COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Engagement: Consulting contract, approximately 2/3 time. Responsive during core business hours.
Rate: $10,000/month
Term: Three months, with possibility of longer-term contract
Location: Remote
Seniority: Accountable to CEO; works closely with senior management team
Start Date: ASAP; aiming for June 1
To Apply: Fill out the application form here.
About American Futures
American Futures is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2025 to do two interlocking things:
strengthen the broad civic infrastructure needed to defend and evolve democratic institutions
and norms, and build a new civic home for Americans who believe in the founding values of
universal rights, freedoms, and opportunity. We work through a civic strategy and intelligence
center, a narrative and ideas platform (The All American), and a grassroots Meetup program —
three programs designed to reinforce each other and grow the civic participation America
needs.
The Role
American Futures is at an inflection point. Our All American Meetup program completed a
successful pilot and is ready to scale. Our second anthology — on economic visions for
American Universalism — is in production, with a backlog of authors, pieces, and ideas ready to
reach a wider audience. Our narrative interventions are disrupting authoritarian consolidation
and seeding a united front for democracy. Donor momentum is building. The American
Universalism frame is gaining traction as a genuine alternative to exhausted left/right labels, and
we’re positioned to own that conversation.
We are looking for an experienced communications professional to serve as Communications
Director on a three-month consulting contract. This person meets regularly with the CEO and
serves on the senior management team.
This is an opportunity to build a modern communications function from scratch — not inherit
someone else’s — at a moment when the startup has wind at its back. You’ll work across two
complementary brands (American Futures and The All American), help us decide whether to
consolidate them, serve both program and fundraising needs, and build agentic workflows that
let a small team produce at the volume of a much larger one.
The right candidate takes a loose need and delivers a finished product with minimal
management. They have deep experience producing high-quality materials under deadlines
across formats, managing communications strategy across multiple platforms, and working in
fast-moving political or advocacy environments. And they’re already using AI tools —
particularly Claude.
Core Responsibilities
Production, Quality Control, Strategy, and Distribution
Production. Own the process by which all written and video communications materials get produced and iterated over time — covering fundraising collateral (e.g., decks), program products (e.g., the second anthology currently in production), and physical items (e.g., t-shirts, flags, merchandise).
Quality Control. Serve as final quality control approval for everything AF publishes or distributes — from a voice, brand, and fact-checking perspective. Own brand development and enforce brand standards across all outputs, including resolving our multi-brand challenge of operating under both the American Futures and The All American names.
Strategy. Own the strategic work of identifying target audiences, where to find them, and how to reach them across all communications needs.
Distribution. Drive execution by project-managing content calendars across our publishing vehicles, including Substack, Mailchimp, Drumbeat Labs, and others.
Senior Management Team
Serve alongside the COO and Chief Strategy Officer as a core member of a new senior management team with the CEO.
Own communications-related vendor and contractor relationships (e.g., web designer, website strategy contractor, two-person anthology editorial team, Drumbeat Labs).
Own final quality control and approval authority over all AF communications outputs, including materials produced by the CEO and co-founders.
3 Immediate Priorities
Collateral. Urgent collateral priorities include new boilerplate describing both particular programs and the overall organization for different partner and donor audiences, with a particular focus on fundraising materials.
Agentic Workflows. Own build-out of agentic workflows for communications using Claude Teams.
Digital Presence. AF’s digital presence needs an urgent revamp. Own AF’s public-facing websites — content, structure, and standards — until a product role is created at the senior management level.
Communications Strategy and Content Calendar. Own development of a communications strategy and content calendar across all platforms, with focus on Substack and Mailchimp, aligned to programmatic timelines and fundraising needs — including setting thematic focus, posting cadence, and managing assignments.
What We’re Looking For
10+ years of relevant experience in communications and marketing strategy, with 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) experience
Experience serving as a collaborative and trusted member of senior leadership teams, able to work across functions, manage disagreement constructively, and help organizations make and execute difficult strategic decisions.
Proven ability to produce polished materials across formats: long-form memos, fundraising decks, short-form social content, and everything in between
Experience managing a communications calendar and overseeing content production across multiple platforms simultaneously
Fluency with CMS platforms, Substack, and basic design tools (Canva or equivalent)
Experience working with and coordinating teams of communications contractors
Direct, clear writer who understands that specific language is always better than broad language
Hands-on experience using AI tools — particularly Claude — to build and manage agent-assisted communications workflows. Candidates who are not already doing this will not be competitive.
Comfort working in a small, fast-moving organization where strategy and execution often happen in the same week
Our Process
We are in campaign mode. We will not respond to all applicants or hold informational interviews.
We will only interview candidates with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience who can hit the ground running.
American Futures is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic
protected by applicable law.