We’re Hiring!

Full-Time, Regular

Position Status: Full Time

Location: Great Falls, MT or Bismarck, ND. 

Other locations within the US Prairie Pothole Region may be considered.

Salary: Commensurate with experience and with that of similar positions.

The Prairie Pothole Region of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. (DU) is seeking a highly motivated, self-starting collaborative individual to work as a key staff member of the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV). The Communications Coordinator serves as lead PPJV communications staff working across the 5-state region (MT, ND, SD, MN, IA) of the Joint Venture. This position provides critical direction and implementation of strategic external and internal communications to advance PPJV conservation efforts. Work is guided by the PPJV Strategic Communications Plan to ensure effective communications. This position oversees all aspects of the PPJV Communications Program, including program development and exploration of funding opportunities. The Communications Coordinator is responsible for furthering communications to support wetland and grassland habitat conservation. The position works with partners to ensure our communications efforts reach priority audiences with targeted messages to influence actions and behaviors. Thirty percent of the Coordinator’s time is committed to communication efforts described within the JV8 guiding document, ‘A Business Plan to Recover North America’s Central Grasslands’.  https://jv8.org/

 Key Objectives of Coordinator Efforts:

• Demonstrate the value of working lands conservation.
• Explicitly link conservation activities to societal benefits.
• Demonstrate the relevance of the US Prairie Pothole Region to national and international bird conservation.
• Demonstrate the relevance of the central grasslands to national and international bird conservation.
• Support conservation-friendly policies and policies enabling effective landowner conservation programs to exist.
• Highlight the importance of maintaining or increasing funding for conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region and the central grasslands biome.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Develop and deliver strategic communications products:
  1. Oversee, implement, and coordinate the design and delivery of strategies and tools in line with goals and objectives identified in the PPJV Strategic Communications Plan Update, the PPJV Implementation Plan, the JV8 Central Grasslands Conservation Initiative: Five-Year Strategic Communications Plan, and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
  2. Engage the PPJV Communications Committee and key partners in strategic planning for the communications program and communication campaigns.
  3. Issue quarterly PPJV e-newsletters, to include soliciting and compiling news stories from Board members, staff, and partners.
  4. Oversee management of the PPJV website, keeping content current and managing necessary security updates.
  5. Lead the coordination of an PPJV Annual Report to effectively communicate accomplishments.
  6. Grow PPJV’s social media presence by posting relevant stories on Facebook, amplifying existing pages, and connecting the JV with new platforms.
  7. Provide vision and direction for future communications program growth.
  8. Direct, develop, and write content as needed to benefit the PPJV partners.
  9. Provide graphic design support for JV documents and outreach tools.
  10. Broaden awareness and communicate consistent messages to the public about the importance of grasslands.
  11. Broaden awareness and communicate consistent messages to policymakers about the need for increased grassland conservation funding in the central grassland biome.

• Communications coordination and networking:
  1. Oversee the development and delivery of strategies in line with the direction identified in the PPJV Conservation Advocates Communications Strategy.
     • Support communication both within and across JV boundaries by elevating important messaging, funding partner initiatives, leveraging current efforts, and formalizing relationships with new groups.
     • Help coordinate a steady stream of landowner-driven content across different partner groups and provide a collection point to evaluate the volume of stories being shared.
     • As needed, develop novel content to fill gaps in the storytelling landscape.
  2. Maintain an active role in regional and national conservation communications networks by engaging with partner communications staff on shared planning, messaging, and products.
  3. Serve on the JV8 Communications Committee to support development and delivery of communications strategies within the JV8 Central Grasslands Conservation Initiative: Five-Year Strategic Communications Plan.

• Communications evaluation:
  1. Develop or utilize existing evaluation metrics to track and report on communications tools using quantitative and qualitative benchmarks.
  2. Identify and implement ways to improve JV and JV8 communication efforts.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, natural resources, or related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Minimum of four years of experience in communications, public relations, or marketing preferably for a natural resources or conservation organization.
• Experience in outreach and communicating scientific results to specific audiences, such as agency leaders, state and/or federal conservation agencies, or agricultural partners.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience with social media campaigns, working with journalists, photography, graphic design, and websites.
• Experience with writing and editing natural resources and conservation content.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate well with staff and partners.
• Expertise in strategic planning, strategic communications, and facilitation.
• Track record of obtaining funding preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel across the Prairie Pothole Regions as needed to connect with the JV partnership and support stated objectives.

This is a full-time position (40 hours/week). The job will involve travel to attend partner meetings, visit project sites, and represent the Joint Venture. Either a vehicle will be provided, or personal mileage will be reimbursed.

This position is co-supervised by DU and PPJV staff with day-to-day supervision provided by the PPJV Coordinator. The Communications Coordinator is expected to be part of both the DU and PPJV team. The main PPJV office is located at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Great Falls, MT and the DU Great Plains office is located in Bismarck, ND.

To Apply:

Please fill out the application forms provided here. Applicant must attach a cover letter, resume, writing or graphic design sample, and daytime contact information (email & phone numbers) for three professional references. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

For more information regarding this position, contact careers@ducks.org.

DUCKS UNLIMITED, INC. IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

It is the policy of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to afford equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions),  sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression,  age (40 or over), disability (physical, mental or visual), genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partnership status), military and veteran status, immigration status, or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.