Communications Fellow

About The Organization

ReFED is a national nonprofit working to end food loss and waste across the food system by advancing data-driven solutions to the problem. ReFED leverages data and insights to highlight supply chain inefficiencies and economic opportunities; mobilizes and connects supporters to take targeted action; and catalyzes capital to spur innovation and scale high-impact initiatives. Starting with the 2016 Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste, ReFED has developed a trusted history of producing first-of-their-kind tools and resources, providing a full-supply-chain picture of U.S. food waste, cost-effective solutions to reduce it, and methods to track progress. In February 2021, ReFED launched its new Roadmap to 2030 and Insights Engine, an online data center designed to serve as the next generation of data, insights, and guidance on U.S. food waste reduction. Solving this problem will have a significant impact on mitigating climate change, optimizing use of water, land, and other resources, and providing meals for the over 50 million people in the United States who currently face food insecurity. 

ReFED is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply and encourage candidates of diverse gender, race, religion, age, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, and more to consider joining our team. We believe that everyone has a seat at the table, and that this table always has room for growth. The success of our organization is rooted in the visible and invisible qualities of our people. ReFED’s people embody a variety of views, perspectives, and backgrounds to push the envelope of what is possible and better meet the needs of the community in the hopes of building a better food system. Community is more than a word here.

ReFED's vision is a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food system that optimizes environmental resources, minimizes climate impacts, and makes the best use of the food we grow. Learn more at www.refed.org. 

About The Position

ReFED’s Roadmap to 2030 and Insights Engine estimate that an annual investment of $14 billion over the next ten years can reduce food waste by 45 million tons each year. That investment would result in $73 billion in annual net financial benefit – a five-to-one return – and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 million metric tons, save 4 trillion gallons of water, and recover the equivalent of 4 billion meals for those in need. Over ten years, it would create 51,000 jobs. 

The Communications Fellow serves on ReFED’s Communications team, working to promote the organization and its programs, as well as food waste as an issue more broadly, to a range of audiences. The Communications Fellow will manage communications projects in support of ReFED’s programmatic objectives, including collateral development, copywriting, slide/deck creation, website updates, partnership outreach, and more. This position will also help manage the work of ReFED’s external agency partners for interactive, creative/design, media relations, and SEO.

You are a good fit if you:

1. Are passionate about making a difference in the world, with personal interest and/or experience in food systems or food waste. 
2. Are able to work independently and collaboratively.
3. Are extraordinarily organized and skilled at managing many projects concurrently.
4. Are comfortable engaging with and making requests to team members and external vendors with higher levels of experience.
5. Are an excellent writer in a range of formats (website pages, reports, fact sheets, social media posts, etc.), with skill in transforming data and statistics into compelling, persuasive, and actionable content.
6. Thrive in a fast-paced environment and are comfortable with the ambiguity of a newer organization.
7. Are driven to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing society today―food loss and waste― and excited to positively impact food security, economic growth, and climate change.
8. Hate wasting food

 

You may have a mix of professional experience from roles such as:

1. Account Executive/Manager or Assistant Account Executive/Manager at a Communications, Advertising, or Marketing Agency
2. Communications or Marketing Manager or Assistant Manager at a National Nonprofit

 

Primary Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Communications Director and in partnership with the Communications Manager, this position is expected to fulfill the following responsibilities and duties, as well as additional responsibilities and duties that may be assigned during the course of employment, such that they align with the job purpose and/or support the success of the organization:

 

Project Management

• Work with relevant ReFED colleagues and/or external stakeholders to manage projects through their entire life cycle.
• Determine project scope; recommend strategic direction; monitor production process to ensure delivery within scope; implement contingencies as necessary; evaluate and optimize as appropriate.
• Solicit and address feedback and gain buy-in from other team members.
• Develop and track cost estimates and timelines.

 

Content Development

• Copywriting - Generate written content in a range of formats, including website copy, Google Slides decks, blog posts, case studies, social posts, deep-dive reports, sell sheets, webinar scripts, and more; edit content produced by other team members.
• Collateral - Manage the design and production of a range of collateral materials, including brochures, fact sheets, reports, and more.
• Work with internal stakeholders to determine needs, develop creative briefs, and monitor work of agencies and freelancers as required.
• Maintain a library of current materials for team members to access as needed.
  
  

Partnership Outreach

• In partnership with the Capital, Innovation, & Engagement Manager, research organizations, businesses, and individuals for potential speaking engagements, webinars, newsletter outreach, etc. to promote ReFED’s programs and messages.
• Implement engagement activities, looping in other team members as needed for meetings, presentations, etc.

 

Website & Digital Platforms/Interactive

• Manage projects for ReFED web properties (refed.org, Insights Engine, microsites, satellite tools), including page additions, content updates, functionality enhancements, etc.
• Track and review website traffic and analytics to determine usage patterns and make recommendations for ongoing optimization.
• Monitor work of SEO vendor.

 

Social Media

• Participate in managing ReFED’s social platforms (currently Twitter and LinkedIn), including developing content schedules for daily posts and special campaigns.
• Write copy and produce Canva graphics.
• Work with key stakeholders (internal/external) to promote special events/announcements.
• Develop strategies to encourage follower engagement; understand follower demographics to ensure we are reaching the right people; consistently increase follower count.
• Recommend new platforms if appropriate.

 

Agency Vendor Management

• When external support is required to complete projects, manage the work of ReFED’s interactive, design, and public relations agencies and freelancers.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in communications, marketing, and/or advertising; agency experience a plus; non-profit experience a plus.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ReFED seeks a versatile writer able to quickly and efficiently synthesize complex information to produce a wide variety of formal and informal content.
• Skill at producing engaging and compelling presentations in Google Slides and PowerPoint.
• Experience managing company/organization social media accounts and email campaigns.
• Experience evaluating website and social media performance. Should be comfortable using Google Analytics.
• Highly organized, attentive to detail, and capable of simultaneously managing multiple projects in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial nonprofit environment.
• Experience using G Suite, Zoom, MailChimp, Canva, Loomly, and Slack preferred. Familiarity with content management systems for websites and CRMs (e.g., Salesforce) also preferred.
• Team player who is comfortable collaborating closely with colleagues in multiple locations across the U.S. and working independently.
• Comfort with ambiguity and ability to thrive in a new, rapidly growing organization.
• Willingness to “roll up sleeves” and extend beyond formal responsibilities as needed to ensure ReFED’s success.
• Flexibility to travel occasionally for meetings and events.
• Working knowledge of food systems and sustainability, with experience in food waste work, a plus but not required.

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion

ReFED is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that everyone has a seat at the table, and that this table always has room for growth. The success of the organization is rooted in the visible and invisible qualities of our people. Our people embody a variety of views, perspectives, and backgrounds to push the envelope of what is possible and better meet the needs of the community in the hopes of building a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food system. Community is more than a word here. As stewards of this food system that benefits from the inclusion and enhancement of diverse voices, ReFED recognizes that systemic barriers limit opportunities for certain groups which contributes to ongoing disparities. Furthermore, we accept that our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) means a commitment to constant learning, listening, and interaction in all aspects of our work. ReFED is an organization that seeks to attract exceptional and dedicated talent to advance our mission, and we firmly believe that inclusion through recruiting, hiring, developing, training, and promoting employees of all genders, races, religions, ages, national origins, political affiliations, ancestries, sexual orientations, disabilities, and veteran status, creates an atmosphere that enables us to lead with an entrepreneurial spirit and innovate with enterprise.

 

Working at ReFED

ReFED offers a competitive salary and benefits package, opportunities for professional development, and policies and programs that encourage a healthy work-life balance. ReFED’s U.S. benefits package includes:

• 100% employee and 50% dependent premium coverage for medical, dental, and vision benefits;
• Participation in employer-sponsored 401(k) plans with up to 4% employer matching;
• Professional development opportunities - including annual budget - and option to participate in ReFED’s mentor program;
• 18 paid vacation days;
• Paid sick and family leave;
• Approximately 12 paid company holidays annually - including closed offices the last week of the year;
• Short- and long-term disability coverage and term life insurance; and
• Flexible work environment with option to work from home or a co-working space.

Learn more about our values, team, and commitment to employees at refed.org/careers. Benefits for Canadian employees are available upon request.

 

Applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé in PDF format. Jeffrey Costantino, Communications Director, is the hiring manager for this position. Cover letters must be responsive to the needs of this position. This is a paid, 12-month fellowship.

 

Applications must be received by January 30, 2022 to be considered.