Communications Director

Washington Conservation Action (WCA) seeks an experienced communications strategist to be our next Communications Director, a leadership position that oversees the brand, voice, and storytelling for the organization. The core responsibility of the Communications Director is to advance WCA’s mission and strengthen our brand by using a strategic mix of communications channels, tactics, and tools. This position manages a team of four and works in close collaboration with staff and coalition partners to advance our work for environmental progress, justice, and a strong democracy. The Communications Director reports to the Vice President of Programs and is a member of the Senior Management Team.

Washington Conservation Action is a statewide environmental advocacy organization advancing environmental policies and pushing for actions that equitably address climate pollution, restore Puget Sound, sustain our state’s forests, and protect our democracy. For Washington to remain a national leader on environmental issues, we need environmental champions in elected office and to hold them accountable on our issues. To keep our environment protected, healthy, and vibrant, we are committed to supporting Native candidates, candidates of color, and environmental leaders.

Washington Conservation Action is a 501(c4) nonprofit organization. Washington Conservation Action Education Fund is our 501(c3) nonprofit partner organization. Together, we advance a shared vision for Washington state where nature and people live in balance for the flourishing of all.

Washington Conservation Action is based in downtown Seattle. Our team of nearly 50 works in a flexible hybrid model, with staff in the office two days a week for collaboration, creativity, and celebration. All staff members have access to tools and systems to support hybrid work. We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and the opportunity to make a difference. We are committed to a diverse, socially just, and welcoming work environment. People of color, people with varying abilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. We continue to advance the application of a racial equity lens to our work. We are led by a CEO who is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon.

Responsibilities

The Director manages a team of four communications professionals in the development of content and strategic use of our tools and platforms in support of WCA’s work to champion progressive and equitable policy wins for environmental justice and elect environmental champions. The Communications Director is a mission critical role, ensuring culturally and linguistically appropriate communications that motivate action from our donors and a diverse, statewide network of activists.

Strategy and Collaboration (60%) 

• Develop and execute communications plans designed to advance the programmatic and organizational goals of the WCA Strategic Plan. This includes developing an overarching communications plan for the organization with sub-plans for specific programs, projects, and campaigns that make strategic use of our platforms, tools, and email lists to effectively mobilize our activists and donors.
• Build strong and healthy digital lists that engage our supporters in WCA’s work, both through activism and fundraising.
• Engage community partners, leaders from overburdened communities, and Tribal Nations to define strategies for culturally and linguistically appropriate communications in the organizational communications plans.
• Work collaboratively across the organization to develop and execute communications plans that support programmatic priorities, public engagement, and fundraising. This also includes supporting the CEO with speech writing for events.
• Work collaboratively with partner organizations on shared campaigns, messaging, and narrative shifting that supports the forward progress of our movement.
• Lead internal communications to build staff and board understanding of organizational priorities and promote common understanding of racial equity and environmental justice.

Media Relations (15%) 

• Develop and implement a strong media relations strategy that raises the profile of WCA’s brand and grows awareness of our work in state and national media markets.
• Collaborate with communications and program staff to build and cultivate relationships with key media outlets to secure earned media coverage in order to ensure the organization’s media presence, visibility and credibility.
• Program and Organizational Management (20%)
• Supervise a team of four communications staff.
• Actively manage requests for communications staff time with an eye on cross-team collaboration and communications team capacity. Provide timely updates on projects and help set prioritization expectations in order to ensure high quality communications materials to help the org achieve its mission.
• Serve on the Senior Management Team to provide key strategic insight and contribute to the guidance of the organization.

Administrative

• Adhere to organizational administrative procedures such as timely submission of reimbursements, entering time tracking in Rippling HRIS, travel planning, and submitting credit card receipts from the organization’s credit card within 48 hours of the charge.
• Assist with organizational fundraising, which might include attending events, promoting to your networks, assistance prior to and during events as needed.
• Active participation in a racial equity team.

Required Skills

• Six or more years of relevant leadership experience including supervision of staff plus defining and implementing comprehensive communication plans for organizations or electoral campaigns/elected offices.
• Commitment to environmental protection and principles of Tribal sovereignty and racial, social, and economic justice. Demonstrated application of racial equity frameworks and practices.
• Strong written communication, speech writing, and public speaking skills.
• Strong people management experience overseeing direct reports in a team setting, evaluating and supporting performance with a genuine desire to coach and mentor. Experience providing direct supervisor support in a unionized environment is helpful but not required.
• Experience in successful program planning, implementation, and funding, including budget management and operationalizing strategies to achieve priorities and goals.
• Excellent project management and time management skills.
• Experience working collaboratively with other teams within an organization, demonstrating an ability to communicate effectively to ensure a successful project outcome.
• Experience working collaboratively on complex campaigns and building relationships effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures.
• Enthusiasm for WCA’s mission and a heartfelt connection to the natural beauty, abundance, and diversity of the Pacific Northwest, its people, cultures, and environments.
• Comfort, familiarity, and/or ability to learn and utilize a variety of computer applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google suite, Slack, WordPress) as well as project management systems (e.g., Asana), social media tools (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, and Threads), and customer relationship management systems (e.g., Salesforce).
• A commitment to an ongoing anti-racist learning journey, both personally and professionally.
• Lives in Washington state or is willing to move to Washington state at their own expense.
• An ability to travel to different parts of Washington as needed, up to 15% of your work time. You will be reimbursed for approved travel costs, including mileage, food, and lodging if needed.

Desirable Skills

• Understanding of social media analytic tools.
• Demonstrable experience defining strategies for list growth.

Location Information

This position is hybrid (minimum of 40% in the Seattle office) but we will consider an option for being fully remote for those located within Washington State, but outside of mass transit options to our Seattle office. This job will involve occasional travel to in-person meetings and staff gatherings.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

This job requires frequent sitting. Must be able to conduct business in English, though fluency in other languages is welcomed. For remote work, employees must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work during scheduled work hours. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with different abilities to perform functions essential to the duties of the position.

COVID-19

The organization meets all the requirements of local health authorities. We work in a hybrid remote work model with staff working from home in addition to in-office time for collaboration and celebration. We maintain strict safety protocols while in our office. All staff who come to the office must be fully immunized against COVID-19.