Senior Communications Manager

Audubon Delta (AD) is a regional field office of the National Audubon Society. AD manages Audubon's conservation and network priorities in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This geography includes 81 Important Bird Areas covering more than 16 million acres and over 42,000 Audubon members and supporters, many of whom belong to one of Audubon Delta's 21 local chapters.

Reporting to Audubon Delta’s Vice President and Executive Director, the Senior Communications Manager, Audubon Delta, is responsible for creating the region’s communication strategy, raising awareness, and building a constituency for Audubon Delta’s conservation priorities in the region including work on climate, coasts, and lower Mississippi river water issues. Primary responsibilities include leading the development of an integrated communications strategy that advances Audubon Delta’s conservation goals and day-to-day work implementing that strategy including writing blog posts, email alerts, press releases, and donor communications; developing media strategies and content for earned media; managing various social media accounts; creating an editorial calendar; and coordinating or creating communications outputs for the Delta team. They will also work closely with staff within the region, the Mississippi Flyway, and with partner and media organizations. The Regional Communications Manager will also engage in national priority communications as necessary and work with Audubon’s VP of Communications.

Priorities for the first year:

• Setting the Delta’s overall communication strategy including developing an editorial calendar and identifying metrics for tracking communication successes;
• Mentoring and coaching Audubon Delta’s conservation and science teams in producing impactful content that measurably influences conservation goals (e.g. increased engagement in action alerts, membership, social media engagement, local media coverage);
• Lead and support Audubon Delta’s policy and engagement staff in educating members and chapters via monthly newsletters, blogs, op-eds, and education materials as well as reporting on major advocacy initiatives;
• Working with Audubon’s Director of the Mississippi River Delta to better amplify communications around the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition and Audubon Delta’s role.

An active pursuit of racial equity is a moral and strategic imperative for Audubon. We are committed to becoming a workplace in which every employee feels valued, seen, and heard, and in which everyone has the opportunity to grow, thrive, and live their values. We know that a more diverse Audubon allows us to be more equitable and inclusive in how and where we work.

Compensation

• $80,000 to $85,000/year

• Generate and execute ideas for improving engagement, increasing membership, converting members to email list and donors, etc, and consult on using paid advertising and other tools, and potentially other channels
• Develop and build on strong relationships with state and regional reporters and media outlets (including print, digital, TV, radio) covering climate, coasts, lower Mississippi water issues, and the environment.
• Develop advocacy driven communication campaigns with measurable goals and outcomes for Delta region priorities.
• Develop message frameworks and talking points for key initiatives, strategic priorities, fundraising, and events.
• Support field staff in the amplification and promotion of legislative activities; leverage key moments like agency announcements, hearings, markups, floor votes to advance communications goals; and work closely with media outlets covering climate policy to create news moments and shape larger news narratives around policy priorities.
• Draw upon a variety of communication tools to produce content, including designing and producing written, audio, visual, and multimedia content and stories.
• Draft press releases, editorials, media pitches, holding statements and talking points that publicize and support Audubon Delta’s mission and goals.
• Ghost write Op-eds and blogs for leadership team.
• Synthesize national statements, policy and program materials to develop story angles for Audubon Delta and pitches for local media.
• Manage projects and campaigns on time and on budget.
• Write, edit and distribute news releases and statements from Audubon Delta leaders.
• Craft personalized pitches for reporters, editors, and producers.
• Land high-quality media coverage at national, regional, and local levels across all types of media.
• Ensure the consistency of brand standards and integrated messaging around our mission, vision, and values with all audiences and communities.
• Work in partnership with national, regional, and state staff to manage the organization’s website, social media strategy, and content.
• Manage and coordinate marketing and promotion for organization events in partnership with other staff members.
• Track communications goals and outcomes and prepare summaries of communications activities for funding reports.
• Analyze and document the effectiveness of all communications outputs.
• Cultivate relationships with communications field staff `the organization.
• Other job duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, marketing, or a closely related field and minimum of 7 year of field experience; an equivalent combination of education and experience also considered.
• Experience with a variety of communication tools to produce content including designing and producing written, audio, visual, and multimedia content and stories.
• Experience developing and implementing communication plans and strategies.
• Strong writing, editing and proofreading skills, with demonstrated experience writing articles for newsletters, marketing literature, social media, and public relations materials. Ability to write well, quickly, and under pressure.
• Digital communications – including social media engagement, website development/updating
• Experience pitching and developing strong relationships with traditional and new media; using online communications tools to enhance and amplify an organization’s core messages.
• Experience providing creative communications support, editing support, and strategy to multiple internal project teams simultaneously.
• Superior communication and interpersonal skills a must; ability to work with multiple stakeholder groups across a decentralized organization also necessary.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects on time and on budget.
• Ability to communicate complex and technical information clearly to various audiences.
• A high level of skill and comfort with technology, including experience with multiple computer and electronic communications and design software and platforms, such as MS Office, Drupal, Canva, and Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience designing, monitoring and evaluating tools for assessing the impact of communication services.
• A self-starter with a proactive approach to assignments, one with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, solve problems with limited supervision, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated personal and professional commitment to and experience in advancing equity diversity, inclusion and belonging.
• A flexible approach to work, with a willingness to travel, as needed, and participate in programs occurring after typical business hours.
• Interest in environmental issues and conservation.