About Culture Surge:

We are a broad coalition of artists and change-makers from every sector and strata founded in 2020 to work together for the survival of our communities, our democracy, and our shared future. We are from historically marginalized communities, we are cultural influencers, Hollywood decision-makers, and electoral strategists. We are led and driven by the needs and voices of women of color, we center the vision of artists, and we work in close partnership with frontline social justice groups. With our unique talents, skills, and reach, our focus is on strategically expanding the electorate by generating enthusiasm amongst hard-to-reach audiences and engaging them in collective, nonpartisan action. Culture Surge is focusing on high-impact projects that embrace this moment for innovation by providing artist-driven digital content and a coherent national electoral cultural strategy.

Culture Surge is led by a steering committee of four anchor organizations: The Center for Cultural Power, Harness, IllumiNative and The League. Culture Surge is currently housed at Harness, and will transition to an independent fiscal sponsor by the beginning of 2022. This position will potentially begin as a contractor role with Harness, moving into a FTE position at the new fiscal sponsor. Check out our 2020 work by watching our sizzle reel and reading our Impact Summary.

Overview:

Culture Surge (CS) is hiring our first Director to develop and lead the strategy for the next phase of this dynamic and innovative initiative. We are seeking an experienced leader with cultural strategy or cultural organizing experience to advance civic engagement, and a demonstrable commitment to advancing social justice. We are looking for a creative thinker with a collaborative decision making approach, who is excited to take on a high-level leadership role and build on the learnings and successes from our 2020 pilot year.

In 2022, the Director will build upon design work carried out in 2021 by the anchor organizations and the supporting consultant. The updated management structure and program overview will provide an initial roadmap for Culture Surge’s work in 2022 for the Director to iterate on. This Director will be responsible for fundraising, developing and overseeing civic engagement campaigns, and building and managing the Culture Surge team. The Director will cultivate relationships and develop strategic partnerships with members of the Culture Surge network - artists, influencers, media and entertainment companies, organizers, impact campaign producers, and more. The Director will represent our work to funders, key partners, and stakeholders.This position reports to the Culture Surge Steering Committee, comprised of the Executive Directors of Culture Surge’s anchor organizations.

Who You Are:

We are looking for someone who is both a big picture visionary thinker and a skilled implementer, someone who is excited about building a project and isn’t afraid to roll up your sleeves and get to work. We are seeking a thought leader who will serve as the main manager of Culture Surge’s daily work and as a partner for the Anchor organization’s Executive Directors. A Director who is able to work well under pressure and in rapid response moments and think strategically about solutions that can improve systems and approaches to meet ambitious goals. Because Culture Surge is still in start-up mode, you must be someone who thrives on working in a flexible, fast-paced environment and isn’t daunted by the idea of building the plane while flying it. You must be a strong communicator who is experienced at cultivating and maintaining relationships with people from a variety of different backgrounds and sectors, including with partners and funders. This includes experience building and leading diverse, high-performing teams.

As noted, there may be an option to begin in a consulting capacity for the remainder of 2021. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

● Develop strategy for all civic engagement activities, including identifying and cultivating
partners and activations, including at the national and state level

● Build the Culture Surge team and provide ongoing supervision and support to staff and
consultants

● Oversee project management and internal communication channels with CS team and the
Steering Committee

● Oversee strategy to grow our networks of influencers, artists, and media distributors to
create and disseminate content, engage in collective action, and maximize our reach

● Build the profile of Culture Surge and advocate for its cultural and electoral value with key
stakeholders and funders

● Build and manage a complex coalition to achieve a shared goal and facilitate collaborations for maximum impact

Must haves:

● Demonstrates deep understanding, passion, and alignment with the Culture Surge mission
● 7-9 years experience managing staff and consultants
● Experience developing and managing the strategy for a nonprofit, civic engagement campaign, network, or media company
● Track record of raising and managing a $1 million+ budget
● Credibility and existing relationships in the cultural, civic engagement, and electoral space
● Track record of working with media companies, content creators, content distributors, and
influencers
● Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, and follow-up skills
● Communicates clearly with colleagues and external audiences; adapts communication
appropriately for audience and stakeholders
● Comfortable working with a remote team and aware of strategies to excel in this environment;
self-directed and proactive.
● Strong program development and management experience and skills, with a focus on
community building and leadership development
● Experience creating high impact storytelling and narrative campaigns
● Ability to roll with the punches in an ever-shifting industry, political, and movement landscape

Nice To Have:
● 5+ years experience as a high-level executive within the culture, media, nonprofit, or
advocacy space
● 3+ years experience working on electoral or civic engagement campaigns that target the
New American Majority
● 3+ experience working with state-based organizations and grassroots organizers a plus
● Proficiency in Salesforce CRM system and Asana a plus