Job Posting

Communications Specialist

Date open:  September 17, 2024.

Closing date: Interviews will be held on a rolling basis, so we recommend applying early to ensure priority consideration.

Start Date: As soon as possible.

Salary: $65,000-74,000 annually, plus benefits and a competitive vacation policy.

Job type: Permanent full-time (37.5 hours per week).

Location: Anywhere in B.C. where salmon are present.

Put your skills to work for B.C.’s wild salmon and the people and wildlife that depend on them.

Watershed Watch Salmon Society is a respected and influential non-profit organization that promotes wild salmon and watershed conservation in British Columbia. For 25 years we have been boosting habitat protection and restoration, sustainability in salmon fisheries, reform of B.C.’s salmon aquaculture industry, and the implementation of the laws and policies that protect wild fish and the waters they swim in. We are a federally registered charity with a strong track record as a science-based watchdog, working with diverse allies and rallying the public to protect wild salmon and watersheds in B.C. Our team members are located throughout Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, and we have an engaged base of supporters across the province and beyond. 

Affiliated campaign sites:

CodeBlue BC | Safe Salmon | Heart of the Fraser | Alaska’s Dirty Secret

The Communications Specialist will support our small team in all aspects of public communications, to various audiences, and through multiple platforms. 

You are a highly proficient communicator with a strong conservation ethic and connection to B.C. watersheds and wild salmon. You want to use your skills to inspire British Columbians to join you in defending our home waters and salmon runs. You excel at grasping complex concepts in ecology and resource management and weaving them into compelling stories for public audiences. You have a well-developed theory of audience and can work across multiple platforms, tailoring your messages to diverse groups of people regardless of their geography, politics, ethnicity and literacy. This job is perfect for an experienced journalist versed in the ecology and management of wild salmon and their habitats in B.C. We would also consider hiring a salmon science or policy expert with exceptional communication skills and experience. This job would not be suitable for a marketing professional with minimal knowledge of salmon-related issues.

 Qualifications

• At least 6 years of formal training and/or experience in communications or a related field.
• Strong copy-editing and writing skills.
• Exceptional storytelling skills with experience in varied formats (print, web, traditional media, social media, etc.).
• Knowledge, experience, and dedication to elevate public understanding of the issues Watershed Watch works on, and grow and engage our support base.
• Strong conservation ethic and understanding of the cultural, social, and ecological importance of wild salmon and fresh water to British Columbians.
• Social media management experience (Facebook, Instagram and X) and familiarity with content creation, as well as audience development and engagement.
• Proficiency in dealing with news media (writing and managing press releases and media events; pitching stories to journalists).
• Proficiency in managing multimedia content (photo, video) and ability to work with content providers (designers, filmmakers, photographers, etc.) to produce hard-hitting material.
• Competent working knowledge of how advocacy campaigns are won and lost;
• Ability to relate to, and engage with, the wide array of people who make up B.C.’s wild salmon constituency.
• Experience working with and building meaningful relationships with First Nations.
• You are a strategic, independent, rational thinker and creative problem-solver who seeks out evidence when forming opinions and making decisions.
• You can work collaboratively to plan and execute projects (set and achieve realistic goals, manage multiple concurrent projects through prioritization and scheduling, and adapt to changing circumstances).
• You are not afraid to give or receive constructive criticism.
• Ability to occasionally work on evenings or weekends, when needed.
• You know, or can quickly learn, how to use the following digital tools: Google applications, WordPress, Mailchimp, Keela, NationBuilder, New/Mode, and Canva.

Responsibilities:

• Work with Watershed Watch staff and external colleagues to develop, refine, and execute campaign-specific strategies, ensuring that communications are well aligned with and support our strategies. 
• Plan, create and edit communications for specific campaigns and the organization as a whole, in collaboration with staff, external allies and contractors. 
• Manage the development and delivery of content (social media posts, emails to our followers, media releases, blog posts, short videos, op-eds, talking points, etc.), frequently “taking the pen”.
• Ensure that our communications increase our public profile and list of followers and supporters. 
• Work with other staff to grow, engage and mobilize our supporter base in service of our campaigns.
• Develop and maintain a robust working knowledge of the issues we work on.
• Identify and manage public messaging opportunities. 
• Monitor, analyze, and report to staff on communications-related metrics and data, working with staff to continually improve the reach and impact of our communications. 
• Manage our social media platforms.
• Ensure that the content and tone of all messaging are effective, appropriate, and aligned with our strategies, organizational culture, and positions on key issues, and are also legally compliant (e.g. with Revenue Canada’s regulations for registered charities).
• Assist with our weekly Salmon News distribution.
• Organize and edit our quarterly Watershed Watch newsletter.
• Monitor social and news media and report coverage of Watershed Watch and other relevant items to staff.
• Assist with the design, copy and distribution of print and digital engagement materials, fundraising materials, reports and presentations including annual reports, printed handouts, public display materials, and branded merchandise.
• Manage Watershed Watch’s photo and video library. 
• Identify capacity shortfalls in our ability to implement our communications plans, and work with staff to find solutions. 
• Assist with the occasional development of grant proposals and reports.
• Manage your diverse and demanding workload through prioritization, scheduling, and frequent consultation with the Executive Director.