Campaign Manager

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

John Stegner is a lifelong Idahoan and former Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court, appointed by Republican Governor Butch Otter. Born and raised in Grangeville, he grew up working in his family’s grain business on the Camas Prairie and has spent his career in service to the people of Idaho — as a lawyer, a judge, and now as a candidate for Governor.

Justice Stegner is running as an independent because he believes Idaho deserves leadership grounded in constitutional responsibility, sound judgment, and a genuine commitment to the people it serves — not to party insiders or special interests. His campaign is built on the values that have defined his career: integrity, principled decision-making, and a willingness to stand on conviction even when it is difficult.

Stegner for Idaho is a professionally staffed, fully funded statewide campaign. We are building a high-caliber team and are looking for an experienced professional ready to run a serious race from the top.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Campaign Manager is the operational and strategic center of Stegner for Idaho. Reporting directly to the candidate, this person owns every major decision that is not made by the candidate himself — budget, staffing, message discipline, strategic direction, and schedule. This person is the primary bridge between Justice Stegner’s vision and its daily execution, and the person who ensures every department is aligned, resourced, and held accountable.

This role demands a seasoned campaign professional who has managed the full complexity of a statewide race and knows how to build and lead a high-performing team without a party infrastructure to rely on. The candidate runs as an independent by conviction — which means no coordinated campaign, no party voter file, and no built-in volunteer base. It also means a candidate with authentic cross-ideological credibility that no party nominee can match. The Campaign Manager must understand that distinction and know how to leverage it.

Message discipline, coalition management, and strategic adaptability are the defining demands of this role. The right candidate has been in high-pressure campaign environments before, has the political instincts to navigate them well, and has the management depth to build and sustain a professional team through a long general election campaign.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Direction

• Develop and own the overall campaign strategy — targeting, message architecture, budget allocation, and timeline — in close partnership with the candidate and senior advisors
• Make final decisions on all major campaign matters and exercise sound, independent judgment when the pace of the race demands it
• Monitor the political environment, polling, and opponent activity continuously and adjust strategy with precision as conditions change
• Lead preparation for debates, editorial boards, and high-stakes media moments; ensure the candidate is never underprepared for a consequential public appearance

Team Leadership & Management

• Recruit, hire, and manage a full senior staff including directors across finance, communications, organizing, data, digital, and coalitions
• Set clear performance expectations, accountability structures, and decision-making authority across all departments
• Build a team culture that is disciplined, mission-driven, and capable of sustaining the intensity of a statewide general election through November
• Anticipate and resolve cross-department conflicts before they affect program execution or campaign reputation

Budget & Financial Oversight

• Own the full campaign budget: build it, defend it, and enforce it — making resource allocation decisions that reflect strategic priorities at every stage of the race
• Set and monitor department-level budgets in close coordination with the Finance Director
• Ensure full compliance with Idaho Secretary of State campaign finance requirements and independent ballot access obligations
• Approve all major vendor contracts, consultant agreements, and media investments

Candidate & External Relations

• Serve as Justice Stegner’s primary strategic advisor, day-to-day point of contact, and most trusted voice on campaign decisions
• Manage relationships with senior consultants, key validators, major donors, and allied organizations
• Represent the campaign with authority in high-stakes external conversations, coalition negotiations, and stakeholder relationships
• Partner with the Executive Assistant and Scheduler to ensure the candidate’s time is deployed strategically across fundraising, field, and earned media at every phase of the race

QUALIFICATIONS

This is a senior role and we are looking for candidates who meet a high bar. The right Campaign Manager has run a statewide or major federal campaign before, understands what it takes to win in a competitive general election environment, and is prepared to bring that experience to bear on an independent race with a distinctive candidate and a real path to victory.

Required

• A minimum of two statewide or large congressional campaign cycles as campaign manager, deputy campaign manager, or in an equivalent senior leadership role
• Demonstrated experience building and managing a full senior staff across multiple departments simultaneously
• Proven ability to own and manage a campaign budget of $2M or more, including resource allocation under pressure
• Deep political judgment and situational awareness — the ability to make fast, sound decisions in complex and evolving circumstances
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, and the authority to hold a team to consistent message discipline
• Comfort operating in politically complex environments without a party structure to fall back on — experience on independent, non-partisan, or cross-coalition campaigns is a meaningful differentiator
• Familiarity with Western state politics and rural voter dynamics

Strongly preferred

• Experience managing a general election campaign against a well-resourced incumbent or dominant party candidate
• Idaho ties — existing relationships with media, donors, community leaders, tribal nations, or stakeholder organizations in the state
• Demonstrated ability to build cross-ideological coalitions and hold message discipline across diverse voter audiences
• Experience working with or advising candidates who run outside traditional party structures

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Salary range: $8,000 – $12,000/month, commensurate with experience

• Health insurance stipend
• Cell phone and home internet stipend
• Mileage reimbursement for in-state travel
• Campaign-covered lodging for overnight travel required by campaign duties

WORKING CONDITIONS

This is a demanding, full-time role. Campaign hours routinely exceed 60 hours per week, particularly in the final months of the race. Significant in-state travel is required, including regular presence in communities across all regions of Idaho. The Campaign Manager must be based in Boise or willing to relocate prior to start.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter of no more than one page. Tell us why this campaign matters to you and what you'd bring to the role. Materials should be sent to info@stegnerforidaho.com. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Stegner for Idaho is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Pay: $8,000.00 - $12,000.00 per month

Work Location: In person