Director of Strategic Campaigns

Jan 6

Written By The Communications Network

Washington, DC/Remote

Ground

Date Posted: 1/6/2026

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Overview

Ground is a strategic storytelling studio that develops, tests, and deploys research-backed campaigns designed to shift mindsets and drive measurable impact.

Our proprietary testing and analytics platform, StoryHeat, combines behavioral science, data, and two decades of documentary-style storytelling to identify which narrative strategies will move audiences before a campaign launches. We work with mission-driven organizations, advocacy groups, foundations and purpose-driven brands tackling some of the most pressing issues facing our country and the world.

We’re hiring a Director of Strategic Campaigns to take validated narrative strategies and carry them into the real world by designing, leading, and activating campaigns that operate credibly in complex public, political, and community contexts.

This is a senior role in a small company. While the work is equivalent in complexity to what you might do at a much larger agency, the environment is lean, direct, and hands-on. The right candidate will be comfortable operating at that scale.

In your application please be sure to include a cover letter. It is one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd.

The Impact You’ll Have

In this role, you will be responsible for leading integrated, narrative-driven campaigns from strategy through real-world activation. You will serve as the primary campaign lead for clients, ensuring that research-backed stories don’t stop at insight or production, but reach audiences, move through systems, and drive meaningful action.

You’ll apply public affairs and issue-campaign thinking to storytelling work, helping design campaigns that function effectively within political, institutional, and community environments, and that demonstrate impact beyond creative outputs.

This role plays a critical part in how Ground delivers results, designs all of our work, and shows real-world impact in the ways that matter most to our partners.

What the Day-to-Day Looks Like

Lead the strategy and execution of integrated persuasion campaigns across digital, social, partner, grassroots, and paid channels, with a focus on how stories move through real-world systems.
Translate StoryHeat research and narrative insights into clear, actionable campaign plans.
Serve as the primary strategic point of contact for clients, guiding conversations, decisions, and priorities with confidence and clarity.
Ensure campaigns are rooted in our research, real people’s stories, and credible messengers.
Maintain alignment between narrative strategy, creative development, and how campaigns are activated in the world.
Work with external partners or vendors when needed to support campaign delivery and amplification.
Track campaign performance, interpret results, and adjust strategy based on what’s working and what’s not.
Communicate campaign performance and learnings back to clients in a clear, strategic way.
Contribute to proposal development by shaping campaign strategy, activation plans, and impact frameworks.
Help define and refine how Ground consistently turns narrative research into real-world campaigns.

What You Bring

5–7+ years of experience leading advocacy, public affairs, political, social-impact, or mission-driven campaigns.
Experience owning campaigns end to end—from strategy through activation and measurement.
Familiarity with public affairs or issue-based campaign environments, and an understanding of how narratives function within real-world systems and decision-making contexts.
Strong narrative instincts and comfort working with values-driven, story-based persuasion.
Experience activating or distributing campaigns grounded in real people’s stories and lived experience.
Confidence working directly with clients in a strategic advisory role.
Comfort operating in small teams or startup environments where ownership is high and support structures are lean.
Strong judgment, organization, and ability to manage multiple workstreams without extensive infrastructure.
Clear writing, presentation, and communication skills.

Nice to Have (Not Required)

Background in journalism, documentary storytelling, or narrative-driven work.
Experience collaborating with paid media or digital strategy partners.
Familiarity with influencer, grassroots, or partner-based amplification models.
Experience working in contested or polarized issue environments.

What It’s Like to Work at Ground

You’ll work closely with a small team of researchers and creatives who care deeply about getting the work right.
You’ll have the opportunity to work on some of the most pressing issues facing our country and the world.
You’ll have autonomy to shape how campaigns are built and carried into the world.
You’ll work on campaigns that matter, with organizations trying to create real change.
You’ll be trusted to exercise judgment, make decisions, and learn as you go.

We value clarity, collaboration, and doing work we’re proud to stand behind. We move quickly, but we think carefully.

We’ll Love Working With You If You…

Enjoy collaboration and working closely with others.
Are thoughtful and motivated by impact.
Enjoy solving ambiguous problems and figuring things out as you go.
Have confidence in your leadership, judgment, and ability to create strong campaigns.
Take responsibility seriously, follow through, and lead by example.
Care about creating and contributing to a positive, comfortable, and joyful work environment.

Compensation & Benefits