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 Communicationscreates, 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 respo