Climate Nexus is a nonprofit strategic communications group dedicated to changing the conversation on climate change and clean energy solutions in the United States. Climate Nexus is seeking a Strategic Communications Director to join our Energy Transition team. This role will lead our clean transportation communications work, focused on the automotive, public transit, and maritime shipping sectors to advance a transition away from polluting and harmful sources of transportation toward a cleaner, more equitable transportation system in the U.S. 

Climate Nexus was created to be the behind-the-scenes connector to ensure coherent, effective climate communications and to elevate the work of a broad network of partners, including environmental justice allies, city and state leaders, technical experts, and more. Climate Nexus provides pro bono support to organizations that work on climate change and clean energy and believes the “story” of climate change is the foundation on which meaningful action is built. Our job is to tell that story to as many people as possible.  

Climate Nexus is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. We strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to apply, especially people from communities that have been historically underrepresented in the energy, climate, and environmental sectors. 

Why apply

The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Our strategic communications work aims to help accelerate the shift toward a just, clean transportation system that dismantles the fossil-fuel based transportation system which has caused significant harm to Black, Brown, and other historically marginalized communities in the U.S., and demonstrate the health, economic, and climate benefits of moving to electrified or zero emissions transportation. 

Who you are

You are committed to and embody Climate Nexus’ values, including strategic vision; accuracy with integrity; racial justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion; compassionate connection; and resilient service.

Role

The Director will lead Climate Nexus’ work on clean transportation, including carrying out a cohesive strategic communications program that reaches media, policymakers, and key constituencies to advance the transition to a cleaner, more resilient, and more equitable transportation sector. They will report to the Senior Director, Science and Energy and manage other team members working on transportation issues.

The role will be responsible for both holding the vision and leading execution of rapid response and proactive communications strategies that shape the conversation on clean transportation via media, digital marketing, and engagement with impacted communities, advocacy groups, and experts.

A successful candidate will have experience in strategic communications, especially narrative building, simplifying complex issues for lay audiences, media relations, opposition monitoring, and message development. They will have experience working on racial justice in a communications capacity, and have a demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships across Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. They will also have subject matter knowledge in clean transportation issues, and experience managing and leading small teams. 

This is a highly collaborative role – both internally and externally – and the candidate will be expected to work and communicate in a manner that builds trust. 

While we value work/life balance, due to the nature of news this role will sometimes require work outside traditional hours. 

Responsibilities:

• Workstream lead: Act as the organizational lead and expert on clean transportation; track technological, policy, and real-time events in the sector, as well as entrenched opposition arguments to clean transportation, and develop/seed new narratives based on that information
• Strategic partnership engagement: Lead relationship development with key advocates, impacted communities, and experts to gather information, cultivate spokespeople, and serve communications needs, with emphasis on a just transition and building trusted relationships with racially diverse and historically underserved communities
• Media strategy, relations, and outreach: Develop and lead execution of media strategies that build narratives about clean transportation; determine the news value of stories and new angles; craft media products (including statements, pitches, press releases); build and foster relationships with reporters and editors across national and trade outlets who cover the sector
• Rapid response: Monitor the landscape to identify potential news moments before they happen; mobilize team and partner responses; successfully help shape national conversation in real-time when blackouts happen and threats to grid reliability emerge 
• Message development: Develop messages that properly contextualize the issues at hand for use by the wider partner community and policymakers
• Team and project management: Manage the small but mighty clean transportation team to deliver complete products on time, work across multiple priorities and disciplines (including earned media, partnership management, digital marketing, and polling/message development) to ensure appropriate coordination; develop project-specific campaigns in line with broader workstream goals; track and evaluate success of the workstream
• Fundraising and grant reporting: Assist the Senior Director in identifying philanthropic fundraising opportunities and assist in grant writing and reporting

Required Attributes:

• At least 10 years of experience in strategic communications, including a variety of tactics (print/online media, broadcast, and digital) 
• Clean transportation expertise including on electric vehicles, public transit, or the maritime shipping sector
• Direct experience fostering positive social change to address historic racial, gender, and other systemic injustices
• Experience managing direct reports and effectively leading workstreams in an inclusive style; adept at both delegating and self-starting work as appropriate
• Self-starting project leader who can can both hold a vision for the work and execute it at the same time – ability to meet deadlines, prioritize assignments, and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Strong relationship- and trust-building skills, with experience working with racially diverse and historically underserved communities
• Flexible and able to move quickly on fast-breaking assignments with experience leading rapid response
• Able to convey ideas and thinking clearly and concisely, takes joy in translating complex concepts for the media and lay audiences 

Location

This role is flexible within the United States, although working East Coast hours is required. Climate Nexus has an office in New York City, but our staff is able to work fully remote. Occasional travel may be required. 

Salary Range

Approximately $130,000-145,000 commensurate with experience. Climate Nexus offers a robust benefits package, including 4 weeks paid vacation; sick time; standard health, dental, and vision packages; generous employer contributions to 401k retirement accounts; and parental leave.

Application Process

Please apply below with a cover letter and resume in PDF format. Applications are being accepted until September 14, 2023. Due to the anticipated volume of interest, we regret that we cannot respond to every applicant. 

Climate Nexus is a fiscally sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc., an equal-opportunity employer.

Climate Nexus is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. We strongly encourage candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to apply, especially people from communities that have been historically underrepresented in the energy, climate, and environmental sectors.