Senior Communications Director, People & Nature

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 1,000 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

Senior Communications Director, People & Nature

Location:  Any EDF office, US Remote

Our People and Nature Impact area deploys science, economics, policy, advocacy and communications to create bold new solutions to strengthen the ability of people and nature to thrive. Together, we’re focused on delivering game-changing solutions that include climate-smart agriculture, transformative water usage, sustainable fishing practices, coastal resilience, natural climate solutions and food security. Our work is global, covering more than 12 countries and regions and our solutions always put people at the center of everything we do – ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion and environmental justice are central to our work.

Program Overview

EDF’s Natural Climate Solutions Initiative is a global initiative and matrixed team whose goals rise to the level of the enormity of the climate crisis. This initiative takes a systems-change approach that harnesses EDF’s unique capabilities in science, economics, policy, corporate partnerships and market design to bring forward catalytic solutions that, by 2030, will result in critical global-scale contributions to halting destruction and degradation of forest, peatlands, coastal and other natural systems. At the same time, we will rapidly grow natural carbon accumulation through sustainable management and restoration. The scope of this work is global in nature, with near-term priorities on tropical forests and emerging priorities on temperate and blue carbon systems, amongst others.

Overall Function

The Senior Communications Director, People & Nature, is responsible for spearheading the development and implementation of a global communications strategy that achieves our goals and establishes our experts as thought leaders. This role covers two key initiatives – Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) and Climate Resilience Coasts and Watersheds (CRCW) - and works closely with the other People & Nature team initiatives in a highly collaborative and matrixed organization. The Senior Director oversees all functions of communications for these integrated initiatives, including earned, owned and paid media; digital content on edf.org and blogs; thought-leadership activities; policy campaign support; and message/story development.

This position will have a majority focus on standing up our NCS initiative by managing all external and internal communications as well as overseeing communications for the Tropical Forest Credit Integrity group, a coalition of eight environmental and Indigenous Peoples NGOs engaged in a collaborative process to identify and promote the hallmarks of high-quality tropical forest carbon credits.

The Senior Director reports to EDF's AVP of Communications, acts as a leader of the P&N Communications team, and collaborates extensively with the NCS and CRCW leadership as well as other relevant communication and mission colleagues as part of a matrixed implementation approach. This position requires an understanding of and keen interest in conservation issues and carbon markets, and knowledge of key stakeholders in the global dialogue. The incumbent will have extraordinary flexibility to organize and manage multiple projects at once across distributed teams in the U.S., Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Europe.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and creative thinker and a deft manager with a proven ability to use narrative storytelling to focus target audiences’ attention on nuanced messages and to develop and execute on communications strategies that influence decision-makers, motivate action and produce results. They distill complex policy, science and economic issues into simple, accurate and compelling narratives that advance our thought leadership.

Key responsibilities

• Advises senior leaders on the most effective global communications strategies, messages and tactics – both in real-time and in long-range planning discussions – to ensure message coherence and discipline is maximized as an advocacy tool in achieving goals; provides strategic communications counsel to EDF’s NCS and CRCW management teams.
• Develops, implements and oversees communications strategies and tactics that advance the key initiatives’ goals through earned media outreach, social media, digital communications, paid media, collateral development and stakeholder engagement.
• Oversees development, execution and coordination of all NCS communications strategies and campaigns across the EDF matrix to maximize impact and cost efficiencies; serve as communications liaison for NCS Global Initiative Strategy Team.
• Serves as communications point person for all EDF activities related tropical forests, temperate forests, blue carbon, agricultural soils and other pathways.
• Manage and mentor the communications team and continually build team skills through training, workshops, and professional development in order to bring the latest skillset and knowledge to achieve strong communications results.
• Provides expert analysis and advice on bringing complex science stories to life for a variety of audiences across a range of geographies.
• Develops and manages relationships with external communications leads at other NGOs receiving BEF NCS funds to ensure cross-pollination of ideas and strategies.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with targeted journalists; drives positive media coverage of the initiative’s work in top-tier, regional and trade outlets and helps position carbon credits as a necessary part of the climate solutions toolkit.
• Works closely with EDF experts to stay abreast of changes in objectives, strategies and communications needs; closely coordinate with other communications colleagues across EDF to ensure alignment and cross-pollination of ideas, strategies and messaging.
• Directs PR/communications agency support, including developing RFPs, assessing agency expertise, and managing agency teams for excellent results, including setting objectives and tracking results.
• Plans and execute events such as press conferences, announcements, speeches and in-person meetings with media and other influential stakeholders; prepare program staff for media opportunities as needed.
• Participates in advancing EDF DEI goals 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.
• Ensures strong project management systems are in place and actively used by the communications teams to create efficiency and accountability.
• Tracks emerging opportunities and best practices in the communications field in order to increase engagement opportunities.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12 years' marketing/communications experience, preferably in a political or issue advocacy context, environmental media experience is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in a related field preferred.
• Proven experience in the natural climate solutions or nature based solutions communications arena, particularly as it relates to carbon credits and project financing using JREDD+ approaches.
• Demonstrated strategic thinker with ability to leveraging communications as a tool for driving greater impact.
• Track record of success leading communications for an advocacy campaign.
• Experience using social science research and message testing to inform communications and outreach strategies that can strengthen overall strategy and goals.
• Experience working in a matrixed organization with multiple internal/external stakeholders and teams and consultants spanning the globe.
• Strong team management and mentoring skills.
• Superb marketing strategy, writing, editing, presentation and communications skills.
• Experience pitching and developing strong relationships with top-tier media; familiarity with environmental media strongly preferred.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds
• Demonstrated success executing strategic communications campaigns that have influenced policymakers and the private sector
• Experience managing a budget and participating/leading strategic planning processes
• Strong preference for fluency in at least one additional language of strategic priority for EDF’s NCS program with preference for Portuguese or Spanish

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 $145,000.00/Yr.

Maximum Salary

USD $155,000.00/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.