Manager, Communications (Climate and Energy)

Manager, Communications and Marketing, Climate and Energy

Organization

Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization leading the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. Through powerful networks and advocacy, Ceres tackles the world’s biggest sustainability challenges, including climate change, water scarcity and pollution, and human rights abuses.  For more information about Ceres, please visit our website (www.ceres.org).

Description and Responsibilities

The Manager, Communications will be a highly-skilled and organized communications professional looking to join a fast-paced sustainability advocacy organization. This role supports the Ceres climate and energy team with developing and executing short and long-term communications strategies, including tactics that generate an uptake in earned media coverage on investor and corporate climate and clean energy leadership and action. This position will also help to elevate the voices of influential stakeholders, including companies, investors, and advocates, as well as Ceres’ own climate and clean energy and transportation experts through an array of traditional, digital and social vehicles and tactics.  Working closely with the Communications and Marketing team at Ceres, this position will be responsible for executing on both planned and rapid response communications work that is pivotal in expanding Ceres position as a climate thought leader in the U.S. and beyond. This position will also support the development of high-quality messaging, thought leadership news releases and columns (op-eds, blogs), industry newsletters and speaking remarks. This position will report to the Program Director, Climate and Energy with a dotted line to the Senior Department Director, Communications and Marketing. 

This is a full-time salaried position. It is preferable but not required to be based in our Boston office.

Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Develop and execute long-term communications plan for the Ceres climate and energy team, which works to transform the oil and gas, electric power, and transportation sectors.
• Implement communications plans to elevate Ceres’ Commit to Climate and Carbon Asset Risk initiatives and continue to amplify ambitious corporate climate commitments, investor engagements, and strong shareholder votes.
• Conduct targeted media relations and outreach to generate uptake in earned news coverage of Ceres experts/thought leadership as well as investor and company leadership and action.
• Identify, train, and deploy Ceres experts and investor and company media spokespeople to conduct on-the-record interviews, provide quotes and statements, author columns/op-eds and editorials, and participate in social media outreach.
• Work closely with communications and marketing department to develop media campaigns and toolkits for research reports and initiative rollouts, ensuring coordination internally and with external partners, and consistency in framing, messaging and design.
• Identify key communications priorities and moments, help ensure communications elements are coordinated and organized closely together with relevant initiatives, and integrate climate and energy communications plans with Ceres’ overall communications and marketing strategy and calendar.
• Support strategies for paid and unpaid media via columns/blogs and multimedia content to promote solutions-oriented stories, demonstrating the economic benefits (jobs, savings, etc.) of business and investment decisions that advance climate solutions.
• Develop, maintain, and expand relationships with external partner organizations and coalitions to coordinate and amplify impact and messaging.
• Identify and cultivate new strategic (paid and unpaid) media/social media partnerships.
• Support Ceres digital communications and marketing team with input on social media, eCommunity, annual report and other content needs to amplify impact and messaging on digital platforms.
• Ensure regular communications with investor and company media spokespeople and their communications staff, as well as with reporters and producers, to cultivate and maintain those relationships.
• Provide communications and marketing support as needed for key Ceres events (e.g. annual Ceres Conference, biennial Investor Summit, etc.)

Qualifications

• At least five years of experience in journalism, advocacy or business writing, strategic communications or marketing.
• Experience developing media relations strategies and working in fast-paced media environments.
• Very strong communications, research, fact-checking, messaging development, writing, and editing skills.
• Experience writing for media audiences including pitches, press releases, statements, columns/op-eds, etc.
• Experience in thought leadership report and column writing for an advocacy, investor and corporate, and news audience. Ability to tailor content for multiple audiences and formats.
• Knowledge of AP writing style guidelines and other best practices for editing and writing.
• Strong pitching and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated passion and knowledge of climate change, environmental justice issues, as well as interest in policy advocacy communications work.
• Ability to work quickly, and on deadline, and independently, with multiple experts across teams and on a variety of topics in a fast-paced writing environment.
• Adaptable to the writing needs of a changing digital media landscape and in growing an engaged, digital audience.
• Comfortable working with different personalities and people.
• Interest in being part of a diverse workforce and willingness to support Ceres’ Commitment to Inclusion and Equity
• Willingness to travel as needed to accomplish duties noted above
• Desire to work in a mission-driven and nonprofit environment.

How to Apply

We encourage all applicants to review our website to familiarize themselves with Ceres before applying: www.ceres.org.  If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit a resume, cover letter, two writing samples, and a list of three references, as well as complete the additional information as instructed.

Ceres is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against any individual based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, disability, or any factors prohibited by applicable law.