Description

The Launch Manager will lead planning and execution for the campaign's public launch:

the three months leading up to a public announcement and the first three months of the

active campaign. This person would partner with the candidate, their finance consultant,

and their coalition to shift the collective group into a readiness posture, build a strategic

and bold campaign plan, train and activate volunteers, engage and organize key allies,

design a launch that builds momentum and capacity, and deploy early messaging.

You will build and run the launch plan end to end, including media and digital rollouts,

initial supporter and volunteer activation, HQ and operations setup, staff onboarding,

and vendor coordination, ensuring the campaign is publicly ready and positioned to

achieve visibility and benchmarks from Day 1.

If mutually desired by the candidate and Campaign Launch Manager, the role may

become permanent.

Requirements

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive and integrated campaign plan, campaign budget, launch plan, and timeline of key milestones and metrics for communications, digital, organizing, staffing, and operations.
• Run weekly meetings that drive to timely decisions and outcomes.
• Set up and get buy-in on key administrative processes including creating and managing the campaign calendar balancing rapid early growth with sustainable operational tempo.
• Serve as media contact for inquiries and pitches, collaborating with the volunteer policy and messaging committee to prepare campaign policies, content, and platform.
• Run RFP processes for vendors and manage the vendor team including but not limited to media firms (TV/digital ads), direct mail houses, digital fundraising consultants, research firms, and data brokers. Redesign and relaunch a new visual brand for the candidate, including website, logo, materials, etc.
• Build digital fundraising and distributed organizing plans using existing social media platforms and lists, in partnership with a yet-to-be-identified digital contractor or vendor.
• Advise on long term staffing needs. Including writing and posting job descriptions, sourcing resumes, conducting interviews and making recommendations on hiring.
• Ensure compliance and operations systems are in place before launch.
• Work with the fundraising team to position the campaign to hit fundraising and visibility benchmarks on Day 1.
• Develop and implement a political strategy in coordination with existing staff, kitchen cabinet and volunteer team, including outreach to elected officials, Democratic party and progressive groups, constituency groups, and labor organizations
• Build initial supporter lists and activate volunteer networks for launch day visibility and turnout including but not limited to rolodexing the candidate and key team members.
• Begin to structure volunteers into a permanent and sustainable organizing model, based around neighborhoods and/or constituencies; build community across them; and train them to take action.
• Manage the campaign’s house party program: working with hosts on guest lists, invitations, logistics, staff and volunteer coordination, on-site execution, and guest follow-up.
• Manage political call time and support fundraising teams with call time as needed.

Required qualifications & Core Competencies

• 3+ cycles experience in campaign management, political program management, or related project/launch roles.
• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong operations and logistical experience: office setup, vendor management, HR/payroll basics, and systems provisioning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and experience coordinating with press and communications teams.
• Comfortable with campaign tools and CRMs (VAN or similar), ActBlue, Google Workspace, Moblize, Numero and project management tools (Asana/Trello/Sheets).
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills: masters prioritization, creates clear task lists and timelines, meets deadlines under pressure, and maintains reliable systems for tracking work and handoffs.
• Conflict resolution and morale-building experience; able to give constructive feedback and escalate when needed.
• Willingness to work irregular hours and travel as required.
• A valid driver’s license and reliable access to a car.
• Strong cultural competency and relationship-building within diverse communities
• Willing to understand local political structures, build relationships with the candidate’s kitchen cabinet and official-side staff, and immerse themselves in the context of this race and the candidate’s record.
• Experience building early supporter programs and volunteer activation strategies

Personal Characteristics

• Passionate and thoughtful about what and how they do work and whom they work with.
• Respects and values others’ skills and roles, promoting constructive collaboration.
• Resilient, resourceful, and adaptive to priority shifts and change (big and small).
• Kind but willing to be assertive when needed.
• Realistic but positive in outlook, not ego- or turf-driven, able to focus on opportunities when faced with challenges.
• Collaborative by nature.
• Fully invested in the success of the campaign.

Compensation and logistics

Salary commensurate with experience, time commitment, and willingness to relocate, between $5,000 and $8,000 a month. 
A hybrid Launch Manager would likely have to travel to Columbus, Ohio several times a month. Travel and expense reimbursement provided. 
This position reports directly to the candidate and is expected to work closely with the kitchen cabinet and Finance Director. 

How to apply

Send resume, writing sample, and a brief cover note (one page max) describing a prior launch or operational rollout you led, your role, and a key challenge you solved. Email applications to info@sstrategiesconsulting.com with subject line "Campaign Launch Manager - [Your Name]". Applications reviewed on a rolling basis starting April 15 with a start date of May 11.  

Equal opportunity

This campaign recognizes our success requires a diverse mix of talented people. We are focused on building a staff that is diverse in race, gender and gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and all the other characteristics that make us different. Candidates of color, women, LGBTQI+, and more are encouraged to apply.