The Public affairs and Communications Officer provides strategic guidance to their respective program hub such as public engagement and advocacy, government relations, earned media relations, and paid media. They will contribute content to Earthjustice’s website, quarterly magazine, digital engagement channels and cultivate external partnerships to support organizational policy goals. They will work in coordination with coalitions and may work to help strengthen and develop them.

This role can be based in Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, or New York, NY (preferred), with remote option available.

Responsibilities: 

Strategy & Coordination (50%)

• Works with the Vice President of Litigation of Lands Wildlife and Oceans and key program and policy staff including the Legislative Director of Lands Wildlife and Oceans to oversee and implement strategic communications on the Earthjustice’s top tier priorities.
• Manages and works with public affairs strategists, partners, and clients in developing coalition strategy and advocacy tactics including public outreach, government relations and media relations. Manages the Lands Wildlife and Oceans program hub comprised of media relations specialists and Public Affairs and Communications Strategists to ensure coverage of Earthjustice work in target media and engage partners and stakeholders to popularize policy goals with the public and influence decision-makers to achieve outcomes. Coordinates public outreach with other non-profit, public health, and community groups as needed; identifies potential partnerships with other local and national organizations to amplify key issues.
• Looks for new opportunities to reach out to the public to generate awareness of Earthjustice and support for our policy goals; works to build profile of Earthjustice among key brand target audiences, including partnering with marketing staff in Communications and Development in strategy development for major marketing and fundraising initiatives.
• Uses market research/polls and contracts or conducts focus groups/quantitative studies to help determine message strategies and to target optimal audiences efficiently for program outreach.

Content Creation and Branding (20%)

• Drives storytelling and advocacy projects involving our clients and affected communities and consistently seeks out new and compelling ways to tell and amplify these stories.
• Drafts content for the Earthjustice blog, website, and print materials. Develops internal message guidance for colleagues. Reviews, edits, and approves content and materials developed by Public Affairs and Communications team members to ensure it adheres to brand standards and furthers strategic communications goals for the Lands, Wildlife and Oceans program.
• Maintains close fidelity to organizational branding requirements and serves as an advisor to colleagues throughout the Communications department and organization on ensuring messages are on-brand and further institutional goals.

Management & Administration (30%)

• Manages staff and contractors, (3-6) including media relations specialists and public affairs and communications strategists.
• Helps create special projects, determining project management roles, budget, tracking, measurements of success, and reporting.
• Develops and advises on strategy documents, timelines, manages budgets, and oversees tracking of communications plans and tactics to determine effectiveness, ensure accountability, and inform future strategy. Sets achievable measurements of success for top priority issues and strives to meet these goals.
• Participates in organizational training and professional development opportunities
• Recruits and hires qualified candidates who fit position requirements and the work environment.
• Promotes change in terms of the expected benefits, as well as removing or lowering the impact of potential obstacles.
• Sets clear team direction that aligns with Earthjustice strategy, mission, and vision.
• Develops staff by identifying and encouraging training and professional development opportunities appropriate to role and creating development plans for all staff.
• Provides staff with consistent performance feedback – both positive and constructive — and acts as a coach and mentor.
• Creates a learning culture, by encouraging debriefing after completion of significant stages of projects.
• Ensures that any direct reports who have supervisory responsibility are properly executing those functions.
• Creates a respectful and inclusive work environment for team and models respectful and inclusive behavior.
• Promptly addresses micro-aggressions and other concerns brought to their attention.
• Resolves interpersonal conflict among team members and brings in outside facilitators as needed.
• Communicates regularly with existing employees and encourages staff to raise concerns and to provide ongoing feedback.
• Creates or identifies strategic opportunities for team building and individual and overall staff engagement with one another in order to strengthen teamwork, interaction and collaboration.
• Values and uses individual differences and talents to improve employee satisfaction and the quality of collective work.
• Celebrates successes and helps team members to understand and manage setbacks.