Senior Communications Officer

Ocean Science Trust

21d•$80,000 - $95,000•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Communications Officer leads California Ocean Science Trust’s day-to-day communications function and helps shape how the organization is understood by funders, state leaders, scientific partners, experts, and other priority audiences. Reporting to the Deputy Director, this is a newly envisioned, strategic and hands-on role responsible for stewarding OST’s external voice, translating complex science and policy work into compelling communications, leading donor and funder communications in partnership with the Director of Philanthropy, and managing the organization’s brand across its website, email, social media, and external engagements. The Officer advises the Deputy Director and Executive Director on audience, timing, framing, visibility, and risk; independently handles most day-to-day communications decisions; and elevates matters involving institutional positioning, political sensitivity, audience priorities, or organizational strategy. Working across OST, the Officer identifies communications opportunities, provides editorial direction, guides staff developing external-facing materials, and establishes systems for consistent and effective communications. Success means helping donors and funders understand the case for investment; helping state leaders and academic partners understand OST’s role and capabilities; accurately amplifying science partners and their contributions; strengthening consistency across staff communications; and building OST’s visibility, reputation, trust, and impact. The position is a full-time regular appointment. OST is headquartered in Sacramento, while staff work remotely from throughout California. California travel is required, including occasional trips to Sacramento. The preferred start date is by December 1, 2026.

Requirements

At least 5 years of progressively responsible communications and public relations experience, including demonstrated senior-level responsibility.
Demonstrated experience developing and executing communications strategy across multiple audiences and channels.
Experience developing donor, funder, or institutional advancement communications and making a compelling case for organizational impact and investment.
Demonstrated ability to translate complex scientific, technical, policy, or organizational content for non-expert audiences without sacrificing accuracy or nuance.
Experience advising colleagues or organizational leadership on communications strategy, framing, audience, timing, or tone.
Experience directing or coordinating communications work produced by colleagues, interns, contractors, or others.
Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills across institutional messaging, donor communications, technical translation, web content, social media, presentations, and other public-facing materials.
Strong strategic judgment and the ability to provide clear direction, constructive pushback, and recommendations when communications choices may affect reputation, partner relationships, or political sensitivities.
Ability to understand different audiences and adapt framing and language while maintaining a consistent organizational voice.
Political awareness without partisanship, with sound instincts about how context, relationships, or timing may affect how a message is received.
Curiosity and initiative in understanding the history, relationships, and institutional context surrounding work before communicating about it.
Ability to make communications decisions independently and recognize when leadership input is required.
Strong project-management skills and ability to manage multiple projects, stakeholders, timelines, channels, and deadlines simultaneously.
Collaborative approach and ability to work closely with scientists, program staff, fundraisers, and senior leadership while exercising independent professional judgment.
Ability to move between strategy and execution, including developing communications approaches and writing, editing, publishing, and managing content directly.
High proficiency with common digital communications tools, including content management systems, email platforms, social media, analytics, and basic design tools, and ability to learn new systems quickly.
Genuine interest in OST’s mission and in the role of science, relationships, and institutional capacity in public decision-making.
Authorization to work in the United States and current California residence or willingness to relocate to California if hired.

Nice To Haves

Experience using a constituent journeys framework to build digital and in-person engagement and support.
Familiarity with California government, public policy, or public-sector environments; comparable experience in politically or institutionally sensitive environments may substitute.
Experience with media relations, public affairs, executive communications, or policy-facing communications.
Experience in ocean, climate, natural resources, science, research, or higher education environments.
Experience with Google Workspace, Squarespace, Mailchimp, Canva, Monday, Bloomerang, and Slack, or comparable communications and collaboration platforms.

Responsibilities

Steward OST’s external voice, messaging, and reputation across audiences and channels while maintaining a consistent institutional identity.
Apply political, relational, and reputational judgment to communications decisions, including timing, visibility, tone, partner recognition, and sensitivity; manage routine decisions independently and elevate significant issues to leadership.
Communicate the value of individual programs and the broader case for sustained investment in OST’s capacity, relationships, scientific infrastructure, and long-term role in California ocean science.
Partner with the Director of Philanthropy to turn fundraising and donor-engagement priorities into communications strategy and execution.
Develop donor- and funder-facing cases for support, appeals, campaigns, impact stories, stewardship communications, annual reporting, and other fundraising collateral.
Coordinate communications across the website, email, social media, and external events to deepen donor and funder relationships and carry impact stories consistently across channels.
Lead communications and storytelling for philanthropic initiatives, including the SeaChange Scholars Fund, and support proposals and funder reports with strong narratives and evidence of impact.
Translate scientific, policy, and organizational work into clear, accurate, compelling communications for different audiences and purposes.
Write, edit, and shape web, email, social media, report, presentation, public statement, donor, and other external content.
Engage program staff early in major initiatives to identify audiences, communications opportunities, partner considerations, sensitivities, and appropriate approaches to sharing work.
Provide editorial direction and constructive feedback on staff-produced materials, focusing on clarity, audience, positioning, tone, and partner recognition.
Own OST’s website, email communications, and social media channels, including strategy, content development, publishing, and coordination with interns, contractors, or other contributors.
Maintain an organization-wide editorial and communications calendar aligned with program milestones, fundraising priorities, and major external moments.
Use web, email, and social media analytics to assess impact, strengthen strategic reach, and refine communications choices.
Support OST’s presence in media, state and federal engagement, conferences, public presentations, and other high-visibility settings through talking points, presentations, press materials, statements, and related communications.
Lead or coordinate media outreach and communications around major events or convenings when they advance OST’s goals.
Establish communications systems, standards, templates, workflows, and review processes that support consistency and efficiency.
Advise and edit for staff, helping colleagues consider audience, purpose, timing, and message before developing communications products.
Coordinate messaging across programs, philanthropy, leadership, and external engagements.
Manage and provide direction to communications interns, contractors, and other contributors as appropriate.
Build communications capacity across OST while maintaining clear communications leadership and quality control.
Monitor relevant policy, media, philanthropic, and ocean science landscapes, including evolving state priorities, partner relationships, funding trends, and communications trends.
Ask questions to understand history, audience, and sensitivity before communicating on consequential issues; surface opportunities, inconsistencies, and risks to leadership and use sound judgment about when to communicate broadly, target an audience, or exercise restraint.