There’s an opening at the Minnesota DFL Party headquarters for a communications director.
Ellen Perrault, who’d had the job since early 2013, has stepped down. She said the timing was right and that a new communications director can now begin working for the 2016 election cycle.
“I feel like I’ve been working continuously for six straight years, since joining ‘Bakk 2010’ in 2009. It’s time for a vacation and to regroup,” she said this morning.
DFL Party Chair Ken Martin said he was sad to see her go. The job description is already posted, and lists these duties:
- Develop long- and short-term media-based strategies for getting the Party’s candidates elected, supporting them as elected officials, and anticipating, deflecting, and responding to attacks upon them or upon the Party;
- Advise the officers, staff, and party units about communications strategy;
- Work with the National Party, congressional and legislative caucuses, other elected officials, endorsed candidates, candidates seeking the endorsement, and party units on framing and delivering a consistent message from the Party to the public;
- Deliver the Party’s message through the media to the public by means of (a) well-organized press conferences, (b) carefully written and fact-checked media releases, (c) strong relationships with political reporters and Minnesota media, (d) letters to the editor, (e) blog entries, and (f) other appropriate vehicles;
- Develop, maintain, and regularly update the Party’s website;
- Develop value-based and issue-based literature that party units and candidates can distribute;
- Communicate regularly and frequently with activists through electronic newsletters, broadcast electronic mail, and the website;
- Train activists, party leaders, candidates, and elected officials about framing the Party’s values, growing our message skills, communicating with the media and the public, and using new technologies for delivering a strong, positive message;
- Compile and organize opposition research about other political parties’ candidates, prospective candidates, and elected officials;
- Manage communications for the Party’s governing bodies, including the State Convention, State Central Committee, State Executive Committee, and their commissions and committees;
- Write or edit correspondence and other written communications from the officers and other staff; and
- Perform such other duties as the State Chair or Executive Director assigns.
