Communications Director

Overview

Put your passion and skills to work for the planet. Climate change is the most urgent issue of our time, and we need people like you to help us build a vital Earth — for everyone.

We’re Environmental Defense Fund, a fast-paced nonprofit with a growing staff of more than 850 people in nearly 30 countries. We deliver game-changing solutions that cut climate pollution and strengthen people’s ability to thrive despite the effects climate change is already having. We work wherever we can have the most impact, from local communities to top companies to governments worldwide, and even in space.

Our culture, values and commitment to diversity make EDF an exciting and meaningful place to work. Every job here makes a difference. Won’t you join us?

Responsibilities

Communications Director, EDF +Business

Overall Function

The Director of Communications, EDF +Business, is responsible for designing and implementing communications strategies to achieve the goals and objectives of the +Biz mission area’s work and to establish EDF as a thought leader in these areas.

The Communications Director oversees all communications functions for +Biz, including earned, social and paid media; digital media including edf.org and blogs; thought leadership activities; and content development. This position requires an understanding of and keen interest in creating a more sustainable world where companies, communities and the environment thrive, by forging unexpected partnerships that catalyze environmental leadership and collaboration across companies and supply chains. It also requires an ability to collaborate with staff across EDF’s four anchor regions of the U.S., Europe, China and India, and coordinate on multiple projects.

The Communications Director is a strategic and creative thinker with a demonstrated ability to develop and execute communications strategies for significant impact. She/he distills complex policy, economic issues and industry analyses into simple, accurate and compelling narrative that advances policy change.

The Communications Director supervises a team of five communicators. This position reports to the Vice President, Global Communications.

Key Responsibilities:

• Bring communications expertise to +Biz and influence its direction and goals.
• Stay abreast of world events and developments across companies and supply chains.
• Develop, implement and oversee communications strategies, messages, talking points and tactics that advance the mission area’s goals, including media outreach, social media, digital communications and collateral development.
• Manage a team and continually build team skills to help achieve strong communications results through various channels (earned media, digital, blog, speaking engagements, etc.)
• Create, edit and proofread written, digital and video materials under intense deadline pressure.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with targeted journalists.
• Plan and execute events such as press conferences and in-person meetings with journalists and other influential stakeholders.
• Oversee all social media elements including support for experts’ social accounts and coordination with EDF’s Digital Marketing Team.
• Participate in advancing EDF’s goals for DEI in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Prepare +Biz leaders and staff with training and advice for communications opportunities.
• Prepare summaries and analyses of media coverage on a quarterly basis.
• Manage relationships with PR professionals at other NGOs and firms engaged in the sustainability space to ensure cross-pollination of ideas and strategies.
• Direct PR/communications agency support, including developing RFPs, assessing agency expertise, and managing agency teams for excellent results.
• Manage +Biz Marcom budget, $500K-$1M, and develop criteria for how projects are prioritized across +Biz.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years’ marketing/communications experience, preferably in an issue advocacy context; environmental media experience is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in a related field preferred.
• Strategic thinker and thought partner with senior +Biz leaders; provides feedback/options for leveraging communications as a tool for driving greater impact.
• Experience conducting research on audiences and issue areas to inform communications.
• Understands how to integrate +Biz across other mission areas within EDF and into broader EDF messaging, brand, and overall “DNA.”
• Excellent collaborator with an inclusive approach to how they work and create content.
• Demonstrates interest, excitement in weaving +Biz opportunities into our new anchor regions, and in partnering with communications teams in other countries
• Generates new ideas, concepts, and mediums to amplify our work, broaden our audience and/or drive more impact and results.
• Proven ability to use communications as a tool to achieve business and policy goals.
• Ability to strategize and implement communications projects across multiple platforms for maximum impact in the environmental and policy space.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Strong people management and mentoring skills.
• Superb communications strategy, writing, and editing skills.
• Experience pitching and developing strong relationships with top tier media, and track record of producing international and national media coverage; familiarity with environmental media is a plus.
• Experience managing a blog and creating and executing social media.
• Experience providing creative communications support and strategy to multiple internal project teams simultaneously.
• Experience building thought leadership for leaders across multiple platforms.
• Experience hiring and managing communications consultants/ agency support.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Experience managing a budget and participating/leading strategic planning processes.

Pay Ranges

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. We take into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

The pay range for this role is shown below.

Please note that pay ranges are country specific. As a result, the stated currency is not meant be converted into any other currency.

Minimum Salary

USD $115,000.00/Yr.

Maximum Salary

USD $130,000.00/Yr.

EEO Information

Environmental Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.