Communications Director

WildEarth Guardians

Position Announcement

Scion Executive Search (www.scionexecutivesearch.com) has been retained to conduct a search for one of the most impactful conservation organizations in our country: WildEarth Guardians. Our client is hiring a new Communications  Director. This full-time position is for immediate hire and can be based in any of the following locations: Denver, CO., Portland, OR., Seattle, WA., Missoula, MT. and Tucson, AZ.

About WildEarth Guardians:

WildEarth Guardians is a west-wide nonprofit environmental advocacy organization headquartered in Santa Fe, NM with offices in Denver, CO, Missoula, MT, Boise, ID, Seattle, WA, Tucson, AZ, and Portland, OR. With a 30-year history of bold environmental action, the organization wages innovative legal, political, and grassroots campaigns to protect and restore wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and community health in the American West.

Position Summary:

Are you a Guardian for public lands, waters, and the wildlife that rely on those lands and waters? Are you a great visual, verbal and written communicator who wants to lead a team that can create compelling communications? Do you have a passion for all things environmental that you want to proclaim from a rooftop, a short film, news release, or even, with a tweet? Do you possess a special magic that can move varied audiences (elected officials, our membership, the media) to connect to the important work of WildEarth Guardians? If so, this leadership position may be for you!

WildEarth Guardians seeks a Communications Director who will play an integral role in elevating the organization’s profile through the use of both innovative and conventional communications strategies and tactics. A qualified candidate must have the knowledge and skills in values-based story-telling, paired with a commitment to the Guardians’ statement on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. A successful candidate will demonstrate proven skills as a strategic thinker and communicator, in a progressive-minded organization.

The Communications Director will be responsible for leading Guardians’ overall marketing, branding, and media strategy, while managing the daily urgency of the news cycle. Guardians and the staff already engage in substantial communications work. The Communications Director will be critical for enhancing the quality and impact of this work to ensure greater success toward meeting organizational goals.

The Communications Director will inspire, manage and strategically advise and supervise a staff of 2 people and will soon be responsible for hiring a third staffer. The Communications Director role is supervised by the Executive Director.

Principal Responsibilities:

The Communications Director will:

• Help to create and communicate the organization’s messages while ensuring brand consistency.
• Collaborate with other organizational staff to produce high-impact communications that influence the social and political narrative about the important national, regional, and local issues in which they are engaged.

Communications and Organizational Leadership:

•  Works with program, fundraising, and communications staff to generate online content and develop innovative communications.
• Executes an aggressive, creative and integrated earned media strategy working primarily with program and campaign staff.
• Develops visionary and creative approaches to communications that include, but are not limited to, film, radio, print and social media, in order to market the organization to policy makers, thought leaders and prospective donors.
•  Creates metrics to evaluate, and evolve existing communications, and manage execution of communications to create momentum and awareness.
• The Director guides and coordinates with program leaders to create communications that fulfill their project goals while building overall brand awareness.
• Ensures that all program, fundraising, and communications materials present a consistent and cohesive brand, while managing competing priorities.

Staff Management:

•  Directly supervise the communications team, create a culture of teamwork, support, and professional development.
• Collaboratively manages and directs staff in order to achieve the organization’s strategic goals.

Digital Advocacy:

• The Communications Director is responsible for overseeing the organization’s digital strategy in order to contribute to the success of campaigns.
• Decides the best platforms, timing, and methods to disseminate new creative material.
•  Mentors and leads team members and is responsible for e-platform administration, execution, and coordination.
•  Coordinates e-platform maintenance—ensure that new information (article links, stories, and events) is posted regularly. 
• Evaluates current platforms for efficacy and coordinates with Associate Director to potentially migrate to a different Donor Management Systems.
• Develops and maintains a system to respond to inputs and sends high quality and accurate e-communications appropriately.

Print Communications:

• Creatively imagines, coordinates and manages the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print collateral including, but not limited to: newsletters, brochures, annual reports, fact sheets etc.

Fundraising:

•  Assists with organizational fundraising efforts as needed.

Qualifications, Knowledge & Skills:

• A strong track record as an exceptional communicator and implementer who thrives on managing a variety of key initiatives concurrently.
•  Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Communications/Media/Marketing/ Writing/Advertising or related field.
• Five+ years of experience in a similar communications, marketing or creative director role, managing all main aspects of the communication processes.
• Experience managing a small team is necessary.
• Experience in designing and implementing strategic communications plans for organizing advocacy campaigns.
• Exceptional writing, editing and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Mac-based word-processing tools and google analytics.
• Proficiency and know-how in connecting with local and national media.
• Knowledge of conservation issues in the American West.
• Strong computer operating skills, including videoconferencing for virtual team meetings.
• Versatility with social media strategy, google analytics and digital best practices.
• Comfort using social media platforms: (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. 
• Some national travel is required.

Compensation and Benefits:

This impactful role offers the opportunity to work with devoted, mission-driven professionals. WildEarth Guardians offers a competitive starting annual base salary of $85,000 to $100,000 (dependent on experience), a friendly and flexible team-based environment with an excellent benefits package. You will have flexibility to select benefits based on your personal preferences, your family situation, and/or your financial objectives.

Benefits include full health, vision, dental, life, and disability coverage, a 403(b)retirement plan with a 3% match, paid and un-paid health and family leave, a sabbatical policy, sick leave, three weeks paid vacation to start, and fourteen holidays including your birthday.

How to Apply:
For immediate consideration, please email your resume and a cover letter describing your professional background, qualifications and affirmation of the salary range offered above to the attention of Ana D’Amore, Executive Recruiter, at adparse@scionstaffing.com.

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

About Our Firm:

Scion Executive Search, a division of Scion Staffing, Inc., is a retained executive search firm connecting executive nonprofit leadership to nonprofit organizations and foundations across the country. Cultivated in the nonprofit sector, we provide expert search strategies and leadership for leading organizations around the world. Our executive candidates are true agents for change, and we are experts at matching their talents, motivations, and passions to your organization’s mission. Scion Executive Search has led thousands of successful executive searches. Information about our firm and successes can be found online at www.scionstaffing.com.

Scion Staffing, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and service provider committed to not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, political affiliation or belief. We are committed to the principles of Equal Opportunity Employment and are dedicated to making employment decisions based on merit and value, for ourselves, our client companies, and for the candidates we represent.