[Hiring] Director of Communications @The Biomimicry Institute

Role Description

The Director of Communications (“Director”) leads The Biomimicry Institute’s (“TBI”) communications function, helping translate TBI’s mission, programs, partnerships, and thought leadership into clear, compelling, and coordinated communications across channels.

This role is responsible for communications strategy, editorial planning, storytelling, media relations, brand consistency, digital engagement, and campaign execution. The Director works closely with the Head of Development and Communications, CEO, program leads, Development, Operations, and external partners to strengthen TBI’s visibility, deepen audience engagement, and support organizational priorities.

The Director supervises communications staff and contractors, manages communications workflows and calendars, and ensures that communications work is well-planned, timely, mission-aligned, and coordinated across the organization.

Essential Functions

• Communications Strategy and Planning
  • Develop and implement communications strategies that advance TBI’s mission, strategic priorities, programs, fundraising goals, and public visibility.
  • Maintain an integrated communications calendar across campaigns, newsletters, website updates, social media, events, launches, partner moments, and organizational announcements.
  • Translate complex programmatic, scientific, design, innovation, and organizational content into accessible and engaging communications for priority audiences.
  • Support TBI’s thought leadership by identifying timely storytelling opportunities, media angles, partner opportunities, and campaign moments.
• Content, Storytelling, and Brand
  • Lead development of high-quality content across TBI channels, including website, email/newsletter, social media, reports, campaign materials, event communications, press materials, and partner/funder communications.
  • Ensure communications are accurate, compelling, inclusive, mission-aligned, and consistent with TBI’s voice, brand standards, and values.
  • Build and maintain a strong story pipeline across TBI programs, including AskNature, Ray of Hope, Innovation, Impact, Development, partnerships, events, and organizational milestones.
  • Collaborate with program staff and subject-matter experts to ensure communications accurately represent TBI’s work and the communities, partners, and knowledge systems involved.
• Media, Campaigns, and External Visibility
  • Manage media relations, including press inquiries, media lists, pitch development, press materials, and coordination with external PR or communications partners.
  • Plan and execute communications campaigns tied to major organizational priorities, program launches, events, funder/partner moments, and field-building opportunities.
  • Coordinate communications around key external moments such as conferences, Climate Week, COP, Bioneers, Ray of Hope, AskNature launches, and other strategic opportunities.
  • Support leadership with talking points, messaging, presentation materials, public statements, and external communications as needed.
• Digital Engagement and Analytics
  • Oversee digital communications channels, including website content, email/newsletter, social media, and related audience engagement tools.
  • Track and report communications metrics, including audience growth, engagement, website performance, email performance, campaign results, media placements, and other relevant KPIs.
  • Use data and audience insights to improve content strategy, campaign performance, and channel effectiveness.
  • Coordinate with vendors or contractors supporting digital, design, web, PR, or campaign work.
• Development and Partner Communications
  • Partner with the Development team to create compelling donor, funder, sponsor, and partner communications.
  • Support grant-related storytelling, stewardship communications, funder updates, campaign materials, and external recognition where appropriate.
  • Ensure funder and partner communications comply with applicable approval processes, communications protocols, and brand/use requirements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Operations
  • Work collaboratively with the Head of Development and Communications, CEO, program leads, Operations, Finance, and external partners to align communications priorities and workflows.
  • Use TBI’s project-management systems, including Asana, to plan, assign, track, and complete communications work.
  • Follow TBI policies, SOPs, approval processes, and communications protocols.
  • Support clear internal communication about communications priorities, timelines, capacity, and decision points.
• Management Responsibilities
  • Supervise communications staff, contractors, and vendors as assigned.
  • Set clear priorities, expectations, timelines, and deliverables for communications work.
  • Support staff through regular supervision, feedback, workload planning, and TBI’s performance management process.
  • Delegate effectively and ensure communications work is appropriately documented, tracked, and completed.
  • Foster a team environment grounded in clarity, collaboration, accountability, learning, and respect.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, nonprofit communications, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute communications strategies across multiple channels.
• Strong writing, editing, storytelling, and message-development skills.
• Experience managing editorial calendars, campaigns, content production, and digital communications.
• Experience supervising staff, contractors, vendors, or cross-functional project teams.
• Strong project-management skills and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with senior leaders, program staff, external partners, funders, and vendors.
• Comfort translating complex ideas into clear communications for varied audiences.
• Commitment to TBI’s mission and to respectful, ethical, and accurate communication about biomimicry, nature-inspired innovation, and related knowledge systems.

Preferred

• Experience in nonprofit, environmental, climate, design, science, innovation, education, or social-impact communications.
• Experience with media relations and PR strategy.
• Experience with fundraising, donor, or funder communications.
• Experience with website CMS tools, email platforms, social media platforms, analytics tools, and project-management systems.

Core Competencies

• Strategic communications judgment
• Excellent writing and editing
• Strong project management and follow-through
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Staff supervision and delegation
• Brand stewardship and audience awareness
• Media and external-relations judgment
• Data-informed communications planning
• Budget and vendor awareness
• Accountability, adaptability, and clear communication

Success Measures

• Timely delivery of communications plans, campaigns, and core communications materials.
• Improved coordination and visibility of communications priorities across TBI.
• Consistent use of project-management systems and communications workflows.
• Growth or improved engagement across priority communications channels.
• High-quality storytelling that accurately reflects TBI’s mission, programs, partners, and impact.
• Effective support for fundraising, partnership, and organizational visibility goals.
• Clear communications metrics and regular reporting on performance.
• Strong collaboration with Development, Impact, Operations, Finance, leadership, and external partners.
• Effective supervision and support of communications staff, contractors, and vendors.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of that which an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Activities that occur constantly are communicating effectively with others to exchange information; assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work; repeating motions efficiently that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers; remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Activities that occur occasionally are moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another; adjusting or moving objects less than 50 pounds in all directions.

Work Environment (Remote First)

The work environment described here is representative of that which an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Duties are performed in a home workspace. Employees are expected to maintain their home workspace in a safe manner, free from safety hazards.
• May require up to 10% travel, with travel to Biomimicry Institute locations.

Comp & Benefits

• Salary is determined based on internal equity; internal salary ranges; market data/ranges; applicant’s skills; prior relevant experience; certain degrees or certifications, etc. The salary for this position ranges: $90-125k.
• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Enjoy 100% coverage for employees for medical/dental/vision provided by Biomimicry Institute. (Please note, employees are responsible for coverage for spouses and/or dependents.)
• Retirement Plan: Begin your retirement savings after just 6 months of employment.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Benefit from our generous PTO policy, allowing you to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Paid Holidays: Take advantage of paid holidays as outlined in our Employee Handbook.
• Home Office Stipend: Receive a monthly stipend to help support your home office setup.