Communications Lead

EDGI is an action-oriented research collaborative driven by the Environmental Right to Know (ERTK) – the belief that people should be able to know and make decisions about environmental conditions of concern, and that the collection and stewardship of environmental information should equip people, communities, and workers to protect their health and support the flourishing of surrounding ecosystems.

Forming in November 2016 to document and analyze changes to vulnerable federal environmental data and governance practices under the Trump administration, EDGI has grown into the preeminent watchdog tracking and assessing modifications to federal environmental information resources and their accessibility; a national leader in highlighting Trump’s impacts on environmental, data, and information policies and practices; and the forerunner in developing a new field of inquiry and critique: environmental data justice. Our work has garnered national and international media coverage, appearing in major outlets like The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Time magazine, and CNN. 

Position Overview

Join us! We are looking to hire a new, collaborative team member to join EDGI to help with communications—network-wide and with the broader public. The Communications Lead will assist in drafting blog posts, website updates, social media content, outreach, and spotlights. The ideal person for this position is a strong writer, a self-starter, and a person with tech-savvy experience who can work independently and in a team. Someone passionate about environmental transparency, environmental justice, and environmental policy issues would be ideal.

The successful applicant will have a strong writing record, including translating complex material into approachable written form; demonstrable website content management skills (CMS, WordPress); experience managing social media accounts; ability to write and send clear, engaging email blasts; and capacity to help develop our longer-term communications strategy, such as network building.

Required Communications, Duties, Skills, and Priorities:

• Expand, including through graphics, EDGI’s communication about the work and role of EDGI members and their interconnections.
• Set a communications strategy (emails, tools, etc.) with a communication calendar, and communicate it all clearly to the team (Slack).
• Follow EDGI guidelines for communication, including a fast approval protocol for sensitive or timely content to be published or tweeted.
• Assist advisory committee with EDGI communications needs.
• Keep a communication calendar based on upcoming events and the activities of each working group, along with any relevant external events & news.
• Websites: Format and upload content with collaboration and approval by the EDGI team.
• Possibly assisting in other ways to maintain, update, and coordinate between EDGI’s web-based work (WordPress/Kirby/other CMS-based).
• Schedule blog posts consistently with EDGI’s, as well as with external news and events.
• Develop blogs and press releases about EDGI’s research and other activities and publications.
• Manage Social Media: Daily management of EDGI’s Twitter feed; survey prospective partner organizations’ feeds and retweet or reply as appropriate; and recommend other social media strategies outside of Twitter (Bluesky, etc.).
• Schedule tweets in connection with the communication calendar.
• Increase EDGI’s visibility on social media and expand the network of organizations followed by EDGI and that follow EDGI.
• Network Emailing: Develop bi-monthly email blasts of upcoming news and events and email as needed with announcements.
• Attend monthly EDGI meetings (required).

Compensation & Hours: 

Starting at 10 hrs/week at $37/hr, with the possibility to flex up. Non-benefits eligible position. There is a 90-day evaluation period before a contract of 12 months, with the opportunity to extend (pending funding). After the 90-day period, a technology stipend may be made available. More about EDGI at: https://www.envirodatagov.org.

To Apply:

Please click "Apply" below to email a cover letter and resume as a single PDF detailing your qualifications by November 15th. Include “EDGI COMMUNICATIONS” in the subject line.

At EDGI, we value diversity — in backgrounds and in experiences. The environment is a universal concern, and we need people from all backgrounds and identities to help build the future of environmental transparency and environmental-right-to-know futures. EDGI is deliberate and self-reflective about the kind of team and culture we are making. We seek members who are strong in their own aptitudes and care deeply about supporting each other’s growth.