The Associate Director of Communications for Global Food Systems designs, implements, and manages communication strategies and plans that showcase TNC’s food systems projects, programs, and partners. The Associate Director will identify and leverage opportunities for strategic communications to core change-agent audiences related to transforming food systems, including terrestrial agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and TNC’s emerging foodscapes portfolio. The communications strategies and tactics will elevate a cohesive presence for TNC’s science, solutions and on-the-ground implementation aimed at catalyzing a food system transformation that can create a more sustainable world for people and nature. The Associate Director works directly with global communications colleagues and members of the wider Global Marketing and Communications division, and collaborates with TNC executives, scientists and project leaders from other parts of the organization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Associate Communications Director, Global Food Systems is an experienced strategic communications professional who will showcase TNC’s work in food systems by working closely with multiple partner organizations and communities, and by developing and coordinating communications plans and materials.

The Associate Director will build a program that works with TNC conservation colleagues to promote the science, tools and solutions, ensuring they are targeting a decision-maker audience of policy-makers, corporations and investors to ultimately drive conservation outcomes. They will lead and implement the following communications activities: thought leadership content and promotions, earned media, digital campaigns and social media, communications in support of events, and partner and stakeholder communications coordination. They will establish project goals and metrics, develop project plans, budgets and schedules with input and buy-in from key stakeholders and team members, and will lead the project teams to successfully achieve those goals in the most compelling and cost-effective manner possible. The Associate Director will have excellent writing and editing skills, project management experience and the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously. The position would benefit from external communications contacts on a global level within the nature, food production and food system communities.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Development and execution of communication activities and strategic communications campaigns related to TNC’s work within the global food system, raising the profile of TNC’s food systems work to key global change-maker audiences
• Writing and production of a variety of content, including central messaging, social media, blogs, talking points, case studies, and presentations
• Close collaboration with internal teams and external partners to identify synergies and opportunities for collaboration and develop ambitious, coherent plans for global events, such as UN COPs, that support broader policy and communications goals
• Work closely with the Global Media Relations team to identify journalists to cultivate and opportunities to pitch stories on tangible solutions and signs of progress in TNC’s work on food system transformation
• Exercise judgment to identify and solve complex problems; determining scope of work through consultation rather than by directives of superiors;
• Design and manage multiple projects, including directing work of peers, staff, partners and agencies, managing budget, setting deadlines, and ensuring accountability;
• Design, plan and/or assist with new initiatives that will ensure department and organization-wide goals and strategies are achieved;
• Operate well in a team, efficiently and effectively across a matrixed organization and exhibits excellent judgement in managing projects, decisions and people.
• Travel less than 25%; may be on short notice; working flexible hours as needed.