Communications Director

“You can't fight these big fights on your own. You need to work with others, and you need others if you're going to take care of the places that you love.” - Jeanie Alderson, Northern Plains Chair ‘19-‘21

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Northern Plains Resource Council seeks a Communications Director who will lead our communications team, develop communications strategy with organizers and leaders on our organizing and campaign work, cultivate communications and storytelling that raise the organization’s profile and elevate our public image, and help our members and staff build grassroots power to win.

WHO WE ARE:

Northern Plains is a grassroots organization of people from the plains and mountains, cities and towns. We are everyday Montanans who love where we live. We stand up, shoulder-to-shoulder, to protect this place we all call home.

We believe that true prosperity begins with healthy land, water, and air. We believe that our families, farms, ranches, schools, businesses, governments, and communities thrive when we are good stewards of these resources. We believe that if we look beyond our fences, listen to one another, and keep our minds open, we will find creative solutions to secure a clean, healthful environment for all.

We are working toward a future where we live in harmony with nature, where our economy serves the people rather than the people serving the economy, where neighbors work side-by-side to build a world that lives up to our ideals of fairness, inclusion, and justice.

For over 50 years, Northern Plains Resource Council has helped Montanans organize to protect water quality, family farms and ranches, and our unique quality of life.

LOCATION: This is an in-person position located in Billings, Montana with flexible working arrangements available within Billings.

We are a team of hard-working, dedicated individuals who honor and promote a healthy work/life balance. Our LEED Platinum certified office is full of natural light, outbursts of laughter, and is frequently visited by our furry, four-legged friends.

You will be directly supervised by the Executive Director and work with members from all over the state.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Lead the Northern Plains Communications team to ensure all Northern Plains’ external communications are consistent with our branding, values and vision;
• Direct and lead the development of strong organizational communications and storytelling deliverables to support, strengthen, and advance Northern Plains’ organizing;
• Interpret and distill complicated issues into concrete, compelling, and concise communications;
• Cultivate strong relationships with journalists, media outlets, non-traditional media platforms, and influencers to secure positive media coverage about Northern Plains’ work;
• Work with members to write letters to the editor and opinion editorials, or speak to the press and serve as spokespeople for Northern Plains;
• Lead the development of Northern Plains’ messaging and narratives, ensuring that members and staff are adequately trained and disciplined in messages on our issues and organization;
• Participate in our staff management team;
• Supervise our Communications Coordinator and, potentially, other staff as needed;
• Participate in grassroots fundraising efforts;
• Organize, facilitate, and lead meetings, trainings, and events that are relevant to the role;
• Uphold our member-led model of grassroots and democratic decision-making.

WHO YOU ARE:

• Someone with exceptional written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including experience developing and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with a diverse group of individuals;
• A storyteller who can understand complexity and distill it into a good story aligned with our brand and narrative;
• Someone with high attention to detail and good communications hygiene, you understand best practices and are disciplined to ensure communications are accurate;
• Committed to standing up for our land, air, water, family farms and ranches, and unique quality of life;
• Experience building relationships with reporters and news outlets
• Experience with and a nuanced understanding of digital and social media;
• Highly motivated, proactive work style with excellent organizational skills and follow through;
• Ability to work effectively with teams of both staff and volunteer leaders, build trust, and facilitate decision making processes amongst them;
• Strategic thinker with a flexible and agile approach to achieving both short and long-term goals; and
• Committed to building long-term grassroots power through member-led community organizing.

Also helpful:

• Direct social media, graphic design, or journalism experience;
• Familiarity with broader movements for social, environmental and, agriculture issues;
• Familiar with the dominant social, civic, and economic issues impacting Montana today.

This is can be a fast-paced job where you will have strong influence regarding when, where, and how we convey our message to the public.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Our compensation philosophy and transparent salary structure flows from our belief that our people are the most important part of our organization. We offer thriving wages, ample benefits, and opportunities for growth and development.

The salary for this position starts at $70,000 - $75,000 depending on experience. We also offer options for fully and partially employer-paid health insurance, 20 days paid vacation plus 13 paid holidays (including the week from Christmas Eve through New Year), 12 days paid sick and personal leave, and 8 weeks of paid parental leave with the option to extend utilizing other leave types. In addition, we offer a retirement plan, an employer paid cell phone plan, and a sabbatical program.