Communications Manager

About WildEarth Guardians

Founded in 1989, WildEarth Guardians is a west-wide environmental advocacy organization headquartered in Santa Fe, NM. The organization has offices in Denver, CO, Missoula, MT, Boise, ID, Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, and Tucson, AZ, as well as several remote staff. We have a 33-year history of securing durable environmental protections that preserve endangered species and other wildlife, advance pioneering supply-side climate policy, ensure living rivers and protect public lands. We do this by pursuing innovative and sustained legal campaigns, bold and creative policy and legislative solutions at both the state and federal levels and by mobilizing grassroots and grasstops constituencies. All this work is in service of our mission to protect and restore wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health in the western U.S.

• Check out our website to learn more.

Position Summary

WildEarth Guardians seeks a full-time Communications Manager to play a leading role in identifying and implementing earned media and cutting-edge social and digital strategies in support of the organization’s key program areas – Wildlife, Wild Places, Wild Rivers, and Climate + Energy. The communications manager will be responsible for writing and developing communications material, including communications’ plans for campaigns, press releases, blog posts, and social media content. This position also supports media relations across the organization and is responsible for building and maintaining strategic relationships on a state and national level.

The Communications Manager reports to the Communications Director and will work collaboratively across departments, including close coordination with the Development and Program teams. The ideal candidate is a clear, concise written and oral communicator with a background working in advocacy-oriented communications or political campaigns. We are looking for someone who is creative, organized, detail-oriented, and passionate about being a Guardian for the Wild.

Location: Remote in the American West near Guardians’ offices in Santa Fe, Missoula, Denver, Boise, Portland, or Seattle; consideration of other remote locations in the region

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Integrated Communications (traditional earned & new media)

• Work with staff to write, edit, pitch, and seek placement for press releases, opinion pieces in print, radio, and TV
• Manage and build media contact and influencer lists for organization in a centralized database
• Track all Guardians media coverage to ensure accuracy, brand defense, and seek additional media opportunities
• Maintain and build relationships with media contacts and outlets, including editorial boards and content creators
• Provide support and training for staff for media interviews, oped writing, writing for the web, and other needs as they arise
• Leverage and amplify press releases, media mentions, and events on website homepage, four programs’ webpages, and across all social media channels
• Repurpose press releases, victory emails, fundraising emails into impactful and engaging consumer-facing content for web-based, social media, and e-communication needs

Website Content Management & Social Media Advocacy

• Manage, create, and execute all organic content across all Guardians’ digital and social media channels. This includes developing and managing content and editorial calendars.
• Ensure the website has timely and current content to serve program, advocacy, fundraising, event and organizational needs. Update press releases, blogs, and other engaging content on a regular basis
• Coordinate closely with digital manager to define and refine social media content strategies and tactics based on audience metrics of engagement
• Collaborate with the Organizing Director to create, write, and publish activist toolkits on website
• Work closely with the Communications Director and Development Director to target, engage, improve performance and grow digital audience
• Facilitate coordination between legal team and others to ensure legal portal is consistently updated

Staff Training and Guidance

• Train, mentor, and offer direction to staff members for effective communication with external audiences.
• Coordinate staff trainings and workshops
• Share best practices and changes in trends or communications tools
• Prep staff for interviews, webinars, and public events
• Keep Guardians guidance and training material up-to-date, including instructions for writing and posting content and brand guidelines

Skills & Knowledge

• Degree in Communications, Journalism or related field, preferred
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in earned and social media content creation and dissemination, required
• Creative self-starter with proven ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including the ability to communicate to the general public regarding complex science and policy matters
• Understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion landscape, and key diversity engagement metrics
• Ability to draw compelling insights from data analytics
• Desire to learn and appreciate efforts to protect and restore wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the American West
• Excellent multitasking skills and the ability to prioritize work to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with WordPress, Canva, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Meta Business Manager
• Commitment to continuous learning to stay attuned to changing technologies and best practices
• Knowledge of or experience with public lands, air and climate, or wildlife issues, a plus

Compensation

• $ 70-80K commensurate with experience

Benefits:

• WildEarth Guardians offers a flexible and generous benefits package for staff. Benefits for full-time staff include 100% medical and dental employee coverage paid for by the employer, vision, life, and disability coverage, a 403(b)-retirement plan with a 3% match after 2 years of full-time employment, paid and unpaid health and family leave, a sabbatical policy, sick leave, three weeks paid vacation to start, and fourteen holidays including 5 floating holidays to be taken at any time. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees to correspond to the employee’s schedule: holiday, vacation, sick time, 403(b) retirement plan with a 3% match after 2 years of full-time employment.
• Part-time employees are not eligible for health coverage or sabbatical leave.

Equal Opportunity Employer

WildEarth Guardians is an Equal Opportunity Organization and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, family/marital status, religion or other protected classes. We strongly encourage applications from historically excluded communities.

ADA Statement

WildEarth Guardians committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with our commitment, WildEarth Guardians, will take the steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact apply@wildearthguardians.org.