operations functions, etc.) 

  • What is  happening the field relevant to our work and the kind of intervention Kairos makes or should make to add value to the field

• The level of understanding necessary to perform the role changes with seniority and responsibility. Senior career positions require a thorough, applicable, and adaptable understanding. 

Able to manage projects effectively

• Every staff member is expected to manage projects for which they are responsible. This includes:

  • Hitting milestones and final deliverables on time, with attention to detail and meeting strategic purposes of the project.

  • Communicating effectively about status to relevant colleagues and stakeholders.

  • Using judgment to prioritize and work effectively and strategically to reach goals, spotting obstacles in advance, and recommending solutions as needed.

  • Exercising resiliency when problems come up and using judgment about when to ask for help

• The scope of the projects staff is expected to take changes with seniority and responsibility. Senior level career staff are expected to manage large projects with complexity and many moving parts (people, orgs, events), with support initially, but moving towards independence; they may also simultaneously be managing other staff who are managing discrete projects.

Give and receive feedback

• Every staff person is expected to give feedback respectfully and strategically, receive feedback gracefully, adapt based on feedback.

• The skill with which one gives and receives feedback is expected to change with seniority and responsibility. Entry, early, and senior level staff are expected to invite feedback, respond to it, and provide it to colleagues constructively, to help everyone grow in their work and the organization evolve.

Exercise Anticipatory Thinking and Visioning (Strategic Thinking)

• Senior level staff are expected to consistently and independently evaluate and understand the impact of a project or task as it relates to team and organizational goals and TOC, envision how the impact would change based on adjustments to future projects or tasks, and take learnings from work in real time and make iterations in the moment. 

Physical Requirements

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with different abilities to perform the essential functions.

• This position requires prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.  

• This position requires being able to read a computer screen & ability to utilize a phone for communication.

• This position requires travel for conferences and presentations on behalf of the organization approximately 6-8 times each year. 

Wellness Policy 

Kairos is committed to cultivating situations where people feel safe, respected, and well - physically, emotionally, and relationally - when we gather in person. We recognize that gathering matters. It strengthens our relationships, deepens our collaboration, and supports the kind of connection that sustains our work. 

At the same time, we acknowledge that we are navigating an ongoing reality of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Our approach is grounded in shared responsibility, informed choice, and community care. This means we ask more of one another as we practice awareness, communication, and care in community. As a community, we commit to:

• Showing care for ourselves and one another

• Staying attuned to our bodies and any symptoms of illness

• Communicating openly and honestly when we are not feeling well

• Respecting different comfort levels, access needs, and personal boundaries

• Making thoughtful choices that support both individual and collective well-being

EEOC Statement

Kairos Fellowship is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, religion, HIV serostatus, disability, height, weight, veteran status or marital status.

We strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, people of all ages, and veterans to apply, even if they don’t see themselves in every requirement or competency. We are committed to building a team that is inclusive of a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

Application Process

• Kairos receives an extraordinary amount of applications, therefore we commit to personally reviewing the first 150 applications.

• Application Deadline: November 20 (unless we receive 150 applications prior to this date)

• We review resumes and applications to learn what we need to know about applicants; a cover letter is not necessary

AI Statement

As a tech justice organization, Kairos does not use any artificial intelligence to assess candidates. All questions are drafted and applications reviewed by real humans, and we appreciate applicants not using generative AI to assist in writing their application responses or preparing for interviews.