Communications Officer – Tracking Progress

About IISD

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 200 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

IISD’s Tracking Progress Program provides analyses, supports networking, and builds tools to interpret the state of sustainability in cities, regions, and countries. Our team promotes measurable, collaborative implementation of sustainable development objectives and helps communities fold data indicators into decision making at the local and national levels. Our flagship Earth Negotiations Bulletin reporting brings balanced, timely, and independent reporting services to countries’ efforts to negotiate environmental action. The Tracking Progress staff and associates are spread around the world. The program encompasses several workstreams and initiatives, including ENB, the SDG Knowledge Hub, the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem, the Tracking Progress data platform, and Sustainable Development Goal monitoring and indicator research.

The Position

IISD is looking for a Communications Officer to join the Tracking Progress team. The Communications Officer will drive the development and implementation of communications activities related to nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation in several communities across Africa. These activities will support IISD’s efforts to enhance climate adaptation, gender equality, and biodiversity protection in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. The work will support governments and communities in their efforts to increase resilience to climate-induced risks by adopting and implementing gender-responsive NbS.

The Communications Officer will have a talent for making complex ideas accessible while also being an excellent planner, organizer, and multitasker with a keen interest in international affairs and sustainable development. French proficiency is required.

Responsibilities

Creative Content

• In consultation with the Tracking Progress team’s Communications Manager, develop and implement communications activities related to our work on NbS for climate adaptation projects in communities in four African countries. Activities will include video production, social media content creation, and leading community workshops to expand participants’ communications skills (photography, writing, social media, and strategic communications planning).
• Cooperate with project internal and external stakeholders to ensure timelines are adhered to, along with monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the impact of communications activities.
• Regularly share project updates with IISD’s core communications team to ensure alignment on key messaging and amplify project impact in IISD’s broader, organization-wide communications activities. Contribute to the shared editorial calendar.

Public Engagement and Outreach

• Help the Tracking Progress communications team build relationships with partners in the project communities, raising the profile of the project and NbS for climate adaptation.
• Draft, edit, and disseminate press releases and articles regarding the projects and NbS for climate adaptation.
• Conduct media monitoring on a regular basis for assigned areas of work. Provide reports on media coverage and digital performance using Agility PR, Google Analytics, and other available platforms.

Digital Strategy

• Working within content management systems, such as Drupal or WordPress, upload and edit content for websites while adhering to IISD guidelines.
• Draft and assist project staff and partners in developing articles, blog posts, stories, infographics, and videos that make IISD's work accessible to non-expert audiences.

Internal Processes

• Ensure brand coherence and compliance with existing and new IISD communications practices.
• Support internal processes related to the development and dissemination of communications products, including coordinating feedback from internal and external stakeholders, approvals, and copy editing.
• Maintain strong relationships with colleagues and partners working on NbS for climate adaptation to gain a deeper understanding of the projects’ goals and translate their work into key messages and strategies that resonate with priority audiences.
• Provide editorial guidance pertaining to NbS for climate adaptation to IISD’s experts so they can effectively communicate about the SUNCASA project through different channels and act as public ambassadors for IISD and the project.
• Continuously discover and share new industry best practices.

Reporting Relationship

The Communications Officer reports to the Communications Manager, Tracking Progress.

Please note the Tracking Progress team works across multiple time zones. We are looking for someone with a “can-do” work attitude and the ability to work autonomously while proactively engaging with other team members, particularly those working in a remote and/or hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• A university-level degree in journalism, communications, public relations, or other related social science discipline. Alternatively, a degree in international relations, public policy, economics, or a related discipline combined with communications-related experience can also be considered.
• Ability to travel to Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa for communications support two or three times per year.

Knowledge and Experience

• 2­–4 years of relevant professional experience in policy-focused journalism, public relations, or organizational communications.
• Experience working with think tanks or other research-intensive organizations is an asset, especially focusing on issues such as international development, gender equality, climate change, NbS, and/or sustainable development, particularly in the Global South.
• Experience working with Francophone communities is an asset.
• Experience designing and delivering community workshops is an asset.
• Experience with communication planning and strategy, involving the development and execution of key messages, social media campaigns, and media outreach, is an asset.
• Prior experience and/or knowledge of climate change adaptation, gender equality, and NbS is a strong asset.
• Computer literacy, including proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, etc.) and knowledge of media monitoring platforms and e-mail marketing systems.

Skills

• Strong writing and editing skills for different purposes, including social media posts, long-form articles, op-eds, report summaries, and promotional material.
• Photography and video editing skills are required.
• Experience working with the Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro, is an asset.
• Fluent written and spoken English and French language skills are required.

Behavioural Competencies

• Results-focused, able to work quickly and accurately to meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of the results.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to work comfortably across different cultures, be inclusive and positive, and communicate effectively.
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills.
• Strong attention to detail, especially in written work. Ability to work independently, cross-programmatically, and with a range of diverse stakeholders.

Location: Canada, where IISD has offices in Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Toronto

Remote work in other locations may be considered for exceptional candidates.

Term: Full-time through December 2025 with possibility to extend depending on project funding.

Salary: CAD 55,000–65,000, based on experience and location

Start date: As soon as possible

Closing date: November 19th, 2023

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available on request.

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for Canada.

Please apply to only one posting, as this role is posted to multiple cities.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR.

• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A one-page letter of motivation
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional)

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.

IISD has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that requires employees who are required or choose to be at an office or participate in in-person team events or in-person meetings/events to be fully vaccinated. Anyone unable to be fully vaccinated, either because of a sincerely held religious belief or a medical condition or disability that prevents them from being fully vaccinated, can request a reasonable accommodation.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. Preference will be given to the equity-deserving groups during the hiring process. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants' advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Keywords

Communications OfficerTracking ProgressIISDnature-based solutionsclimate adaptationgender equalitybiodiversity protectionEthiopiaRwandaSenegalSouth AfricaFrench proficiencyvideo productioncommunity workshopspress releasesmedia monitoringcontent management systemsDrupalWordPressarticlesblog postsinfographicsvideosjournalismpublic relationsorganizational communicationsthink tanksresearch-intensive organizationsinternational developmentsustainable developmentGlobal SouthFrancophone communitiescommunication planningstrategyclimate change adaptationcomputer literacyMicrosoft Office Suitemedia monitoring platformse-mail marketing systemswritingeditingphotographyvideo editingAdobe Creative SuiteInDesignPhotoshopPremiere ProEnglishFrench language skillsresults-focusedinterpersonal skillsproblem-solvingorganizational skillsattention to detail