JOB: Communications Manager Job - Interfaith Power & Light

Position:  Communications Manager

Position Type: Full Time, In-person, Hybrid, or Remote

Organizational Background:

Interfaith Power & Light is seeking a Communications Manager for our growing team.

Interfaith Power & Light inspires and mobilizes people of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on climate change. We work with individuals and faith communities of all major faith traditions across the nation. We work in all 50 states and U.S. territories with a broad national network of state- and regional-level affiliates. 

Interfaith Power & Light envisions a stable climate where humans live in right and just relationship, interconnected with a healthy, thriving, natural world. Founded in California in 2020, our main office is now located in Washington, D.C., with some staff located remotely across the country. 

Interfaith Power & Light is actively working to become an anti-racist organization. We believe that relationships must be centered in justice and equity within the human family, as well as with all of the natural world. We must strive together toward this sacred goal. Learn more about our commitment.

Position Summary:

The Communications Manager (CM) will develop and implement a national communications strategy to raise the profile of Interfaith Power & Light and broadcast faith-based and moral messages for climate action. The CM will be responsible for interacting directly with media outlets, promoting our national policy priorities, strategic message development, and recruiting and training spokespersons. Candidates should have demonstrated success in generating earned media in both traditional and online outlets. Candidates should also be experienced in utilizing social media for message amplification and list-building. The position is suited for an experienced communications professional who is excited about taking IPL to the next level. 

The ideal candidate is a nonprofit program professional who is committed to equitable solutions to the climate crisis, enjoys getting to know people of different faith traditions, is service-oriented, takes initiative, maintains high standards and confidentiality in all their work, can manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and has a flexible work style. They will also have experience with the faith community and climate and/or energy policy advocacy, along with at least three years of communications experience.

This is an opportunity to join a unique and dynamic organization in a newly created strategic position. The position reports to the Chief Advancement Officer while supporting programs and campaigns across the organization.

Location:

Interfaith Power & Light’s main office is in Washington, D.C. This is an on-site, hybrid, or remote position in the U.S., with a preference for the Washington, D.C., area. 

Responsibilities:

Strategy and Management (30%)

Develop overall communications strategy for IPL’s range of advocacy, programs, affiliate relations, and fundraising work

Pursue strategic communications opportunities to position IPL as a key player among houses of worship and in the interfaith and secular climate movements

Build and manage short, medium, and long-term communications and messaging calendars

Help develop and execute paid, earned, and placed digital media strategies, including email, social channels, and digital ads

Create, implement, and evaluate a communications plan, including digital strategies to grow and engage IPL’s supporters base and advance IPL’s mission

Measure, track, and analyze communication strategies to promote learning and inform effective decision making

Message Development and Writing (30%)

Draft op-eds, speeches, press releases, and statements for the press

Develop internal and external messaging guidance for IPL’s advocacy, programs, fundraising, and affiliate-relations work for staff, partners, volunteers, and external channels

Help draft communications to be shared with our email supporter list 

Help manage and regularly update the IPL  website,  ensuring that information about our campaigns, fundraising, and volunteer opportunities is kept up-to-date

Develop creative digital strategies to grow and engage IPL supporter base 

Write copy for social media posts and frame content for different platforms based on audience and tone

Track trends in both faith-based and secular climate news and stay up to date on the latest research on effective climate communications

Pitching and Relationship-building (20%)

Build and maintain relationships with key reporters and opinion editors, generate news coverage, and place op-eds in interfaith, multi-faith, and secular media outlets

Proactively pitch stories and place op-eds and interviews with our President and state affiliate leaders that highlight our mission and work 

Provide training and support to volunteer leaders and partner organizations to seek out media opportunities, including lifting up the voice of communities and allies on the frontline of the climate crisis and environmental justice

Organizational Leadership (20%)

Collaborate across IPL’s teams to embed communications strategies in campaigns, organizing, programs, and fundraising work

Contribute to overall organizational strategy development

Promote a culture based on collaboration, shared leadership, and shared values

Lead media and communications trainings for IPL affiliates, to develop key campaign messengers and skill up their organizers 

Find new opportunities and ways to grow and maintain IPL’s brand across the national Network, public relations, fundraising circles, and social media channels

Ensure that IPL’s Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion goals are advanced throughout all internal and external communications

Work will, at times, be scheduled in the evenings and/or weekends and will need to allow for working across multiple time zones. Periodic travel to affiliate sites may occur. The IPL staff meets in person twice a year for staff retreats. The IPL staff also attends our annual May conference. This position requires creativity and flexibility due to the fast-paced nature of the work.

Experience and Qualifications:

College degree or equivalent experience

3-5 years of experience working in digital and traditional communications, including a successful track record of pitching news stories, drafting op-eds, and developing messaging guides

Strong communication skills, oral and written, in particular writing talking points, op-eds, and press releases

At least two years of experience working on climate, economic, racial, or social justice issues

At least one year of experience leading digital communications and managing social media channels (including Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter, but experience with all these platforms is not required)

Experience or willingness to learn CRM databases, apps, and other technologies

Ability to develop partnerships with faith-based, climate justice, and issue-based organizations in keeping with IPL’s mission

Commitment to centering diversity, equity, and inclusion in program planning, 

Sensitivity to people from all walks of life and diverse religious backgrounds 

Experience working as a member of a team 

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, respond to short-term deadlines, balance multiple responsibilities, and maintain accuracy and attention to detail

Ability to act collaboratively and flexibly as a member of a remote staff team

Commitment to the mission of IPL and IPL’s JEDI statement

Professionalism and discretion

Additional Desired Skills:

Experience working with an environmental organization or with a church, synagogue, or other house or worship or religious organization

Theological training

An understanding of interfaith-ness and the climate movement

Familiarity with technologies such as Google Suite, Slack, Asana, Zoom, WordPress, Canva, etc.

Spanish-speaker a plus

Salary and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $65,000 - $87,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Full medical, dental, and vision health benefits for the employee, retirement account Simple IRA with up to 3% match, generous vacation, sick and personal leave, half-day Fridays throughout the year. 

This is an opportunity to join a dynamic and unique organization working at the nexus of faith and the environment. You will get to work with a team of creative, collaborative, and supportive colleagues and have a lot of room to grow and expand your skills and experiences. 

IPL is committed to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming a diversity of voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically underrepresented in the environmental movement. 

We are an equal employment opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We strongly encourage diverse applicants to apply. 

To Apply:

Please fill out this Google form and send a cover letter and resume by Thursday, October 5, 2023 to hr@interfaithpowerandlight.org. 

Tiffany Hartung (she/her/hers) Chief Strategy Officer