Executive Director

About the Role

Forward Tennessee and its affiliated 501(c)(4), Tennessee Progress, are seeking a full-time Executive Director to lead a growing communications-support organization supporting progressive coalition partners across the state.

The Executive Director provides visionary leadership for Forward Tennessee and Tennessee Progress, ensuring the organization effectively strengthens the communications power, reach, and influence of its partners across organizing, elections, and legislative advocacy.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned leader with deep experience in organizing, political communications, and coalition work. You can articulate complex ideas simply, create clarity in ambiguity, and inspire others to champion a shared narrative. You are an exceptional manager and relationship-builder who can drive results in a fast-moving environment. As chief champion of the mission, you also ensure the organization’s tools, resources, and support meaningfully expand partner reach and influence. You also bring experience in fundraising, having shown you can secure resources, communicate compellingly with funders, and tell the story of the work in ways that grow investment and support. This role blends strategic leadership, team development, fundraising, and coalition partnership work.

The Executive Director reports to the President of the Board of Directors.

Who We Are

Forward Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) communications-support organization which, along with its affiliated 501(c)4, Tennessee Progress, works to support coalition partners in growing their reach and influence in elections and advocacy.

Our vision is a Tennessee where democracy truly reflects the will of the people and delivers for all of us. Achieving that vision requires competing more effectively in the narratives that shape public opinion, the attention of lawmakers, elections, and how Tennesseans come to understand what’s at stake in the decisions leaders make.

Our mission is to support coalition partners in expanding the reach and influence of their communications and the communities they serve by:

• Convening, supporting, and coordinating communications strategies across aligned coalition efforts
• Providing training and technical assistance to partners
• Sharing best practices on messaging research and guidance
• Leading research on complex challenges such as Christian nationalism and disinformation
• Helping partners better integrate communications, organizing, and advocacy

Through our affiliation with Progress Now, Forward TN and TN Progress work to connect partners with vital communications resources and assistance to help them grow their reach and influence.

What You’ll Achieve

The Executive Director ensures Forward TN / Tennessee Progress operates as a trusted, high-impact communications support hub for coalition partners. This role strengthens partner effectiveness, grows organizational resources, builds staff and partner capacity, and drives alignment across the ecosystem.

Partner Impact & Reach

• Receive strong positive stakeholder evaluations of the communications hub.
• Partners report that Forward TN / TN Progress support improved their communications influence, like:
• Influence during legislative session  
• Influence during electoral seasons
• Increased investment in partner communications through stronger tools, plans, and alignment

Staff & Partner Effectiveness

• Staff and contractors understand their roles, goals and are equipped with the support they need to be successful.

Resource Growth

• Raise funds for multiple years of operation & diversify revenue to strengthen sustainability.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Forward TN / Tennessee Progress as a communications resource for select coalition partners.
• Identify communications challenges and develop solutions that expand partner reach and influence.
• Align communications efforts across partners - often without formal authority - to shape public opinion, elections, and legislative sessions.
• Develop a high-performing team through coaching, feedback, and clear expectations.
• Communicate complex ideas clearly and compellingly across diverse audiences.
• Serve as chief fundraiser and champion of the mission, working with the board to grow resources.
• Oversee financial and organizational management, including budgeting and compliance.
• Ensure staff, contractors, and partners have the tools, support, and clarity needed to succeed.

Who You Are & Keys to Success

To succeed in this role, you bring:

• Experience leading coalition work: A proven ability to manage, influence, align, and drive action across diverse stakeholders and organizations through coalition building and often without formal authority.
• Experience leading a high-performing team: A track record of developing and leading teams.
• Clear communication & storytelling skills: The ability to translate complex ideas into compelling narratives and actionable direction.
• Vision and drive: High expectations, strategic foresight, and relentless focus for results.
• An organizer mindset: Solutions-focused, adaptive, curious, and committed to continuous learning.
• Political experience: Demonstrated understanding of organizing, elections, and legislative advocacy—and how communications connect them.
• A proven record of relationship-building skills: Cultural competency, commitment to equity, and experience working with communities of color and across race, age, and class.
• Comfort with ambiguity: You take initiative to develop clarity in unclear situations by managing up or laterally, working with stakeholders to create it.
• Experience in fast-paced environment: You've worked in environments where news drops quickly and priorities shift, maintaining focus on outcomes while adapting strategy.
• Movement experience: You have experience working with and/or as part of diverse communities and stakeholders.

If You Were Here Today, You’d Be…

• Envisioning communications strategy for the 2026 legislative session and elections.
• Meeting with partners to shape shared goals and staffing plans.
• Holding donor 1:1s and making fundraising asks.
• Monitoring your 2026 budget, making adjustments & preparing for board meetings.
• Troubleshooting challenges in coalition work, staff work, governance of the organization.
• Following up on a grant opportunity for ecosystem-wide communications tools.
• Participating in coalition strategy meetings, offering guidance on narrative and capacity-building.

Forward Tennessee / Tennessee Progress is an equal opportunity employer. We value staff who come from communities most impacted by the issues we address and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and people from marginalized communities to apply.

• Location: Remote, candidates must be based in Tennessee
• Travel: Moderate
• Salary: $120,000–$125,000, depending on experience

Benefits: Health insurance, retirement contributions, and professional development support