Which Campaign Role Is For You? Let’s Break It Down

The 2022 Midterm Elections will be here before you know it. Believe it or not, candidates are already building their campaign teams. Whether you hope to work on a campaign for the United States Senate, House of Representatives, a State Legislature, or even a local race, you’ll have the opportunity to further your political knowledge, network for the future, and gain skills relevant to any field. Before you apply for a campaign job, though, it’s important to have an idea of the specific role that will best suit you. So, we compiled a list of typical campaign departments and explained what they entail.

Management:

The Campaign Manager and her advisors oversee all aspects of the campaign, from communications to fundraising. All staff members and volunteers report to her. Her other responsibilities include designing the overarching campaign strategy based on voter data, setting a campaign platform and key issues to highlight, budgeting, and approving all campaign operations. 

Communications Team:

This division is responsible for all media relations and campaign communications. It is typically led by the Communications Director. The Communications Director sets the message and strategy for the candidate. She will analyze the candidate’s background, experience, and key beliefs, as well as polling data, to decide which issues to highlight on the campaign trail. She’ll then oversee the communications team as they advance these issues in the media (television, print, and digital), in speeches, through the mail online, and on social media. The Press Secretary is responsible for all media relations. She maintains relationships with reporters, sending them press releases and media advisories about the campaign. She also coordinates press conferences surrounding major announcements and often assists with writing copy. The Digital Director oversees the campaign’s online and social media presence, often designing their website and graphics. She is responsible for any digital advertising, like search ads and boosted Facebook posts. The Communications Assistant’s or Intern’s responsibilities will differ greatly based on the size of the campaign and its budget, but she will often draft social media posts, assist with writing copy for press releases, and compile “backup” for official communications.

Field/Political Team:

This division is responsible for reaching voters face-to-face, which encompasses selecting the voters to reach, the message they’ll receive, and the medium through which it’s sent to them. Major aspects of a field program include door-knocking, making phone calls, sending texts, and having a presence at community events. Field Directors will use voter data to analyze where campaign organizers and volunteers will deploy and whether a campaign office should be opened in the particular region. She’ll also design programs to persuade independent voters to support her candidate and energize her candidate’s base to vote on Election Day (GOTV). Volunteer coordinators and organizers will recruit, train, and oversee all of the campaign’s volunteers as they knock doors and call voters. Some organizers may be detailed to reach specific communities, like college students. Other roles within this division include campaign office managers and field interns.

Finance Team:

This team ensures the campaign is funded and oversees spending according to the campaign budget. Typically led by a Fundraising Director, the division identifies and cultivates potential donors (including individuals, businesses, PACs, and political parties), organizes fundraisers, manages the candidate’s call time, and maintains compliance with all campaign finance regulations.

These three teams will play a role on every campaign, regardless of its level and budget. However, larger campaigns will also have a data division, research operation, policy shop, scheduling organization, and many other departments. Some will also employ consultants, most often in the realm of direct mail and media, but in other areas as well.

By understanding these roles, you are ready to apply for a job on the campaign trail. Best of luck, and enjoy the experience!