Senior Communications Manager, BEF

Bonneville Environmental Foundation • Portland, OR

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) is an entrepreneurial nonprofit working on environmental solutions at the intersection of renewable energy and freshwater. The Senior Communications Manager advances BEF’s mission through clear, consistent, and credible communications. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, this role collaborates with program teams, senior leadership, and external partners to coordinate a strategic through-line across the Renewables, Watersheds, Business for Water Stewardship (BWS), and Climate Business Group (CBG) communications work without centralizing program communications functions.

The role leads external communications and media relations, maintains and supports BEF’s social media channels, oversees communications vendors and contractors, and provides cross-program communications review and guidance. It serves as a central contact for external communications and media inquiries; supports reputation management and crisis communications; stewards BEF’s brand and messaging; and helps programs align their communications with the broader organizational narrative while retaining ownership of their day-to-day work.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, or media relations.
• Experience coordinating communications across multiple teams, departments, or program areas.
• Experience coordinating geographically dispersed or matrixed teams and influencing without direct authority.
• Demonstrated media relations and spokesperson-preparation experience.
• Experience managing external vendors or contractors and communications budgets.
• Proficiency with media monitoring tools, content management systems, email marketing, and design-collaboration platforms.
• Experience in a nonprofit, environmental, or mission-driven organization, or in the climate, clean energy, water stewardship, or broader environmental sector.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with the Pacific Northwest region.
• Familiarity with energy, water, and/or corporate sustainability issues.
• Experience managing crisis or incident-management communications.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the central point of contact and clearinghouse for external communications requests, interview requests, speaking invitations, and media inquiries directed at BEF or its staff.
• Build and maintain proactive and reactive media relations approaches across climate, energy, business sustainability, water resource, and environmental coverage.
• Monitor and report media coverage and public mentions to leadership, formalize and expand tracking practices, and flag emerging risks and opportunities.
• Prepare executive leaders and program staff for interviews, panels, and public appearances, including developing talking points and aligning messages.
• Manage BEF’s organizational social media presence, ensuring accuracy, consistency with brand voice, and coordination with program-level social content.
• Support development of a reputational risk and crisis communications protocol with the Chief of Staff and executive leadership.
• Review external communications requests and materials across programs for consistency, accuracy, and alignment with BEF’s mission and values.
• Manage external communications contractors and vendors, including scoping, budgeting, relationship management, performance, and quality control.
• Maintain and evolve BEF’s messaging framework across print, digital, and public-facing channels.
• Partner with program teams to create, review, edit, and finalize organizational materials such as annual reports, impact stories, newsletters, and website content.
• Coordinate messaging and priorities across program communications and executive functions without displacing embedded program communications capacity.
• Identify opportunities for programs to reinforce shared organizational narratives, address overlapping stories, and avoid working at cross-purposes externally.
• Establish light-touch shared communications standards and practices, including voice, terminology, and review norms.
• Ensure program-specific communications actions and strategies support program function, direction, and development.
• Periodically convene a program communications working group or community of practice to surface priorities, share resources, and identify opportunities for collaboration.
• Advise program leadership on how their communications work fits within and can draw on BEF’s broader organizational narrative.
• Partner with the Learning & Development Director to ensure appropriate staff receive training in communications and media best practices.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid medical insurance for employees; family/dependent coverage is 75% subsidized.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance paid 100% by the employer for employees; family/dependent coverage is 75% subsidized.
• Retirement plan with a 5% employer matching contribution.
• Generous paid time off and vacation policy, including alternative care and self-care leave.
• Four-week paid sabbatical after the first six years, and every five years thereafter.
• Training and development opportunities, including a generous paid professional development budget.

What This Job Offers

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