Job Description for a Political Director
Political directors are similar to political lobbyists and are often hired by non-profit organizations that represent large groups such as political parties. Their function is to direct the political strategy of the organization--and by extension, the group it represents--through lobbying, media outreach and both internal and external relations. They are often at the head of a political or legislative staff of several people or, with smaller organizations, work independently to effect change.
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Develop Political Strategy
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Creating a focused political strategy is the main job of a political director. For some organizations, this can include creating or preserving relationships with politicians to ensure their group is represented in decision making. For organizations compose of politicians, like political parties, the task has more to do with organizing constituents around a central agenda. A part of this goal might include recruiting talented people to run for elected office in key jurisdictions.
Lobbying
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Larger organizations are often able to send specialized, work-for-hire lobbyists to national and/or state legislative sessions, but smaller organizations sometimes depend on their political directors to travel for this purpose. For Internal Revenue Service purposes, non-profits are limited to how they can lobby politicians, but, in general, the goal is to ask politicians to consider the interests of their members for a certain piece of legislation awaiting a vote.
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Oversee Media Outreach
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Media outlets like newspapers and radio and television stations are often key to realizing a non-profit's political goals. They may provide a forum for candidates to debate, be available to run ads in support of a specific government proposition or bill, or even sponsor community events. Though many larger organizations have media relations specialists on hand to propose media strategies, the political director will likely be involved in developing and implementing the strategy.
Lead Internal Teams
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The political director is often the go-to staff person for all things political, so part of the job can be advising other staff members on the political process and how their jobs affect the political strategy. In addition to training staff members, other non-staff members of the organization might need to be made aware of political events. For example, a political director for a local National Education Association (NEA) branch may need to meet with local educators to answer questions on how a proposed government bill might affect them.
Lead External Efforts
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Non-profit organizations are often able to launch successful community and/or political campaigns because they partner with other groups, so establishing or maintaining relationships with other groups is key. This can take many forms. A labor union might associate itself loosely with a local union or other union branches in other areas. A political party might choose to communicate with grassroots organizers that support its ideals. The political director may be charged with reaching out to these types of organizations to develop partnership opportunities.
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References
- Photo Credit capitol image by Andrew Breeden from Fotolia.com
