Communications Director

The South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council represents over 100 unions and more than 100,000 union members in Santa Clara and San Benito counties. For over 50 years, the Labor Council has championed the cause of working families in the South Bay. The Labor Council’s primary goal is to advance candidates, causes, and policies that benefit working families. We achieve this objective with a combination of activities, including community organizing, leadership training, campaigning, and issues advocacy. The Labor Council is proud to run the largest, most sophisticated, grassroots political campaign operation in Silicon Valley.

The Communications Director will lead a strong communications program for the labor council, with a special emphasis on content production, website management, press outreach, and union member outreach via digital media and organizing. The ideal candidate for the Communications Director has work experience with non-profit, media, and political organizations, understands the goals and mission of the labor movement, and has a demonstrated, broad knowledge of websites, speech writing, email, and blogging they can seamlessly apply to issue organizing. We’re looking for a creative thinker with a strategic and executional mindset, that brings innovative communication approaches to the organization. 

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

• Works with staff to provide campaign support including messaging, communications plans, timely materials, website copy, etc.
• Leads planning, strategy for communications program.
• Monitors the website for regular consistent content and regularly contributes content to website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• Monitors and implements email, digital, and text messaging program
• Enhances and expands online capacity of the labor council
• Writes, edits, and designs regular leaflets, newsletters, and other communiqués on important worksite issues
• Outreach to news media to pitch and shape earned media supporting the goals and mission of the SBLC and our campaigns.
• Assistance with photography and video production at union events.
• Assistance with event staging, including press conferences and rallies.
• Development of SBLC leaders into campaign and issue organizing spokespeople.

SKILLS:

• A commitment to the labor movement and to advancing social, racial, and economic justice.
• Three or more years in campaign communications, labor communications, public affairs, journalism or other related experience.
• Ability to work both independently and effectively as part of a team under limited direction and balance conflicting demands and to lead, teach and train other colleagues including communications staff and field staff.
• Excellent communications skills, confidence in generating written and visual content for print productions, as well as online and social media consumption.
• Demonstrated design, verbal, visual/graphic, interviewing and analytical communications skills.
• Familiarity with campaign communications and organizing.
• Advanced experience with WordPress, InDesign, Photoshop, databases, various web platforms, and PDI, or ability to be trained on additional software as needed.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and discern priorities.
• Ability to work effectively with members and staff from diverse ethnic, social, and economic groups.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends.
• Valid California driver's license, working automobile and valid auto insurance.
• Special consideration will be given to candidates with the ability to speak, read, and write in multiple languages.

COMPENSATION AND LOCATION

This position is based in San Jose, California. The annual salary range for this position is $85,000 - $115,000 depending on experience, in addition to a generous benefits package. This is a full-time, exempt position.

TO APPLY:  Please send a letter of interest, resume, two writing samples, and three professional references to [email protected] with “Communications Director” in the subject line.

South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council Internship Opportunity

Are you looking for an opportunity to get involved in politics and social justice? Would you like to work with the labor movement and gain campaign and communications experience? The South Bay AFL-CIO  Labor Council is looking for internship candidates to work out of our office in San Jose.

2023 has been an incredibly significant year for working families throughout California. There’s still a long way to go before the pandemic is behind us and the economy is fully recovered—especially for low-wage working families, workers of color, and women. As we move forward, labor unions and community-based organizations will continue to be critical to building an inclusive economy that works for everyone.

Intern responsibilities will include:

Social Media and Communications: Help manage online campaign updates, manage website content, produce multimedia communications pieces, and expand our social media presence.

Research and Database Management: Help update and modernize comprehensive database systems of union members and political volunteers.

Political and Community Events Support: Help plan events and organize political, press, and community activities.

Requirements:

• Interest in working on social and economic justice issues with unions or community-based organizations
• Ability to work with diverse communities
• Hard worker who is reliable with strong communication skills
• Applicants must be over 18 and shall submit a resume and cover letter

The paid position will require at least 10-15 hours per week.

How to apply: Send a letter of interest and resume to [email protected]

Please have the email subject line read "SBLC Internship."

Revised 8/15/2023