Communications Manager

The California Environmental Justice Alliance is a statewide, community-led alliance that works to achieve environmental justice by advancing policy solutions. 

We unite the powerful local organizing of our members in the communities most impacted by environmental hazards – low-income communities and communities of color – to create comprehensive opportunities for change at a statewide level. We build the power of communities across California to create policies that will alleviate poverty and pollution.

CEJA has five main program areas: Climate Justice, Energy Equity, Green Zones, Civic Engagement, and Building the EJ Voice in State Policy. We also have a sister organization, CEJA Action for our electoral work.

Position Summary

This position is an exciting opportunity to lead strategic communications on environmental justice issues in California. The Communications Manager is responsible for developing and implementing CEJA’s overall communications strategy, including earned and social media strategy, managing CEJA’s online presence, and supporting policy and program needs and events. The Communications Manager plays a lead role in amplifying the voices of frontline communities most directly impacted by environmental justice issues.

Reporting Relation/Location

The fiscal sponsor for CEJA is the Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), a member of CEJA. The Communications Manager will be an employee of EHC and will report to the Executive Director of CEJA. CEJA has offices in Huntington Park, Sacramento, and Oakland. The Communications Manager will ideally be housed in CEJA’s Downtown Oakland office.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead communications strategy

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive communications strategy for CEJA and our sister organization CEJA Action.
• Help advance program goals by developing and implementing a communications strategy for CEJA and CEJA Action’s programs and campaigns, such as overarching messaging, talking points, and earned media and social media strategy.
• Manage and represent CEJA in collaborative communications projects to develop and implement narrative frameworks across program areas with key partners.
• Develop and implement communications for our EJ Legislative Agenda, the release of annual reports such as our EJ Scorecard and EJ Agency Assessment, and annual events like Spring Lobby Day and Congreso in the Capitol.
• In coordination with staff, help write, edit and produce collateral materials, such as fact sheets, flyers for events, and images for social media. 

Manage media relations

• Develop and implement strategies for securing earned media, including identifying opportunities, writing and sending press releases, statements, op-eds or LTEs and identifying authors, maintaining a reporter database, and pitching reporters.
• Develop and manage relationships with national, state and local media, with special attention to non-English media, such as Spanish and Asian language outlets.
• Develop ideas and outreach opportunities for feature article placement, interviews, and appropriate activities that promote awareness of our mission and campaigns.
• Monitor news to ensure awareness of big issues and framing our work accordingly.
• Train staff and members to be spokespeople. 

Manage online presence

• Manage and maintain CEJA and CEJA Action’s social media presence. Develop and implement strategies to increase following and engage our base of allies and supporters such as creating social media toolkits.
• Manage and maintain CEJA and CEJA Action’s WordPress website, including generating or soliciting new content, updating existing pages, and managing back-end.
• Manage and maintain CEJA’s email list and online petitions. Update contact lists, enabling effective and targeted email blasts. Ensure email blasts on policy and program priorities are released, including planning, writing or soliciting content, and editing. 

Manage CEJA Communications Committee

• Facilitate monthly calls with communications committee and annual in-person retreats.
• Develop new ways to engage communications committee to stay actively working and up to date on CEJA’s work.
• Uplift CEJA member and partner work to show depth and diversity of EJ communities.
• Promote member and partner organizations, events, and campaigns as requested.

Manage relationships with contractors and consultants

• Work with consultants on supporting communications needs, including co-facilitating spokespeople trainings or pitching reporters during rapid response moments.
• Work with graphic designers to produce annual reports, visually compelling images, promotional materials, and graphics for CEJA events and campaigns.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in managing communications.
• Commitment to advancing social, environmental and economic justice.
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Strong strategic and political analytical thinking.
• Excellent, detail-oriented project management skills.
• Ability to work well both independently and with a small staff team.
• Ability to multi-task and take on additional work as required, and within reason.
• Ability to work in fast-paced office setting.
• Ability and willingness to travel to occasional statewide meetings throughout California and to work evenings on occasion.
• Ability to function well in a work environment that requires collaboration with many partners and member organizations.

Preferred Qualities

• Experience working with low-income communities and communities of color.
• Experience working in a coalition setting.
• Established relationships and connections to California media outlets.
• Familiarity with California political landscape and community and advocacy groups.
• Familiarity with CRM software like Action Network.
• Proficient in graphic design and Word Press web development.
• Experience in multimedia production, photography or videography.
• Bilingual English-Spanish (strongly desired, though flexible for the right candidate). 

Compensation

• Starting salary is $63-73K, depending on experience.

EHC offers a competitive benefits package inclusive of:

• Excellent Orientation Program
• Vacation and Wellness (Sick) Leave
• Health, Dental, Vision and Chiropractic Insurance
• Prescription Coverage
• Long Term Care Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Professional & Personal Development Opportunities

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email submit your resume, cover letter and a writing sample (op-ed, blog or press release). Please send documents as PDF email attachments.
• In the subject line, put Communications Manager, followed by a dash and your last name, first name. For example: Communications Manager – Chavez, Cesar

Note: Open until filled. Preference will be given to applications received by December 12, 2019. 

• EHC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
• WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WOMEN TO APPLY

EHC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.