Public Affairs and Communications Strategist, D.C. Regional Office and Toxic Health and Exposure Program

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We take on the biggest environmental legal battles across the country. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change.  We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, individuals and communities to engage the critical environmental issues of our time and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.  

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections. We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment.  Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Bozeman, Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Juneau, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Tallahassee, and Washington, DC.    

The Public Affairs and Communications Strategist serves as the liaison to the Washington, D.C Regional Office and the Toxic Health and Exposure Program. This role supports Earthjustice’s work to advocate for clean air standards and protect public health from toxic chemicals as well as transition to a zero emissions transportation and building infrastructure. This person works directly with the Public Affairs and Communications Officer of Healthy Communities to coordinate on intersecting national issues to adopt consistent framing, messaging, and narrative lens to our work.

As the legal backbone of the environmental movement, Earthjustice works alongside communities across the country to fight for clean air, clean water, and protections for all.

The Public Affairs and Communications Strategist, Washington, D.C. Regional Office and Toxics Program develops and supports strategic partnerships to enhance the advocacy capacity of the clients and partners that Earthjustice works alongside the Public Affairs and Communications team to develop key narratives and messages for these issues, ensures messaging consistency, and forms and leads teams of Communications colleagues to implement communications plan components —including dynamic storytelling and media and public outreach. The strategist partners work with their respective regional offices and programs, to draft and lead communications and public affairs strategy for regional casework, and local and state-level policy work. The strategist will focus on industrial air/water pollution and other toxic emissions, chemical pollution safeguards, and the electrification of economies with renewable energy. Partnership capacity building including media training, strategy development and resource support is also part of this job. 

The candidate will work in coordination with program staff, clients and partners, coalitions to help strengthen and develop their advocacy and policy goals. D.C. residents preferred. D.C. metropolitan area residents considered. May be remote from D.C. metro area.

Responsibilities:

Strategy & Coordination (40%) 

• Partners with the Managing Attorneys for the Washington, D.C. Regional Office and Toxic Health and Exposure Program, and other key lawyers and policy staff, to set communication priorities and develop strategies that advance Earthjustice’s goals.
• Collaborates across the Public Affairs and Communications team to coordinate messaging and develop and implement comprehensive and creative advocacy communications strategies.
• Works with partners, clients, and coalitions on joint advocacy and communication campaigns, issue education, engagement and mobilization, and paid, owned, and earned media.
• Identifies potential partnerships with local organizations in the Gulf and Appalachia.
• Develops strategy documents and timelines, manages budgets, and tracks metrics to determine effectiveness, ensure accountability, and inform future strategy. Sets achievable measurements of success and strives to meet these goals.

Media Relations (30%)

• Works with traditional and new media to ensure coverage of Earthjustice’s work in target print, television, radio, and online media; maintains knowledge of and relationships with reporters covering key issues; and coordinates press events and other earned media opportunities.
• Creates and implements paid media strategies on key priorities.
• Works with our legal and policy staff to consistently improve and polish their media and social media skills, including spokesperson prep for priority media interviews.
• Works to elevate the voices of Earthjustice partners and clients in the press and contributes to coalition media efforts.
• May provide strategic direction to media relations specialist when collaborating on earned media work.

Content Creation and Branding (25%) 

• Drives storytelling projects involving our clients and affected communities and consistently seeks out new and compelling ways to tell and amplify these stories. 
• Drafts content for the Earthjustice blog, website and print materials.
• Develops internal message guidance for colleagues as needed.
• Reviews, edits, and approves content and materials developed by Communications team members to ensure it adheres to brand standards and furthers strategic communications goals for the organization. 

 Administrative (5%)

• Manages project budgets and contractor invoices.
• Reports on analytics.

Physical Demands:

• Skill in operating various office equipment. 
• This role will also entail some travel. 

• 5+ years of experience in nonprofit/advocacy communications, including setting strategy, managing advocacy campaigns, writing and producing content, and conducting media outreach. 
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public policy, political science, campaigns, journalism, environmental fields, or related fields. Master’s degree a plus. 
• Experience working on fossil fuels, petrochemicals, climate change, clean energy, or public health issues preferred.
• Experience working in the Washington, D.C, Maryland and Virginia region preferred.
• Background in social justice or environmental justice movements, or grassroots organizing a plus.
• Proficiency in Spanish a plus.
• Excellent strategic sense and an ability to set goals and priorities, managing limited resources for maximum impact. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with demonstrated experience in public speaking. 
• Media savvy with great depth of experience in successfully placing stories, opinion pieces, and narratives, with a history of influencing conversations unfolding in the media. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to lead teams, manage vendors, and coordinate projects with external partners and across coalitions.  
• Outstanding organizational skills with demonstrated ability to plan and coordinate a variety of detailed projects, sometimes under a very tight deadline. 
• Demonstrates an awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations. 
• Contributes to the creation of a diverse, equitable and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.   

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits that are comprehensive and competitive. We also offer an extremely congenial work environment and a casual dress code. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Earthjustice is a qualifying employer for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Salary is dependent on experience and location. 

Salary range in Washington, D.C.: $107,600 - $119,500

*Remote salary may vary depending on location.

To Apply:

Applicants should apply via Jobvite and include the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter

Please reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies.

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are given equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.

For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.