Communications Director

About Alaska Wilderness League

Alaska Wilderness League is the only nationally based conservation group devoted full-time to protecting the iconic public lands and waters in Alaska including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, and the Tongass National Forest. We are committed to promoting a narrative that elevates a broad spectrum of voices and values related to protecting public lands, including providing for a safer climate future; supporting the human rights of Indigenous peoples; advocating for the right to clean, thriving, and healthy land, water and wildlife for all; and, serving as a source of hope and inspiration for the country. We are also committed to promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace by deepening our understanding of the history of federal lands and waters in our country, by reimagining conservation as a tool for justice, and by advancing diversity and inclusion in the environmental community by transforming our hiring and recruitment practices for both staff and board.

You can learn more about Alaska Wilderness League’s mission, vision approach, and commitment to justice here. 

About the role - Communications Director 

The Communications Director manages and leads Alaska Wilderness League's campaign and organizational communications strategy, promotion, and branding to elevate the League’s campaigns and overall mission. The position requires leadership, strong interpersonal skills, commitment to JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion), strategic and analytical thinking, exceptional writing and communication skills, and a deep understanding of advocacy, including the sophisticated use of social media platforms. This position has the opportunity to work with a diversity of partners and colleagues within the League, nationally, and in Alaska, and to provide support and leadership to coalition partners, including tribal and indigenous led organizations and others working together toward a common vision for Alaska’s wild lands and waters.

Your responsibilities will include

Strategic Campaign Communications

• Collaborate with partner organizations to create national and local communications strategies. 
• Lead efforts to develop campaign messaging informed by public opinion research and analysis of target audiences, opposition research, and media coverage. 
• In coordination with Sr. Communications Manager, forge organizational relationships with opinion leaders, reporters, bloggers, and key media influencers. 
• Integrate justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion objectives into League’s communications work plans and strategic goals.

Management, Internal Planning

• Set the overarching League Communications strategy, including campaign and organizational messaging & ensure coordination of messaging among all staff and departments.
• Partner with Conservation Director, Legislative Director, and other leadership staff to ensure strategic communications are incorporated at early stages of program planning; and that resources are smartly deployed, and adjustments are made to meet fast-moving needs and priorities.
• Oversee the review, editing, and drafting of key press materials, op-eds, statements, message templates, blog, and social media posts.

League Promotion and Branding

• Oversee development of the League newsletter, writing and assigning articles, and collaborating with development and other program staff on content and execution.
• Work with Online Communications Director and Sr. Communications Manager to maintain compelling web content, blog posts, and use of imagery, as well as social media ads used to advance campaign goals and support activist engagement and partnerships with key constituencies.
• Orchestrate organizational branding efforts including refreshing our brand and website. 

Who You Are

• An Exceptional, Strategic Communicator. You have strong persuasive writing skills, including experience engaging journalists by identifying compelling narratives and messages and working with the right messengers for the media.
• Media Innovator. You can innovate new campaign tactics and approaches, with experience developing and executing on social media strategies across multiple platforms; and a strong track record of media pitching and placements.
• Leader. Experience with, project and people management and oversight: Demonstrated success managing staff; experience and the ability to motivate and guide staff with enthusiasm, leadership, accountability, and respect.
• An Effective Collaborator. You have a history of leading collaborative and strategic communications efforts as part of a broader coalition; You can easily gain trust from team members and are known for supporting them to ensure they are set up for success; leading with humility, and respect. 
• Mission-oriented. You believe in the mission of Alaska Wilderness League and are passionate about land conservation and advocacy, climate justice, and indigenous rights; You believe that effective and strategic communications are essential for furthering that work. 

The strongest candidates will also have some of the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Passion for land conservation and advocacy, climate justice, and indigenous rights.
• Understanding of the federal legislative process and/or nonprofit advocacy campaigns.

Compensation and Location

The League provides its employees with a competitive salary that is benchmarked annually with other nonprofits. The League also provides a comprehensive benefits package, including generous health insurance for individuals and competitive rates for families/dependents, 24 PTO days and all federal holidays, a 3% contribution to the 401K retirement plan, and a collegial environment that supports professional development, wellness, and flexible telecommuting options.

Compensation for this role starts at $85K and can increase based on the candidate’s level of experience. 

We are location agnostic when it comes to this hire. You are welcome to relocate to Washington DC, it's where our office is, but that is by no means an expectation. With team members across the US (EST to AKST) this will sometimes require working early mornings or late nights, to accommodate time differences.

The Application Process

The League has engaged Equitable Hiring Group to support this hiring process. To apply, please complete the short form to the right. 

Individuals who apply by Wednesday, February 2nd, will be given priority; therefore, we encourage you to submit yours soon!

When you apply, please remove the names of your undergraduate and graduate schools from your resume. There is no need to reformat your resume, but simplify it to “B.A. Economics,” for example. This “bias-free” process is aimed at opening this opportunity to more candidates, reviewing applicants on performance assessments instead of resume proxies (e.g., where you went to school). 

This evaluation process will follow best practices shown to reduce bias in decision making and may be different from other application processes you have experienced.

The overall evaluation process will look to follow this anticipated timeline:

• Early February: Selected candidates asked to complete short answer questions
• Mid-February: Video interview with League Staff
• Mid-February: Finalist candidates will be asked to complete a timed trial assignment
• Late February: Finalists will participate in a multi-team member group interview via video conference. (*due to COVID-19, we will be conducting all interviews via video for the near future) 
  • Candidate references will also be checked at this step
• Early March: Offer extended

If you have any questions about the opportunity, please feel free to email abe@equitablehiringgroup.com.

Salary : $85,000 - $90,000