About Oceana
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Since its founding, Oceana has expanded its campaigns to nine coastal countries and the European Union and protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean.
Oceana is campaigning around the globe to protect and restore the world’s oceans. The oceans connect us all. They cover two-thirds of our blue planet and contain most of the life on Earth. They are as important to us as they are vast. But the oceans face many threats – from overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks. That’s where Oceana comes in. Oceana wins science-based policies in important coastal countries that rebuild abundant and biodiverse oceans. With more than 300 victories, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored, healthy, and abundant ocean can help fight climate change, sustain livelihoods, and feed more than 1 billion people a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world.
The Role
Oceana leads strategic, directed campaigns that achieve measurable protections for our oceans. We seek a passionate, driven and highly skilled communicator to help our U.S. campaign team save North Atlantic right whales from extinction and promote responsible fishing. Oceana seeks someone with PR agency-style instincts, strong media relations and writing skills, and the ability to get people to care.
The qualifications of the Senior Communications Manager should include highly developed copyediting and writing skills; strong project management skills; the ability to work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including scientists, lawyers, fundraisers, and external partners; and the ability to manage in all directions. In a challenging policy and stakeholder environment, Oceana’s communications team plays a critical role in communicating to influence change. The Senior Communications Manager will need to proactively identify and manage the execution of strategic communications activities and tactics to influence decision-makers and increase public awareness and engagement for the campaigns. A comfort with rapid action and the ability to translate scientific terminology into accessible language with meticulous attention to detail is also a must.
This manager is responsible for end-to-end public relations management, managing initiatives through research, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This individual must cultivate and maintain successful media relationships to secure placements for Oceana’s campaigns across all media. The individual must manage strategic relationships inside and outside the organization to facilitate our work and maximize Oceana’s campaign visibility, including executives, campaign teams, digital and creative teams, partners, teams in other country offices consultants, influencers, and celebrity supporters.
Candidates must manage competing priorities, thrive in a fast-paced environment under pressure with superior attention to detail and excellent written and verbal communications skills, problem- solving and excellent customer service skills, and be extremely organized and responsive. The Senior Communications Manager reports to Oceana’s Communications Director and is a member of the Global Marketing and Communications Department, working closely with the Campaign Director and team to advance Oceana’s U.S. campaigns. This position is based in Washington, D.C. Limited domestic or international travel may be required.
Responsibilities
Communications
- Serve as a communications lead for Oceana’s U.S. campaigns. Develop and execute communications strategies for Oceana’s campaigns, managing initiatives through research, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Serve as a campaign spokesperson where relevant.
- Secure speaking engagements for Oceana’s campaign experts and provide support with logistics, presentation materials, and preparation.
- Translate scientific information into lay language, strategize and develop communications for targeted audiences and stakeholders (e.g., news media, government officials, donors, and public), and produce brochures, fact sheets, social media toolkits, presentations, website content, press materials, and more.
- Find opportunities to spread Oceana’s campaign messaging through traditional and online media sources, via letters to the editor, op-eds, editorials, and blog posts, through drafting, editing, and placing strategic opinion pieces.
- Create materials and oversee the promotion of campaign work on social media and advertising channels, working closely with Oceana’s digital team to ensure a stronger voice for our campaigns across the organization’s social media channels.
- Provide writing and editing support for other campaigns, projects, and initiatives.
Project Management
- Oversee the public rollout of campaign reports and projects, including managing timelines, budgets, reviews, production, release, and promotion.
- Oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of other high-profile strategic events and special projects, including campaign launches, media roundtables, and more.
Relationship & Training
- Cultivate and manage successful media relationships, secure placements for Oceana’s campaigns in top local, regional, national, and international media outlets, and track press coverage tied to specific goals.
- Manage strategic relationships inside and outside the organization, including executives and campaign teams, the digital and creative teams, organizational partners, communications teams in other country offices for overlapping work, outside consultants, influencers, and celebrity supporters.
- Manage outside vendor agreements with Oceana’s legal department.
- Train other campaign staff to interact with the media, develop key campaign messaging.
Candidate Profile
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, or related field; and five to eight years of public relations experience, with expertise in media relations, advertising, events, and project management; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Skills and Knowledge
- Organizational skills with superior attention to detail, ability to meet strict deadlines and work under pressure while maintaining humor and high energy, to adapt to a fast-changing environment, manage multiple assignments and coordinate with all levels within the organization. Ability to approach problems with a sense of ownership, enthusiasm, and innovation. Ability to take initiative in suggesting new strategies and tactics to help Oceana’s campaigns achieve their goals.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively as a team player to coordinate projects and work effectively with a variety of personalities. Must be a proactive team player and have a positive, customer service attitude.
- Independent and original thinker, able to provide solutions both within the team environment and on their own. Comfortable with ambiguity and able to spot opportunities in times of change.
- Interest in ocean conservation is a plus.
Required Competencies
- Action Oriented: Makes things happen. Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
- Instills Trust: Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
- Ensures Accountability: Follows through on commitments and makes sure others do the same. Has a reputation of taking ownership and responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures.
- Effective Communication: Understands the value of effective communication. Can deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Actively listens, checks for understanding, and adjusts content and style to meet the needs of different stakeholders.
- Customer Focus: Skilled at anticipating customer needs (internal and external) and providing services which exceed expectations. Establishes and maintains effective customer relationships.
- Plans & Aligns: Skilled at creating plans aligned with Oceana’s priorities; enable individuals and teams to get organized, remain focused, and proceed with confidence.
- Drives Results: Skilled at communicating a vision, setting priorities, developing, and executing plans that achieve desired outcomes. Has an overall achievement mindset, action-focused approach, eager to take initiative.
- Directs Work: Provides direction, delegates, and removes obstacles. Sets clear expectations, tracks progress, and communicates information which others need.
Job Features
| Job Category | Environment, Rod |
| Location | Washington, D.C., USA |
| Division | Marketing and Communications |
| Type of role | Full-time, hybrid |
| Responsible to | Director of Communications |
| Closing Date | Rolling - applications encouraged ASAP |
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Job Features
| Job Category | Environment, Rod |
| Location | Washington, D.C., USA |
| Division | Marketing and Communications |
| Type of role | Full-time, hybrid |
| Responsible to | Director of Communications |
| Closing Date | Rolling - applications encouraged ASAP |
