Now hiring: Communications Director
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT –Download here.
The California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) is a statewide, community-led alliance that works to achieve environmental justice by advancing policy solutions. We unite the powerful local organizing of our members in the communities most impacted by environmental hazards – low-income communities and communities of color – to improve environmental health by creating comprehensive opportunities
for change at a statewide level. CEJA Action builds the political power of communities of color to advance environmentally and socially just policies in California and a more participatory, inclusive democracy.Position Description
CEJA is seeking a Communications Director to lead narrative strategy at the largest statewide environmental justice coalition in California. With strong facilitation and storytelling skills as well as campaign communications experience, this role will lead communications strategy across CEJA and CEJA Action’s monthly, yearly and long-term priorities. Our ideal candidate thinks systematically and is ready
to refine existing communications processes to take advantage of new opportunities and build the team’s narrative muscle. The Communications Director will work closely with CEJA program staff, coalition members and partners, and allies to develop and implement communications strategy for priority electoral, legislative and regulatory policy campaigns. The Communications Director will supervise communication program staff to facilitate CEJA Communications Committee, lead planning, and create digital and earned communications content.
The Communications Director will report to the Interim Co-Director, Political. This is a regular, full-time, exempt position.
Reporting Relation / Location
The fiscal sponsor for CEJA is the Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), a member of CEJA. The fiscal sponsor for CEJA Action is Tides Advocacy Fund. The Communications Director will be an employee of EHC and initially report to CEJA’s Interim Co-Director, Political. Remote working is mandatory during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once it is safe for staff to return to the office, the Communications Director will be
available to work out of one of CEJA’s offices in the Los Angeles area, Sacramento, or Oakland.
Primary Responsibilities
Communications Strategy
- In collaboration with CEJA’s communications and program staff, lead, develop and implement
strategic, comprehensive, and measurable campaign communications and strategies to further
CEJA and CEJA Action’s mission, vision, and priorities. - Ensure the consistency and quality of CEJA’s brand identity, credibility, and voice.
- Oversee production and publication of CEJA reports and events across platforms, including web,
social media, and paid social media. - Guide content production for strategic campaign communications priorities in disciplines
including writing, digital content creation, videography, graphic design, event production,
website, photography, public relations. - Develop and implement multi-year strategies to grow the skills, strategy and capacity for content
production for CEJA’s Communications Committee. - Build relationships with targeted media and journalists, identify media opportunities, and
shape larger news narratives around policy, programmatic and political priorities. - Engage in strategic communications development and landscape understanding with CEJA’s
external allies and partners.
Administrative, Development & Financial Management
- Partner with Interim Co-Directors, Finance Director, and Development Director to strategically
plan, grow and manage communications budget. - Work with Development staff to develop and execute annual strategy for development-related
digital communications. - Work with communication staff to develop budget literacy to understand how to financially
manage communication projects. - Leadership, Staff, and Organizational Development
- Build the long-term vision and structure of the CEJA communication team, including guiding the
hiring of new communication staff, consultants, and/or interns and fellows. - Support a diverse, inclusive workplace culture to attract, retain, and motivate a values-aligned
and high-performing team. - Supervise consultants, vendors, and contractors to oversee graphics, writing, editing, and
promotion, as needed. - Implement organizational wide administrative and budgetary systems for
CEJA’s communication staff.
Qualifications and skills required:
● 5 + years of experience in coordinating or managing strategic campaign communications and
communications planning.
● Excellent storytelling, writing, copy editing skills.
● Experience serving as an advisor or mentor, and hiring and supporting skills building of team
members, including direct training or identifying and securing training.
● Demonstrated capacity for high-level strategic planning, driving strategies and campaign
development to shape narrative and issues through proactive messaging and outreach.
● Skilled in project management, setting and meeting deadlines, and time management.
● Demonstrated success in rapid response communications, including the ability to grasp and
appropriately respond to both internally and externally precipitated crises.
● Commitment to advancing social and economic justice.
● Experience organizing alongside, working with low-income, and communities of color.
● Excellent cross-cultural skills, including the ability to communicate with people at all levels and
from various backgrounds.
Preferred Qualifications and skills:
● Knowledge of California media markets, including Spanish, Chinese, and other non-English
speaking outlets, reporters, and media markets.
● Knowledge of California regional and statewide environmental justice issues.
● Knowledge of California state agencies and legislative process.
● Understand or have had experience in navigating across c3, c4, and PAC communication and
administrative systems.
● Web and print design skills
● Experience working in coalitions, and with either housing, labor, abolitionist, gender justice,
reproductive justice, or other social justice movements.
Compensation: Commensurate with experience. $93,000 – $99,000
BENEFITS:
CEJA believes in helping to provide a good work-life balance for its employees and offers a
competitive benefits package inclusive of:
● Excellent Orientation Program
● Generous Vacation and paid holiday benefits
● Fully paid 2-week winter break December 19th thru January 1st)
● Sabbatical opportunity
● Health, Dental, Vision and Chiropractic Insurance
● Up to $2,000 for medical reimbursement
● Personal and Wellness Leave
● Long Term Care Insurance
● 401(k) Retirement Plan
● Professional Development Opportunities
Position Close Date: October 31, 2022.
Application Submission Process: Please submit your resume, cover letter, and two writing samples (i.e. op-ed, blog post, article,
talking points or messaging guide, policy analysis) to CEJA’s portal at ceja.isolvedhire.com/jobs.
Employment Terms & Conditions
This offer is contingent on the successful completion of a background check and pre-employment verification.
Covid-19 Vaccination-Booster/Testing:
CEJA requires all personnel to maintain up-to-date vaccinations and obtain any supplemental booster shots, if available and not
medically contraindicated or have an approved exemption. We require personnel to certify that they have obtained the
necessary immunizations and maintain a copy of that certification, which must be provided at our request. If an employee does
not receive vaccination/booster, they will be required to obtain regular and appropriate testing to certify non-infection.
CEJA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER – WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE OF COLOR, WOMEN, AND TRANSGENDER AND
GENDER NON-CONFORMING PEOPLE TO APPLY.
CEJA provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination
and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected
veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local
laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion,
termination, layoff, recall, and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
