Marketing and Communications Associate

The mission of the Aldo Leopold Foundation is to foster the land ethic through the legacy of Aldo Leopold. Based in Baraboo, Wisconsin, we manage, interpret, and preserve the renowned Leopold Shack and Farm (a National Historic Landmark), which receives thousands of visitors each year.

Our care of this special place continues the Leopold family tradition while demonstrating on-the-ground conservation relevance for the 21st Century. Offsite, too, we reach regional, domestic, and international audiences through a variety of education and land stewardship programs.

We impart Leopold’s land ethic as described in A Sand County Almanac—the book for which Leopold is most widely known—actively engaging educators, citizens, natural resource professionals, and landowners to improve land health in their own communities. The Aldo Leopold Foundation headquarters is in an idyllic setting surrounded by 600 acres of foundation-owned property and an additional 16,000 acres managed collaboratively among public and private landowners as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

The Leopold Center, constructed in 2007, is a LEED Certified Platinum “green” building that is home to the foundation’s office space and visitor center.

Diversity Statement

The Aldo Leopold Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes that just as a healthy ecosystem depends on biodiversity, cultural and social diversity are also essential to a healthy human society. We are committed to expanding the conversation on land ethics by acting to achieve a rich diversity of staff, board, volunteers, members, supporters and those we seek to engage with our programming. We encourage applicants to address this foundation goal in their application materials.

Position Impact Statement

The Marketing and Communications Associate is responsible for developing content to engage and grow the foundation’s social communities. Work will require outstanding visual and written communication to accomplish the intended impact and to reflect the brand and mission of the Aldo Leopold Foundation. The Marketing and Communications Associate will support the work of the Marketing and Communications Manager to grow awareness and support for the foundation’s mission and work, increase participation in the organization’s programs with new and diverse audiences, and increase revenue.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Email & Social Media:

• Collaborate with teammates on strategies to cultivate and grow social communities to achieve aggressive growth targets annually.
• Work with teammates to execute additional email marketing, acquisition, and engagement strategies targeting subscribers and donors for Aldo Leopold Foundation and My Wisconsin Woods.
• Ensure email newsletter is drafted with compelling and informative material and delivered each month in a timely manner to sustain engagement.
• Maintain content grid based on communications calendar to ensure desired content placement and deadlines are met.
• Develop the day-to-day social media plan (Facebook and Twitter primarily, also YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn) within direction provided by the communications and marketing plan and/or Marketing and Communications Manager.
• Create and curate daily social media content; collaborate with teammates that can provide support.
• Monitor, manage, and respond to comments and messages on social platforms.
• Work with Marketing and Communications Manager to execute and track paid social media campaigns. Track key performance indicators for email and social media; assist with compiling results for reporting.

Graphic Design & Media:

• Design, create, and update visually compelling materials within existing brand and style parameters that promote the work and offerings of the Aldo Leopold Foundation, including but not limited to:
  • Layout and design for any full-color, hard-copy showcase production.
  • Flyers and brochures to inform and promote programs (e.g., crane viewing tours) and projects (e.g., My Wisconsin Woods).
  • Interpretive, informative, and way-finding signage to enhance the visitor experience (exhibit hall, hiking trails, gift shop).
  • Digital assets for website, email, social media that educate and inspire.
• Act as point person with print houses and vendors for majority of print projects.
• Create and edit short videos that inform and engage audience(s) about a land ethic, the work of the Aldo Leopold Foundation, the Leopold Shack and Leopold Center, projects like My Wisconsin Woods, and programs like crane viewing tours.

Content:

• Collaborate and brainstorm with teammates on themes, strategies, and content for annual communications and marketing plan to reach, engage, and grow various audience segments including environmentally conscious citizens, young conservation professionals, and landowners.
• Provide insight and ideas for content themes and topics, authors, assignments, placements, and timelines.
• Assist with writing news articles and blog posts for the website, as well as other content specific to programs, projects, or other communications channels.
• Assist with editing of written content for all communications channels.

Qualifications

The Aldo Leopold Foundation seeks a candidate with a degree in graphic design, marketing, and/or communications and a strong interest in conservation and the environment. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, the ability to work independently and to multitask, demonstrated leadership capabilities, and a proclivity for focusing on strategic outcomes. Applicants should be creative, professional, and eager to learn.

Required:

• One to three years of related graphic design, communications, marketing experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, writing, editing, and organizational abilities.
• Proficiency and strong command of Adobe Creative Suite demonstrated by submitted portfolio.
• Demonstrated experience using social media platforms to grow and engage communities, as well as with management tools to curate content, pull metrics, and monitor audiences via social listening.
• Strong command of Microsoft Office and email marketing platforms. (MailChimp experience preferred.) Ability to work both independently with little supervision and in a team environment.
• Demonstrated respect and sensitivity for others; ability to inspire trust and work with integrity.
• Demonstrated understanding of the value of inclusiveness and diversity in all its forms: racial and cultural, political, age, gender, economic, and social.
• Versatility, flexibility, and a willingness to work within changing priorities.
• Ability to adapt to a rapid work pace with frequent deadlines.

Desired:

• Experience creating and editing short films and animations.
• Experience working with print houses on jobs requiring supervision and press check.
• Familiarity with the work of the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Aldo Leopold’s history and legacy.
• Familiarity with a wide range of current issues in natural resources and conservation.

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position.
• While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk and must be able lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.
• Vision abilities required for this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Hours and Schedule: Full-time; Exempt M-F; Some Saturdays may be required

Position Reports to: Marketing & Communications Manager

Compensation

• Pay range: $35,000-$40,000 annually depending on education and/or years of related work experience.

Benefits include:

• Health, dental, vision, life/AD&D, and short-term disability insurance, SimpleIRA retirement plan (when eligible), Health Savings Account, and paid time off (vacation, floating holidays, and sick leave).

To Apply

• Please click "Apply on Company Website" below to submit application materials. 
• Direct any questions to janstett@aldoleopold.org. Use the subject line “Marketing & Communications Associate.”
• The application deadline is Sunday, February 6, 2022.
• For the full position description, application link and to learn more about the Aldo Leopold Foundation, please visit our website: https://www.aldoleopold.org/employment/

The Aldo Leopold Foundation provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. In addition to federal law requirements, ALF complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.