Communications Manager, Drive Electric Campaign

About the Organization

ClimateWorks Foundation is a catalyst for accelerating climate progress, driving bold solutions that benefit people and the planet. We connect funders and implementing organizations worldwide to identify and scale transformative solutions across sectors and geographies, achieving faster, greater impact together. Since 2008, ClimateWorks has granted over $2 billion to more than 850 grantees across 50 countries, working with over 80 funders. We helped grow the field of climate philanthropy to where it stands today, establishing infrastructure, global networks, and momentum for continued growth. Through our Global Programs and Services, we equip philanthropy with global knowledge, networks, and solutions to drive climate progress.

• Scaling solutions: Our collaborative Global Programs — focused on solution areas including carbon dioxide removal, cooling, industry, transportation, and more — produce results that are bending the greenhouse gas emissions curve. From the U.S. to Europe, China, Brazil, and beyond, we collaborate with a diverse community of funders, NGOs, and climate leaders to accelerate just and equitable climate solutions.

• Guiding and supporting funders: Our Global Services provide funders with comprehensive resources to assess, build, evolve, and execute high-impact climate-giving strategies. Our Global Intelligence service equips funders and the climate community with climate insights to pinpoint opportunities for impact and philanthropic insights to help identify investment priorities. We facilitate Global Collaborations that enable funders to increase individual and collective impact. Our Global Grantmaking services enable funders to invest in climate solutions around the world. 

• Fostering collaboration, exploration, and growth: Our collaborative approach and commitment to learning ensures that we continuously explore innovative ideas and emerging opportunities — all with the aim of scaling philanthropy-supported initiatives to help end the climate crisis.

As experts in climate science, public policy, economic and social analysis, and strategic philanthropy, ClimateWorks’ staff understands the multi-faceted challenges and opportunities of climate change. We are researchers, strategists, collaborators, and grantmakers who care passionately about our mission. For more information, please visit www.climateworks.org. 

About our teams

Drive Electric is the campaign to accelerate the global transition to 100% clean electric transportation for people and goods, delivering massive benefits to the climate, health, and the economy. The campaign advances smart government policies to drive electric vehicle and infrastructure supply and demand; engages business leaders to ensure adequate investment in EV production and procurement; and supports diverse people-powered coalitions working to advance a cleaner transportation future. This team sits within the Programs Team at ClimateWorks.

The Marketing and Communications department is working to build and safeguard ClimateWorks’ reputation, translate strategies into clear and compelling narratives, and mobilize funders and implementers worldwide to achieve faster, greater climate impact together. Program Marketing is the team of communications strategists within the Marketing and Communications department that is embedded across ClimateWorks' grantmaking programs — serving as trusted partners to program teams and as the connective tissue between program strategy and the full expertise the department offers. We translate strategy into clear and compelling narratives, amplify the work of grantees and partners, and help ClimateWorks show up with clarity and influence at the moments that count.

The Communications Manager will report jointly to both the Program Marketing and Drive Electric teams. You will join two fun, fast-paced, and globally collaborative teams that are very passionate about solving the climate crisis.

Job Summary

The Communications Manager, Drive Electric Campaign, drives high-impact communications strategies to elevate the Campaign’s work, accelerating the transition to 100% zero-emission transportation everywhere. The Communications Manager will serve as a communications strategist for Drive Electric, ensuring messaging effectiveness, visibility, and deep collaboration with grantees, partners, and philanthropy.

This is a matrixed role. This position will report jointly to the Senior Associate Director of Program Marketing and the Associate Director of Strategic Communications for the Drive Electric Campaign.

Essential Tasks  

Messaging, storytelling, and brand positioning: 

• Serve as the brand communications lead for Drive Electric, building a deep relationship with the team and shaping their communications efforts, ensuring alignment with ClimateWorks organizational goals and workflows.
• Develop and lead an integrated marketing and communications strategy for the Drive Electric Campaign, including announcements, initiative and publication launches, and brand positioning for public audiences and stakeholder communications. 
• Oversee and champion clear, consistent brand messaging that articulates Drive Electric’s goals, strategy, structure, and impact, translating technical information into a compelling and accessible voice. 
• Cultivate and lead impact storytelling across communications channels, working with grantees, peer organizations, and internal colleagues to bring the Drive Electric Campaign story to life for a range of audiences and formats — from earned media to owned media content, including the campaign website, social media, board presentations and progress reports.
• Lead in strategizing and supporting thought leadership for Drive Electric staff, including events and speaking engagements, social media, media interviews, and other opportunities. 
• Proactively identify and flag reputational and narrative risks, advising the Drive Electric team on sensitive communications decisions and ensuring appropriate review before launches or implementation.

Project management and collaborative leadership: 

• Project manage deliverables for all communications engagements and products outlined in the communications plans, including storytelling content, email, reports, announcements, and initiative launches to engage target audiences.
• Manage and work closely with external contractors, including writers, graphic designers, web developers, and other communications specialists
• Collaborate with colleagues across Marketing & Communications — including on media strategy, event strategy and execution, and donor communications — as well as the Partnerships team and external partners, to coordinate efforts and amplify messaging.
• Develop and strengthen tools, processes, and workflows to manage communications planning and execution across teams, including consistent use of project management systems like Asana to maintain visibility, accountability, and planning discipline.
• Evaluate engagement metrics across digital platforms, campaigns, and media to refine strategies and maximize impact.

Required Qualifications 

The successful applicant will have the following minimum qualifications:

• 6+ years relevant work experience with a 360 communications background, including brand management, messaging and content development, campaign communications, integrated media, and executive/board presentations.
• Excellent writing and editing skills with a proven ability to translate complex concepts into succinct, clear, accessible language for multiple audiences
• Demonstrated success working cross-functionally, especially navigating and communicating priorities and processes between programs and communications teams
• Strong organizational and project management skills, attention to detail, and demonstrated ability to set priorities and complete tasks in a timely manner
• A commitment to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment
• A passion for working to end the climate crisis in an equitable and just way
• Professional or lived experience engaging communities outside the U.S.; a global outlook and the sensibility to empathize with, and adjust to, different cultures.
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed, between 2-4 times per year, including international travel opportunities.  

Other desired qualifications include: 

• Experience working in philanthropy, climate advocacy, or nonprofit sectors. Knowledge of the road transportation sector is a plus.
• A proactive approach to ideation and execution, with experience working under pressure and in a dynamic environment.
• Familiarity with Asana, Google Drive, Salesforce and the Account Engagement email system.
• Passion for environmental and social issues and commitment to the mission and values of ClimateWorks Foundation. 
• Caring and generous attitude toward colleagues, grantees, and partners, and a commitment to supporting people to build careers and institutions. 
• Commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment.

Compensation 

ClimateWorks offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience (geographic differential applied based on location). 

Salary Range (Bay Area / NYC): $105,000 - $110,000 annually

Salary Range (Other US): $95,000 - $105,000 annually

*** ClimateWorks strives to create an equitable culture of transparency and fairness.

Location 

ClimateWorks Foundation is based in the San Francisco Financial District. This position is classified as U.S. Flexible and can work remotely within domestic U.S. time zones. This role will be expected to travel to the San Francisco Bay Area semi-regularly and ideally located no farther than a 10-hour flight. A geographic differential will be applied to compensation based on local cost of labor. 

Commitment to Racial and Social Justice

At ClimateWorks Foundation, we are driven by our vision of creating a thriving planet for all living beings for generations to come. We aim to foster an inclusive workplace that values diverse lived experiences and emphasizes the voices of marginalized people — especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color — who are most vulnerable to climate impacts, and whose voices, ideas, and leadership are crucial to winning the climate fight.

To ensure that we are making meaningful progress, we have made a set of diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments across all dimensions of our work to further our mission and realize our vision. For more information, please visit: Fostering Racial and Social Justice in Pursuit of our Mission

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at ClimateWorks Foundation and as such we are committed to creating a diverse and multi-cultural work environment. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race), ethnicity, religion, color, sex (including childbirth, breast feeding, and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, uniform service member and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, age, protected medical condition, genetic information, disability, or any other protected status in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

This policy extends to all aspects of our employment practices including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, discipline, termination, promotions, transfers, compensation, benefits, training, leaves of absence, and other terms and conditions of employment.

ClimateWorks Foundation is committed to complying with all laws protecting qualified individuals with disabilities, as well as employees’ religious beliefs and practices. This policy extends to all aspects of our employment practices including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, discipline, termination, promotions, transfers, compensation, benefits, training, leaves of absence, and other terms and conditions of employment. ClimateWorks Foundation will provide a reasonable accommodation for any known physical or mental disability of a qualified individual and/or employees’ religious beliefs and practices, as required by law.

If you require an accommodation, please notify Human Resources. Once ClimateWorks Foundation is aware of the need for an accommodation, it will engage in an interactive process to identify possible accommodations.

Application Process 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. To be considered for this position, interested candidates must submit a resume and cover letter. This position will remain open until filled.

Employment at the ClimateWorks Foundation is at-will.