WWF Washington, DC - Senior Director, Communications, Markets Institute - 15069

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the world’s leading conservation organization, seeks a Senior Director, Communications at our Washington, DC office. This position is for a three year term with the possibility for extension. The Senior Director, Communications will be an integral part of an innovative, visionary team that is launching a new thought-leadership platform to address global issues and trends that affect business and sustainability: The WWF Markets Institute. Its mission is to accelerate the pace of progress towards a more sustainable planet.

The Institute’s goal is to achieve sustainability results faster and more cost effectively and accelerate change. We will raise awareness, build consensus around how to think strategically about these issues and trends, shape strategies that are needed to address them, and identify the results that indicate success. We will also document the business cases for why these trends are important to company growth, profitability, and risks, as well as long-term access to natural resources. We will help companies focus on the most important issues and provide them with the relevant data and analysis they need to strategically develop effective, timely, and scalable solutions for more sustainable futures.

We will achieve our objectives by creating awareness and building consensus through a number of inter-related as well as discreet activities, including: an annual Global CEO Survey on issues and trends affecting businesses and their sustainability strategies; a Big Data Platform to help screen and predict global trends, a NextGen platform to engage a global millennial audience about how companies are thinking about the sustainability issues that will shape their futures, extensive topic-specific research, insights and prioritization of issues and trends from global thought leaders, the documentation of solutions and business cases, and communications around our results.

If you want to be a part of a new team at WWF that will help shape cutting-edge global thinking, create meaningful transformational results on the ground at scale, explore the growing linkages between markets and the environment, and help save the planet in the process, this is the opportunity for you.

The Senior Director, Communications leads the development and implementation of innovative communications strategies that enable the Institute to achieve its sustainability goals and objectives. This position is responsible for managing activities that broaden the visibility of its programs and reinforce engagement with existing stakeholders, including but not limited to: Media relations, social media, content development, key message development and positioning, and communications creative. This position serves as the primary point of contact on external communications inquiries related to the Institute and is recognized at WWF-US and in the WWF Network as the communications expert for the Institute. This position will collaborate with colleagues in the WWF Communications and Marketing group, particularly in the areas of media relations, digital and social, and external resource management; it will report to the Vice President of the Markets Institute.

Key Responsibilities

1. Develop and implement an innovative strategic marketing and communications plan to advance the WWF Markets Institute objectives, brand identity, and thought-leadership positioning.
2. Identify emerging communications opportunities for the Institute and lead the strategy on how to capitalize on them.
3. Leverage the Institute’s work products and package them into multi-media content that is audience-appropriate, effective, and engaging for external audiences; manage or oversee the distribution and awareness of such content.
4. Develop and lead the Institute’s social media and digital communications strategy, including planning, content, and analytics.
5. Oversee the development of the Institute’s creative materials, including but not limited to: press material, presentations, web content, video content, partner communication material, and positioning; Manage the storage, use, and approval of all such assets; Ensure consistency of messaging on all platforms.
6. Actively engage, cultivate and manage press relationships to ensure coverage surrounding the Institute events, programs, special events, publications, and announcements; Serve as point person on media interactions and/or manage efforts delivered through an outside press agent/agency and/or WWF’s Communications and Marketing group.
7. Oversee day-to-day activities of communications functions, such as campaign planning and implementation, project management, budgets, and third party vendor agreements; Serve as the liaison with WWF’s internal marketing and communications department as well the Institute’s external partners’ communications teams.
8. Source and manage the use of external resources (e.g. PR firms, photographers, digital media experts, graphic designers) when needed.
9. Maintain knowledge of marketing and PR trends, developments, and best practices.
10. Perform other duties as assigned.

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in communications, media, marketing or related subject required
• A minimum of 12 years of professional marketing and/or communications experience is required
• Innovative thinker with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and output; Demonstrated success in conceptualizing, developing, implementing and managing a comprehensive strategic communications, media relations, and marketing program to advance an organization’s mission and goals is a must.
• Must possess a track record of leveraging emerging trends/technologies, crafting effective digital strategies, and building an engaging user experience online and within social media platforms
• Experience in packaging information into compelling and engaging “storytelling content” for target audiences is required; video content experience is a plus
• Demonstrated skill and comfort in proactively building relationships with top tier reporters and editors, and in successfully positioning subject matter with the media to achieve high-impact placements is required
• Experience in a start up is a plus
• Must possess exceptional verbal and written communication and presentation skills
• The ability to anticipate communications conflicts, reputation and brand risks, and use judgment and problem solving skills to mitigate them is required
• Strong interpersonal skills, presence and ability to effectively build strong relationships both internally and externally needed for this role
• Strong commitment to mission, goals and values
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects
• Energetic, flexible, collaborative and proactive; Ability to work as part of a team in a multi-cultural environment

To Apply:

• Please visit our Careers Page, job#15069, to submit an online application including resume and cover letter
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and veteran or disability status.