About the job
About TaskForce
TaskForce is dedicated to empowering communities and enhancing capacity for the most impactful nonprofits, brands, and individuals tackling urgent issues across our state, nation, and world.
Over the last decade, we have been at the forefront of culturally significant social impact initiatives, from political movements like Hotties for Harris and the Hope Campaign to national youth activism such as March for Our Lives, along with civic projects like LA vs. Hate and Safer at Work. We have collaborated with renowned brands such as T-Mobile, MTV, and YouTube, establishing ourselves as one of the largest producers of public art in the United States.
Our mission lies at the crossroads of culture, politics, creativity, and community, increasingly encompassing the realms of wearable and collectible culture. The way individuals express themselves through what they wear, carry, post, and share is vital to making movements visible.
About This Role
We are in search of an Associate Director of Merch & Social Commerce to spearhead the development of our expanding merchandise ecosystem, utilizing it as a tool for movement building, cultural storytelling, and political expression.
This pivotal role combines elements of product development, cultural engagement, and distribution strategy. You will be responsible for shaping apparel and cultural artifacts, ensuring their reach across the internet, communities, and creator networks where culture thrives.
The Associate Director will steer product direction and manage storefronts on platforms such as TikTok Shop, Instagram Shop, Shopify, and other emerging channels, while also playing a vital role in marketing, creator distribution, and paid acquisition strategies.
Key Responsibilities
Movement-Driven Merch & Product
- Develop merchandise that resonates with political, cultural, and social movements.
- Transform campaign messages and cultural moments into wearable and shareable visual representations.
- Utilize merchandise as a tool for identity, solidarity, and message amplification.
Apparel & Ephemera Focus
- Oversee daily development of apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, hats) and cultural ephemera (posters, stickers, buttons, prints, tote bags, and other small-format items).
- Ensure product offerings align with contemporary culture, protest traditions, internet aesthetics, and streetwear trends.
Marketing & Distribution
- Craft strategies for distributing merchandise through creators, influencers, and community partners.
- Lead and manage paid acquisition efforts across social platforms to enhance product visibility.
- Identify organic distribution pathways, including meme pages, movement networks, and cultural communities.
- Integrate merchandise into cultural moments, rather than merely showcasing them in storefronts.
- Collaborate on launch plans that weave together storytelling, creator engagement, and platform-native content.
Social Commerce & Platform Management
- Oversee storefront presence on TikTok Shop, Instagram, Shopify, and other emerging platforms.