Full-Time Communications Organizer or Lead Position
Job Description
Fossil Free California is hiring a full-time Communications Organizer or Communications Lead (senior position). The successful candidate will work with three other Fossil Free California staff and our many coalition partners to help generate press coverage and online engagement for our California pension divestment campaign. That means facilitating and working closely with volunteers in our pension divestment campaign teams, collaborating with staff, allies and volunteers on our communications strategy, creating social media content, editing mass email communications, and responding to rapid response moments and cultivating connections with key journalists utilizing FFCA and Stand.earth’s established contacts, especially climate, environment and progressive reporters. We are looking for someone who can tell the big picture stories and work with a diverse set of volunteers and coalition partners to bring those stories to life. Our ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker, a passionate communications and digital campaigner, a team player, and a talented writer.
About Us
Fossil Free California runs grassroots campaigns targeting the largest pension funds in the U.S., both based in California – CalSTRS (California State Teachers Retirement System) and CalPERS (California Public Employees Retirement System). In addition, FFCA supports key California climate justice campaigns to phase out fossil fuels and mitigate their damaging effects. In 2023, FFCA is ramping up its pressure on the state pensions to divest through legislation, expanded union engagement, and mass grassroots mobilization.
We operate with a collaborative model where volunteer-led teams are supported by a limited staff to carry out campaign goals. We often work in partnership with allied groups, ranging from youth climate organizations to large nonprofits. This position works closely with three other staff members–the Executive Director and Campaigns Organizers – as well as with the volunteer teams.
About You
You’re a flexible and personable self-starter with excellent interpersonal, storytelling, and digital communication skills and a positive “can-do” attitude. You’re passionate about climate justice, and excited about working with a team of committed volunteers and experienced campaigners on a variety of projects. You’re energized by working with a multi-generational group of people with diverse professional backgrounds and personal experience. You’re eager to engage grassroots organizing, finance, and coalition-building as high-leverage ways to address the climate crisis, and to create a just transition to a low-carbon economy. You are a quick study, with excellent attention to detail, a positive attitude, and the ability to work well with a wide range of people. You know how to take initiative, how to ask for help when you need it, and how to follow through to ensure that tasks don’t fall through the cracks.
Responsibilities (Organizer Position)
- Craft and disseminate compelling communications content — press releases, blogs, and op-eds
- Elevate frontline and Black, Indigenous, and people of color voices in our coalition and in the wider movement.
- Deepen media relations with editors, journalists, and outlets to cover and feature our content.
- Build relationships with coalition partners and volunteers; partnering with them on comms content.
- Collaborate on rapid response communications for the coalition, responding to developments in the press around divestment and relevant California environmental moments
- Develop digital content for social media, website and the FFCA email list
- Update the organization’s communications assets (videos, blog posts, website, photos, press lists, etc.)
- Secure assets from external sources, such as Creative Commons and allied organizations. Be informed of rights and limitations governing use of images and assets from external sources; be a leader at the organization for knowing which images may be shared and published under which circumstances.
- Promote and attending actions and events using EveryAction, WordPress, Zoom, and social media
- Design print assets such as leaflets, reports and graphics according to brand guidelines and printer specifications (can use Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign)
- Design digital assets such as banner images, social graphics and event promotional materials according to brand guidelines and specifications of each social or digital platform.
- Further improve the organization’s website to improve its accessibility and engagement/conversions in support of the campaigns
Required Skills & Qualifications (Organizer)
- Experience in communications work ideally in support of movement-building work
- Experience with environmental or social justice organizing
- Commitment to intersectional advocacy work on issues of race, class, gender, and disability inclusion.
- Commitment to continual personal growth in anti-racism, gender inclusion, and disability inclusion/accessibility including the willingness to receive and address criticism.
- A passion for climate justice, community, and empowering others to become activists
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills, with fluency in English. Ability to write for a variety of audiences and platforms.
- Excellent problem-solving skills.
- Highly organized, able to manage multiple projects at once without sacrificing quality.
- A resilient and flexible team player who is a fast learner, can handle a fast-paced, high-pressure, highly collaborative team culture.
- Efficient time and workload management skills.
- Enthusiasm to learn and willingness to take on new and varied tasks
Desired Skills & Qualifications (Organizer)
- Experience working with or in unions
- Experience working with volunteers in collaborative spaces
- Experience working with or as a journalist
- An understanding of issues around climate finance and divestment as a climate justice issue
- Connections to progressive political spaces, including volunteer & professional networks.
- Connections with journalists in the climate, finance, and communications space.
- Proven ability to maintain a healthy work/life balance in fast-paced, high pressure working environments.
- Facility with digital tools such as: EveryAction (or similar CRMs), Hootsuite (or similar social management tools), Google Suite, Slack, WordPress (or other front-end website development)
- Proficiency in Spanish or any other language spoken by a density of people in California such as Cantonese, Mandarin, or Tagalog, is a bonus
Responsibilities (Lead)
- Further develop the communications strategy in conversation with pension beneficiaries, coalition partners, and FFCA staff
- Lead on media relations with editors, journalists, and outlets to cover and feature our content.
- Craft and disseminate compelling communications content — press releases, blogs, and op-eds
- Elevate frontline and Black, Indigenous, and people of color voices in our coalition and in the wider movement.
- Build relationships with coalition partners and volunteers; partnering with them on comms content.
- Lead rapid response communications for the coalition, responding to developments in the press around divestment and relevant California environmental moments
- Develop digital content for social media, website and the FFCA email list
- Coordinating and maintaining the organization’s communications assets (videos, blog posts, website, photos, press lists, etc.)
- Secure assets from external sources, such as Creative Commons and allied organizations. Be informed of rights and limitations governing use of images and assets from external sources; be a leader at the organization for knowing which images may be shared and published under which circumstances.
- Promoting and attending actions and events using EveryAction, WordPress, Zoom, and social media
- Designing print assets such as leaflets, reports and graphics according to brand guidelines and printer specifications (can use Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign)
- Designing digital assets such as banner images, social graphics and event promotional materials according to brand guidelines and specifications of each social or digital platform.
- Further improve the organization’s website to improve its accessibility and engagement/conversions in support of the campaigns
Required Skills & Qualifications (Lead)
- 5+ years of experience in communications work in support of movement-building work
- 2+ years of experience with environmental or social justice organizing
- Commitment to intersectional advocacy work on issues of race, class, gender, and disability inclusion.
- Commitment to continual personal growth in anti-racism, gender inclusion, and disability inclusion/accessibility including the willingness to receive and address criticism.
- A passion for climate justice, community, and empowering others to become activists
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills, with fluency in English. Ability to write for a variety of audiences and platforms.
- Strategic campaign development expertise and excellent problem-solving skills.
- Highly organized, able to manage multiple projects at once without sacrificing quality.
- A resilient and flexible team player who is a fast learner, can handle a fast-paced, high-pressure, highly collaborative team culture.
- Efficient time and workload management skills.
- Enthusiasm to learn and willingness to take on new and varied tasks
Desired Skills & Qualifications (Lead)
- Experience working with or in unions
- Experience working with volunteers in collaborative spaces
- Experience working with or as a journalist
- An understanding of issues around climate finance and divestment as a climate justice issue
- Connections to progressive political spaces, including volunteer & professional networks.
- Connections with journalists in the climate, finance, and communications space.
- Proven ability to maintain a healthy work/life balance in fast-paced, high pressure working environments.
- Facility with digital tools such as: EveryAction (or similar CRMs), Hootsuite (or similar social management tools), Google Suite, Slack, WordPress (or other front-end website development)
- Proficiency in Spanish or any other language spoken by a density of people in California such as Cantonese, Mandarin, or Tagalog, is a bonus
Everyone Welcome:
Fossil Free California is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
Please send a resume, cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position, and a link to a LinkedIn profile (if you have one) to [email protected], with “Communications Organizer” in the subject line. Please include your pronouns and where you found the job. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
How to Apply
Please send a resume, cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position, and a link to a LinkedIn profile (if you have one) to [email protected], with “Communications Organizer” in the subject line. Please include your pronouns and where you found the job. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Application Deadline: rolling until filled
Compensation: $60,000-$65,000 + full health benefits (Organizer) or $70,000-$75,000 + full health benefits (Lead)
Location: Must be in California; Remote – with some in-person events
Apply for this Job
Featured Employers
