Communications Director

Communications Director

Utahns for Responsive Government, DBA Better Boundaries

Reports to: Executive Director

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week

Location: Hybrid. Regular in-person work in Salt Lake City. Occasional travel for meetings and events across Utah and sometimes nationally

Compensation: $90,000 plus benefits, based on experience

Start date: As soon as possible

Apply by: Mid-January. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis

ABOUT BETTER BOUNDARIES

Better Boundaries is a Utah-based, nonpartisan organization working to protect voter power and fair representation. We started in 2017 to support reforms that make government more accountable and responsive to Utahns. In 2018, Utah voters passed Proposition 4, a voter-led reform to improve transparency and fairness in redistricting. Since then, our work has focused on defending voter-approved reforms, pushing back when politicians try to weaken them, and building durable public support for rules that protect fair representation. We do that work across four lanes:

• Judicial: We support legal efforts tied to fair maps and representation, including work that challenges extreme partisan gerrymandering and defends voter-approved reforms.
• Legislative: We track and respond to bills that affect democratic processes, build working relationships across the spectrum, and organize credible, nonpartisan public engagement during legislative session.
• At the ballot: Utahns have a right to reform their government through ballot initiatives. We help lead coalition work, public education, and campaign-scale communications when voter power is at risk.
• Accountability: We support candidates, elected officials, and policies that advance fair representation and a responsive government, and we hold decision makers accountable when they undermine those goals.

Better Boundaries works with partners across Utah and with national allies. Our communications must be disciplined, factual, and understandable to people who are not engaged in this work.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Communications Director leads Better Boundaries’ communications and marketing. This role owns message, distribution, and audience growth across earned media, paid media, email and text, social media, website, and partner channels. This is a senior, hands-on position. You will set strategy and execute, write, edit, manage vendors, build systems, publish content on deadlines, and track best practices.

Better Boundaries operates across affiliated entities with different compliance requirements. This role helps keep messaging aligned, nonpartisan, and clean across lanes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Communications strategy and message discipline

• Build and maintain a clear message framework that can hold up across different programs and audiences
• Draft and maintain talking points, FAQs, and spokesperson guidance
• Ensure consistency across platforms, campaigns, and spokespeople
• Support the Executive Director and leadership with message preparation for high-stakes moments

Marketing and audience growth

• Build a marketing and distribution plan that grows reach, list size, and engagement over time
• Work with digital vendors to spearhead conversion strategy across email and text, including list building, segmentation, and engagement
• Improve brand clarity and strong messaging so people quickly understand who we are, what we do, and why it matters

Digital, social, and content production

• Manage the content calendar and ensure consistent publishing across channels
• Produce and oversee short-form video, graphics, and written content designed for distribution
• Manage creators, influencers, and validators to help reach key audiences
• Work alongside vendors to maintain the website(s) as a communications tool, including updates, landing pages, and basic optimization

Paid media and voter communications

• Plan and manage paid media across digital and streaming, using mail and print when appropriate
• Coordinate vendors and contractors for creative, placement, targeting, and reporting
• Track performance, test creative, and adjust based on results and real-world impact

Earned media and rapid response

• Build and maintain relationships with reporters, editors, and key outlets
• Pitch stories, secure coverage, and coordinate editorial placements
• Help draft statements, press releases, op-eds, letters, and media materials
• Monitor the public narrative and respond quickly when needed

Coalition communications and partner alignment

• Coordinate communications with coalition partners so messages are aligned 
• Support the creation of partner-ready toolkits and distribution packs that make it easy for others to amplify messaging
• Support shared moments that require multiple organizations to move together

Fundraising and organizational communications support

• Support donor communications, event materials, and storytelling
• Help translate program work into clear narratives and outcomes for supporters and funders

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The right candidate will likely have many, but not necessarily all, of the following:

• Strong background in communications, public affairs, campaign communications, or digital marketing
• Excellent writing and editing, with the ability to explain complex issues in plain language
• Experience leading multi-channel communications across earned, paid, owned, and partner channels
• Experience managing paid digital and growth programs, including testing and performance reporting
• Strong project management; comfortable coordinating staff, vendors, contractors, and partners
• Good judgment under pressure; comfortable handling sensitive information
• Ability to work across different legal and compliance boundaries and learn quickly where needed
• Able to collaborate and execute on deadlines without sacrificing quality

Helpful, but not required

• Utah experience and strong local media instincts
• Experience leading large-scale campaign communications
• Experience building creator or messenger programs tied to measurable outcomes

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit the following to bethany@betterboundaries.org. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Resume
• Short cover letter or note describing why you are a fit for this role
• 2 to 3 work samples (One writing or messaging sample, one digital sample, and one earned media or press sample is ideal)
• Earliest start date

HIRING STATEMENT

Better Boundaries does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, class, status as a veteran, status as an individual with a disability, incarceration, or conviction history, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.