Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment. Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, Tallahassee, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, Bozeman, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

In addition to a talented cadre of environmental lawyers and legislative advocates, Earthjustice has an amazing communications department that works in partnership with every other department at the organization. The team is looking for a Regional Communications Strategist dedicated to supporting our Florida legal and policy team, which is based in Miami and Tallahassee, as well as our Oceans Program. The Regional Communications Strategist works closely with our Florida Managing Attorney and develops and implements strategic communications for the Southeast region—including dynamic storytelling, media, and public outreach—to support priority litigation and legislative advocacy in our docket and to help build Earthjustice’s profile.

Our Florida work covers such wide-ranging issues as protecting our waterways, promoting clean energy, and fighting environmental injustices. Our Oceans team works to end overfishing; safeguard imperiled marine life from pollution, degradation caused by climate change, and other threats; and prevent expansion of offshore drilling.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Coordination (30%):

• Partners with key attorneys and policy staff to craft and implement communications strategy and messaging for Earthjustice’s Florida and Oceans work.
• Manages a freelance media contractor for general press assistance.
• Coordinates with national and regional communications strategists on shared marquee environmental issues at Earthjustice, adopting consistent organizational framing within the lens of our Florida and Oceans work.
• Works with partners and clients in developing coalition strategy and advocacy tactics. Identifies potential partnerships with other local organizations to amplify key issues.
• Develops strategy documents, timelines, budgets, and metrics to determine campaign effectiveness, ensure accountability, and inform future strategy.

Media Relations (45%):

• Drafts press content and pitches Earthjustice’s Florida and Oceans work to print, television, radio and online media outlets.
• Oversees drafting and coordination of rapid response messaging to breaking news and developments.
• Builds relationships between journalists and key Earthjustice spokespeople; researches reporters’ beats and interests; builds and maintains press lists.
• Works with media trainers to hone interview skills of Earthjustice staff; preps spokespeople for priority media interviews; coordinates press events and other earned media opportunities.

Content Creation & Branding (25%):

• Develops innovative ways to tell the stories of our Florida and Oceans work; drafts compelling content for the Earthjustice blog, social media, website and print materials.
• Partners with national and regional communications strategists and colleagues in Brand Communications on major storytelling initiatives for shared marquee issues; partners with marketing staff in Development and Communications to identify and develop stories for regional fundraising and marketing purposes.

*Supervisory Responsibilities: managing regional press and campaign contractors.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, political science, literature, rhetoric, communications, or environmental fields required. Master’s degree desirable but not necessary.
• Strong background in social justice movements, politics, or community organizing a plus.
• 7+ years in communications or journalism, with an emphasis in environmental/nonprofit/advocacy projects.
• Media savvy, with great depth of experience in successfully placing stories, opinion pieces, and narratives, with a history of influencing conversations unfolding in the media. Must be social media savvy as well. Experience in Florida media markets is a plus.
• An independent self-starter who can own our Florida and Oceans communications work and coordinate multiple projects with a large legal team. Must be adept at rapid response communications work and juggling competing deadlines.
• Excellent communications strategic sense and an ability to set goals and priorities, managing limited resources for maximum impact.
• Experience working on environmental or social justice issues such as toxic air pollution, transportation issues, wildlife protections, fossil fuels, pesticides, or environmental justice.
• Experience working with diverse coalitions, integrating online communications with offline organizing.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; able to mobilize supporters through powerful, creative narratives and storytelling.
• Ability to lead staff and vendors in a team environment and exhibit strong team building/participation skills.
• Demonstrates an awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations.
• Contributes to the creation of a diverse, equitable and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
• Spanish-language proficiency a plus.

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.