Surrogate Management
Surrogate Management is the coordination and oversight of influential people who speak on behalf of a political candidate or campaign. These representatives, called surrogates, could be politicians, celebrities, community leaders, or subject matter experts who help spread the campaign's message. Think of it like having a team of trusted spokespersons who can be in multiple places at once, reaching different audiences while the candidate can't be everywhere. Surrogate managers ensure these representatives stay on message, are properly briefed, and appear at strategic events to maximize the campaign's reach and impact.
Examples in Resumes
Coordinated 50+ speaking engagements for Surrogate Management program across 5 states
Led Surrogate team handling high-profile endorsers and campaign representatives
Developed comprehensive Surrogate Management strategy for presidential primary campaign
Typical job title: "Surrogate Managers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Surrogate Managers
Professional Organizations
Job Boards
Professional Networks
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How would you handle a surrogate who goes off-message during a crucial campaign moment?
Expected Answer: Should discuss crisis management strategies, rapid response protocols, media relationship management, and how to realign messaging while maintaining important relationships.
Q: Describe your experience in developing a surrogate strategy for a statewide or national campaign.
Expected Answer: Should explain how to create comprehensive surrogate programs, including identifying key demographics, matching surrogates to audiences, and measuring impact.
Mid Level Questions
Q: How do you prepare surrogates for media appearances?
Expected Answer: Should cover briefing materials creation, talking points development, media training coordination, and message consistency strategies.
Q: What systems do you use to track surrogate activities and measure their effectiveness?
Expected Answer: Should discuss scheduling tools, tracking methods for appearances, ways to measure audience reach and impact, and reporting processes.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What are the key components of a surrogate briefing document?
Expected Answer: Should mention talking points, background information, event details, key messages, and potential Q&A scenarios.
Q: How do you handle scheduling conflicts between multiple surrogates?
Expected Answer: Should explain basic prioritization strategies, communication protocols, and time management techniques.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic event coordination
- Briefing material preparation
- Schedule management
- Media monitoring
Mid (2-5 years)
- Surrogate relationship building
- Crisis management
- Strategic event planning
- Message development
Senior (5+ years)
- Program strategy development
- High-level surrogate relationship management
- Campaign leadership coordination
- National campaign experience
Red Flags to Watch For
- No experience with rapid response or crisis management
- Poor understanding of political messaging
- Lack of experience with high-profile personality management
- No knowledge of campaign operations or political environment
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