Sonoma Ecology Center (SEC) seeks a Communications and Marketing Specialist to play a critical role in ensuring the organization achieves its plans for growth in alignment with its mission, vision, and values. The Communications and Marketing Specialist will be responsible for all outward-facing communications, including digital content creation, management of SEC’s editorial calendar, and managing all aspects of the organization’s Social Media presence. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders. The candidate should be comfortable working independently and collaboratively within a small, close-knit team and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. The position will report to the Development Director and work closely with the Executive Director and Program Managers across the organization.
This role is remote. The candidate will need to attend occasional in-person meetings and visit program managers and/or staff in the field. The candidate must have a reliable means of transportation, phone, and internet.
Responsibilities (include but are not limited to):
General Marketing & Communications
- Promote and protect the integrity of the voice and brand of the Sonoma Ecology Center
- Build alignment and identify brand ambassadors across staff and the SEC board of directors
- Work with staff to ensure messages are communicated accurately and consistently to all external audiences
- implement an annual strategic communication and marketing plan to promote SEC resources, research, publications, public awareness, current community affairs, and advocacy efforts
- Write and edit content for SEC website and email marketing efforts, including weekly e-blasts, and blog posts.
- Ensure website, calendars and third-party profiles are up to date
- Contribute to corporate/partner engagement and content development in collaboration with key staff members within SEC (Annual Fund, Annual Report, and seasonal appeals)
- Support media relations, including developing press contacts, identifying news opportunities, pitching stories, and coordinating interviews
- Develop communications and fundraising strategies that will broaden programmatic reach and deepen awareness that lead to broader financial impact
- Act as liaison between our work and our audience; effectively translating program verbiage and scientific data into relatable language for donor communications and expanding our audience base
- Ensures SEC’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is operationalized in our communications plan, and SEC communications are culturally sensitive and designed to reach diverse audiences and speak to all our community members
Social Media Management
- Manage all aspects of SEC’s social media presence (SEC website(s), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.)
- Drive strategy to increase daily engagement on SEC social media accounts
- Lead content creation for SEC’s Social Media, including written blog content, tweets, posts & videos
Data & Analytics
- Regularly uses analytics for SEC’s online assets and adapts medium strategy for the maximum organizational benefit (websites, email communications, and social media)
- Leverage key engagement metrics across platforms to optimize content, messaging, and distributions
Qualifications:
- Any combination of education, training and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities to successfully perform the role. Normally, this would include graduation from a college or university with coursework in Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, Marketing, or other related fields, and three years of experience with environmental issues or in Communications and Marketing for other nonprofits
- Working knowledge of local environmental issues and a commitment to our mission.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills are a must: Select candidates will be required to submit portfolio materials
- Proven results in managing social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc.) and analytics technologies (Sprout Social, Hootsuite, Tweetreach, Meltwater, etc.) to engage a diverse audience
- Must be a confident public speaker; comfortable speaking to reporters, being interviewed on the radio, and at public events such as “tabling” on behalf of the organization
- Strong attention to detail and proofreading skills (AP writing style and standards are a plus)
- Ability to turn dense project information into easily digestible messaging for diverse audiences
- Proven results in implementing marketing and communications strategic plans
- Familiarity with CMS platforms and basic HTML (WordPress, etc.)
- Demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously while managing deadlines
- Professionalism with colleagues, the public, and vendors, is a must
- Candidates from diverse backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply
Physical Requirements:
This is a traditional office job, one which requires sitting, typing, standing, and being at a computer workstation for lengthy periods of time. One must have the ability to use office equipment (including, but not limited to, a computer, phone, and printer/copier) and computer systems to fulfill essential functions of the position.
At times, one will travel to meetings or conferences and job sites. We follow safe COVID policies when meeting with others in person. We ask that employees drive their own vehicles to and from these meetings to reduce the possibility of exposure. One must have reliable transportation, a current Driver’s License, and comprehensive auto insurance.
Benefits: On the first day of the month after hire, the employee is eligible for one of two health plans. For which, SEC pays 80% of the monthly premium. (Dependents and Spouses are eligible but SEC does not contribute to the full premium) Please contact Human Resources for a complete description of the available health plans.
To Apply: The easiest way to apply is on BambooHR here: https://sonomaecologycenter.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=32
Or, please send your resume, cover letter, and three references, preferably in one PDF, to Celina Briggs, Human Resources Manager with Communications and Marketing Specialist in the header. No phone calls, please. For more information about the Sonoma Ecology Center, please visit www.sonomaecologycenter.org.
All qualified applicants will be given equal consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, including transgender, pregnancy, breastfeeding, veteran, military status, genetic information, and marital status or familial status, or any other protected class. Sonoma Ecology Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal access to programs, services, and employment is available to all persons.
Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify our Human Resources Department.
All offers of employment are contingent on the results of a background check.