Senior Communications Manager, Midwest

Natural Resources Defense Council • Chicago, IL

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. As an international nonprofit environmental organization, NRDC is working to address the world’s most urgent environmental challenges, and advance innovative, science-based, and enforceable solutions. Since our founding in 1970, NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of America’s foundational environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today, we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local, state, federal and international levels, as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world, from offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as in Beijing , and New Delhi (a subsidiary of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd.). Supported by our members and online activists, NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis, defend nature and safeguard public health across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. At NRDC, we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent, passion, and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world. Learn more at nrdc.org. POSITION SUMMARY: The Senior Communications Manager, Midwest develops and executes media strategies to advance NRDC’s legislative environment and advocacy priorities in the Midwest, particularly in the priority states of Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin with potentially more states. This role will develop proactive communications plans, messaging strategy and press materials that achieve media results, support advocacy goals and promote NRDC’s experts as leaders in local, regional, and national environmental policy, litigation, and advocacy space. They will identify and work with local, national and international media outlets, cultivating relationships with reporters, editors, content creators, partners, coalition members and other media and public affairs professionals to publicize and communicate NRDC’s strategic priorities. The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).

Requirements

• Minimum of 4-7 years of relevant experience, with an emphasis on communications strategy, operations, or mission-driven initiatives.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in business administration, public policy, environmental policy, nonprofit management, law, social sciences, or a related field.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent research and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects involving multiple people and deliverables, and to perform or quickly learn new tasks, systems, and technologies.
• Ability to prioritize and efficiently execute many tasks, follow institutional procedures, and work independently with meticulous attention to detail.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple projects and shifting requests in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organizational skills and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work with a broad range of people on different projects.
• Strict adherence to confidentiality requirements and discretion with sensitive information.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), in addition to knowledge of or ability to learn relevant industry and NRDC specific software and platforms.
• Competence with and commitment to diversity and inclusion; ability to be an effective partner with diverse colleagues, leaders, and partners.
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to occasionally travel to NRDC U.S. based offices, approximately 5% annually.
• Ability to work outside of normal working hours as needed for special events or circumstances.

Responsibilities

• Manage media operations for targeted city, state, and local campaigns, as assigned by Media team leadership.
• Collaborate with legal, scientific, and other advocacy program staff to develop effective message and communications strategies for a range of environmental and energy policy goals.
• Regularly conduct targeted outreach to local, state, regional and national reporters, and content creators.
• Develop key relationships with press and secure top tier media hits.
• Respond in real time to media inquiries on a range of issues (from broadcast media to the trade press and content creators).
• Prepare and place news releases, op-eds, letters to the editor, editorial board memos, and other editorial products.
• Collaborate with other environmental and community groups on joint coalition efforts.
• Create and implement crisis communication strategy as needed.
• Function as on-the-record spokesperson for NRDC as needed.
• Partner with the leadership team providing spokesperson training and ongoing feedback/media skills development to colleagues in the Midwest and identify effective media speakers.
• Lead teleconferences and additional projects throughout the Midwest, as needed.
• Lead coalition teams in the Midwest region to develop media strategies for priority issues, which includes crisis communications and protection of the NRDC brand.

Benefits

• Generous time-off policy, highlighted by a company-wide year-end Rest & Recharge Week
• Generous family leave policy beyond federal requirements
• Matching 403b
• Hybrid Policy: The freedom to balance your time around your needs that means, 8 days per month in-office. In-office day requirements can be met with off-site work events such as retreats, conferences, and other work-related travel.
• Premium Comprehensive healthcare and mental health programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior