Narrative Director

📋 Description

• • United We Dream (UWD) is seeking a visionary and strategic Narrative Director to spearhead our storytelling efforts and shape public perception. As the largest immigrant youth-led community in the nation, UWD is dedicated to creating spaces where young people, regardless of immigration status, can amplify their voices and achieve victories for liberation and thriving. This role is pivotal in empowering a new generation of social justice leaders and driving transformative change.
• • The Narrative Director will lead UWD's Narrative Department, responsible for crafting and executing a bold, cohesive storytelling strategy across social media, earned media, and cultural initiatives. This position demands a deep understanding of how to align messaging across diverse platforms, authentically uplift the voices of our communities, and ensure all external communications reflect UWD's core values, strategic objectives, and distinct brand identity.
• • This is a unique opportunity for a master storyteller and astute political strategist to develop and lead a creative, integrated narrative plan. This plan will artfully blend social media engagement, earned media outreach, and impactful cultural initiatives to achieve UWD's ambitious long-term goals. The role involves developing and implementing rapid response strategies to capitalize on critical media moments, identifying opportunities to advance our mission, and fostering strategic partnerships with media outlets, influential figures, and cultural tastemakers.
• • At its core, this role is central to UWD's long-term culture change strategy. The Narrative Director will play a crucial part in shifting dominant, often harmful, narratives surrounding immigrants, race, and justice. They will leverage a profound understanding of how culture influences politics and power, employing storytelling, innovative content creation, and media influence to proactively shape public discourse, challenge damaging stereotypes, combat disinformation, and inspire new visions of community, safety, and belonging.
• • The Narrative Director will lead initiatives that not only react to current events but also proactively shape the public imagination through compelling cultural storytelling, strategic partnerships, and targeted narrative interventions. This includes ideating, planning, and executing cultural experiences designed to engage our members and advance our overarching narrative goals.
• • This leadership position involves managing a talented team of strategists, content creators, and consultants, upholding the highest standards in all external communications. The ideal candidate is an expert editor, a sharp political and cultural thinker, and someone eager to serve as a spokesperson for UWD and the broader progressive movement during significant public moments.
• • Reporting to the Program Director, the Narrative Director will collaborate closely with organizing, training, and campaigns teams to ensure all storytelling efforts are seamlessly integrated and directly support UWD's mission. This cross-functional collaboration is essential for maximizing our impact and ensuring a unified message.
• • Key responsibilities include strategic narrative leadership: developing and implementing UWD's overarching narrative strategy across all media and public-facing channels. This involves crafting narrative strategies and tactics rooted in UWD's long-term vision and grounded in rigorous cultural and political analysis. The role requires developing and executing rapid response strategies that leverage key media moments to shift public narratives and build collective power, and designing and overseeing integrated plans that synergize social media, earned media, and cultural tactics to achieve UWD's objectives.
• • Content and Messaging Oversight: The Narrative Director will serve as the final editor and quality control for all written external content, including press materials, messaging guides, op-eds, and campaign content. They will guide the direction and production of compelling videos, toolkits, graphics, and social media content that are clear, bold, and consistently reflect our values. Ensuring all content aligns with UWD's campaigns, organizing needs, and political strategy timelines, and effectively reaches our core audiences is paramount. The role also involves leveraging data and insights to test and optimize messaging, rapidly incorporating learnings, and making strategic pivots to expand reach and ensure content resonates with an ever-growing and diverse audience.
• • Media Relations and Culture Change: Identifying and leading new opportunities for media and cultural partnerships that drive long-term narrative and culture change is a core function. This includes cultivating and managing relationships with key influencers in culture and public narrative, such as media institutions, journalists, influencers, and celebrities. Representing UWD publicly as a spokesperson during critical media and cultural moments will be essential. Leading the ideation, planning, and execution of culture change events for UWD, creating impactful cultural experiences for our members that advance our overall narrative goals, is also a key responsibility.
• • Team Leadership and Culture: The Narrative Director is responsible for the success, effectiveness, and sustainability of the Narrative Department. This includes managing a diverse team of employees (managers, creatives, associates), providing clear direction, consistent coaching, and constructive feedback. Fostering a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive team culture that embodies UWD's values is critical. The role requires leading and navigating complex conversations with clarity and empathy. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the Narrative Director will contribute to overall organizational strategy and lead internal communications to ensure alignment across all departments.
• • Cross-Team Collaboration: Working closely with the Program Director and other departments to ensure narrative work is integrated across the organization is vital. Setting and managing content timelines based on campaign cycles, mobilization needs, and external opportunities will be a continuous requirement.
• • Brand and Message Consistency: Leading the strategy around UWD's brand identity, tone, and strategic narrative ensures all messaging and content align with our organizational voice. Training and supporting spokespeople and staff on key messages and effective storytelling techniques will be an ongoing part of the role.
• • This position demands exceptional adaptability, as responsibilities may evolve and program objectives can shift. A proactive approach to learning new skills and embracing unforeseen challenges is essential for continuous contribution and success in this dynamic environment.