Director of Strategic Communications & Emerging Media

Salary $110,000-$120,000

Position Overview

EARTHDAY.ORG is seeking a strategic, creative, and highly skilled Director of Strategic Communications & Emerging Media to help tell the story of our organization and our global campaigns using all available and emerging methods of communication to reach a global audience.

Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, the Director of Strategic Communications & Emerging Media will lead day-to-day communications and media relations while helping translateEARTHDAY.ORG’s programs, campaigns, research, and priorities into compelling stories that reach broad audiences and strengthen the organization’s visibility and influence.

This is not a traditional media relations role. The ideal candidate will bring a strong foundation in journalism, public relations, and earned media, but will also understand where communications and media are heading and how emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, creators, influencers, digital platforms, podcasts, video, social media, newsletters, and other new forms of storytelling are changing how audiences discover, consume, and share information.

The ideal candidate is an excellent writer and storyteller with strong media instincts and experience building relationships with journalists, podcasters, creators, influencers, new media companies, digital platforms, and traditional media outlets. They will be comfortable experimenting with new communications formats and technologies, using AI and other emerging tools to increase the speed, creativity, reach, and effectiveness of communications, while understanding the importance of editorial judgment, accuracy, ethics, and organizational voice.

This person should be curious about what comes next—not simply experienced in what has worked in the past. They will help EARTHDAY.ORG anticipate changes in the media landscape, identify emerging opportunities to reach audiences, and develop new approaches to storytelling and communications.

This person will work closely with program teams, senior leadership, and marketing to ensure EARTHDAY.ORGcommunicates with a clear, consistent, innovative, and impactful voice.

Key Responsibilities

Media Relations & Communications

Develop and execute all forms of media strategies aroundEARTHDAY.ORG campaigns, programs, events, research, and major organizational moments.
Build and maintain relationships with emerging voices and avenues in all forms of media, along with national, international, and issue-specific media, and proactively pitch stories, experts, and timely opportunities.
Develop communications strategies that integrate traditional earned media with emerging media, creator, social, digital, podcast, video, newsletter, and other evolving channels.
Draft press releases, media advisories, pitches, statements, talking points, Q&As, and other communications materials.
Pitch journalists, producers, editors, podcasters, creators, influencers, and other media outlets and platforms to secure meaningful earned and organic coverage.
Identify new media opportunities, platforms, formats, communities, and voices that can expandEARTHDAY.ORG’s reach and relevance.
Manage incoming media inquiries, coordinate interviews, and prepare organizational leaders and subject-matter experts for media opportunities.
Monitor relevant news, cultural conversations, technology, platforms, and emerging issues to identify opportunities forEARTHDAY.ORG to contribute to public conversations.
Track earned media coverage and results, and use insights and data to refine communications strategies.

Emerging Media, AI & Innovation

Serve as a strategic resource to the organization on emerging communications technologies, media formats, platforms, and audience behaviors.
Identify and test new tools, platforms, formats, and approaches that can make EARTHDAY.ORG’s communications more creative, efficient, timely, and impactful.
Use generative AI and other AI-enabled tools thoughtfully and strategically for research, ideation, content development, audience insights, media monitoring, trend identification, workflow optimization, and other communications applications.
Stay ahead of developments in AI, search, social platforms, creator ecosystems, digital communities, synthetic media, personalization, and other technologies that are changing how information is created, distributed, discovered, and consumed.
Help establish responsible and effective practices for using AI in communications, including attention to accuracy, transparency, intellectual property, privacy, bias, brand voice, and editorial judgment.
Experiment with emerging storytelling formats, including short- and long-form video, podcasts, audio, creator-led content, interactive experiences, newsletters, social-first storytelling, and other evolving forms of media.
Anticipate changes in the communications landscape and translate emerging trends and technologies into practical opportunities for EARTHDAY.ORG.

Messaging, Content & Executive Communications

Develop clear, compelling messaging and storytelling that makes complex environmental issues accessible to broad audiences.
Work with influencers, podcasters, creators, and new media companies to develop deep relationships with storytellers and expand the organization’s reach.
Work with program teams to identify strong stories, research, data, experts, and partners that can support communications efforts.
Support senior leadership with talking points, speeches, op-eds, briefing materials, media preparation, and other executive communications.
Help maintain a consistent organizational voice and messaging across campaigns and external communications while adapting storytelling for different platforms and audiences.
Drive thought-leadership opportunities, including op-eds, interviews, commentary, podcasts, creator collaborations, digital media appearances, and speaking opportunities.
Explore new ways to package and distribute organizational expertise, research, data, and stories for changing media and audience environments.

Campaign & Organizational Communications

Work closely with the Director of Marketing and program teams to execute communications plans for major campaigns, announcements, events, and global moments, including Earth Day.
Coordinate communications with external partners around joint campaigns, announcements, events, and media opportunities.
Support communications around sensitive or rapidly developing issues and help prepare organizational responses as needed.
Develop communications plans for major campaigns, announcements, events, reports, and organizational initiatives.
Ensure campaign communications take advantage of both established media relationships and emerging channels, platforms, creators, and technologies.
Help the organization adapt communications strategies as audience behaviors, technology, and the media landscape evolve.

Qualifications

Approximately 7+ years of progressive experience in communications, public relations, media relations, journalism, digital media, advocacy communications, or a related field.
Demonstrated success securing earned media and building productive relationships with journalists and media outlets.
Significant experience beyond traditional media, including emerging media, digital platforms, creators, influencers, podcasts, video, social media, newsletters, or other evolving forms of communication.
Exceptional writing, editing, storytelling, and communications strategy skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and compellingly across different formats and audiences.
Strong news judgment and an understanding of what makes a story timely, relevant, and media-worthy.
Demonstrated understanding of how audiences, media consumption, technology, and communications are evolving—and the ability to anticipate where they are going next.
Hands-on experience using AI and emerging technologies in communications, content development, research, audience engagement, media monitoring, workflow optimization, or related areas.
Curiosity and demonstrated ability to experiment with and adopt new technologies, platforms, formats, and storytelling approaches.
Experience developing communications strategies for campaigns, organizations, issues, or major public moments.
Experience supporting senior executives or organizational spokespeople.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and move quickly in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Strong collaborative skills and experience working across departments and with senior leadership.
Experience in the environmental, climate, food, public health, nonprofit, advocacy, or mission-driven sectors is strongly preferred.
Experience working on national and global campaigns required.
A track record of combining strong traditional communications fundamentals with innovative approaches to emerging media and technology.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who has mastered the fundamentals of communications but much more.

The successful candidate will be a forward-looking communications strategist who understands that the media landscape is changing rapidly and can help EARTHDAY.ORG stay ahead of that change. They should be comfortable moving between a major national media story, a podcast or creator partnership, a social-first campaign, an emerging digital platform, and an AI-enabled communications workflow. And on a global scale they should be someone who asks not only “How do we get this story covered?” but also “How will people discover this story next year, next month, or next week—and what should we be doing now to reach them?” Additionally how can Earth Day build a global active and educated movement who will take steps to become more active, vocal and civically engaged as the result of this work.

WHO WE ARE

Work Environment

At EARTHDAY.ORG, we foster a dynamic and supportive work environment that encourages innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Our team is made up of passionate individuals who are committed to making a difference in the world. We operate in a fast-paced, ever-evolving field that requires flexibility, adaptability, and a proactive approach. Our staff enjoy the flexibility of remote work and a culture that values their well-being and professional growth.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

EDO is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion both in our hiring practices and in our operational approach. We believe that a diverse team enriches our organization and enhances our impact, bringing a wide range of perspectives that contribute to innovative problem-solving and decision-making. We strive to create an inclusive environment where all staff, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status, feel valued and respected. We actively seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool and are committed to promoting fairness and equity in all our employment practices.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Generous medical, dental, and vision for employees 70% covered by EDO
15 days paid vacation in Year 1 (increases over time)
Life & long-term disability
Annual holiday schedule, with 10 paid holidays annually and between Christmas and New Year’s Day
Up to 3.5% company 401k contribution based on your salary
Salary Range: $110,000 -$120,000, based on experience
Washington DC preferred location.

TO APPLY

Please send a resume and a letter of interest to [email protected]. Please include “Director of Strategic Communications & Emerging Media” in subject line.