Become a Political Campaign Manager

Campaign managers oversee all aspects of a political campaign, from hiring and scheduling, to fundraising and media relations. Their primary goal is to create a positive public image for their candidate and to generate support before an election.

Individuals employed as political campaign managers work not only with the media and campaign donors, but directly with the political candidate, ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

Training for a Campaign Manager Position

Ideally, campaign managers should have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in public relations, business, marketing or even journalism.

Although education is important, there is no substitution for hands-on experience in the field of campaign management. While many campaign managers start in entry-level positions and have prior professional experience with the candidate they represent, many managers gain invaluable experience by volunteering with different grassroots organizations or other political campaigns.

Campaign Manager Job Description

Campaign managers are integral to the success of any large-scale campaign. Campaign managers should enjoy working with others and must be passionate about the issues and candidates they support. While they delegate many duties to other campaign volunteers and workers, the campaign manager is ultimately responsible for running a successful campaign. An individual serving as a campaign manager must perform both mundane and exciting tasks, including the following:

• Hiring and managing employees and volunteer staff
• Planning and implementing campaign strategy
• Organizing fundraising efforts
• Scheduling events for the candidate
• Ensuring deadlines are met
• Leading and developing a grassroots campaign
• Liaising with consultants, donors and media personnel
• Acting as a spokesperson for the campaign
• Coordinating get-out-and-vote activities
• Analyzing voter demographics
• Conducting polls
• Ensuring compliance with campaign finance regulations
• Demonstrating knowledge of election law

Individuals interested in pursuing a career in campaign management should have prior experience in political campaigning, fundraising, grassroots building or voter education.

Campaign managers can work extremely long hours, especially in the weeks prior to an election. Individuals in this field are often in high-pressure situations and may face tight deadlines. Life on the campaign trail will require frequent travel.

Campaign Manager Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the field of campaign management will grow by 13 percent through the year 2018. However, as political campaigns become more essential to the success of a candidate, the demand for campaign managers may increase substantially.

According to a May 2008 government report, the average salary for a campaign manager was just under $90,000, but that figure may vary depending on the level of government and budget.