[Hiring] Senior Donor Communications Officer @matteria

Role Description

The Senior Donor Communications Officer translates TNC's conservation priorities, results, and funding needs into compelling, donor-centered communications that support fundraising across Latin America.

• Leads complex, multi-country initiatives.
• Strengthens the quality, consistency, and persuasive power of communications for major and principal gift audiences.
• Reports to the Director of Donor Communications.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic planning and advisory:
  • Partner with the Director of Donor Communications to develop regional communications strategies, priorities, messaging frameworks, and content plans aligned with fundraising and conservation objectives.
  • Advise Development colleagues, conservation teams, and regional leaders on donor positioning, narrative strategy, audience needs, and communications opportunities.
  • Exercise independent judgment to resolve complex messaging challenges.
  • Represent Donor Communications in designated regional, global, and cross-functional initiatives.
  • Provide continuity and senior-level decision support to the Director.
• Donor communications and persuasive storytelling:
  • Lead high-priority communications for donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, campaigns, and major or principal gift opportunities.
  • Develop or oversee funding proposals, concept notes, regional and country overviews, donor visit materials, stewardship reports, campaign collateral, presentations, impact reports, and leadership messages.
  • Translate complex conservation, financial, and programmatic information into accurate, engaging narratives.
  • Adapt messaging to donor interests, cultural contexts, audience needs, and stages of the fundraising relationship.
  • Ensure communications explain why the work matters and why donors should support it.
• Project and stakeholder leadership:
  • Lead complex communications initiatives from initial briefing and strategy through stakeholder alignment, execution, review, delivery, and evaluation.
  • Define objectives, audiences, deliverables, timelines, responsibilities, risks, and trade-offs.
  • Coordinate contributors across countries, functions, and seniority levels in a matrixed environment.
  • Influence without relying on formal authority.
  • Take ownership of outcomes end to end.
• Functional leadership and capability building:
  • Strengthen editorial standards, regional messaging consistency, multilingual content practices, and donor communications workflows.
  • Provide mentorship, constructive feedback, and subject-matter guidance to communications and Development colleagues.
  • Identify opportunities to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of content production.
  • Oversee relevant vendor relationships and support training and knowledge-sharing across the region.
  • Promote effective use of digital collaboration tools and AI-assisted content solutions.
• Multilingual and cross-cultural collaboration:
  • Develop and review content in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
  • Collaborate directly with colleagues in Brazil and other Latin American markets.
  • Navigate cultural and organizational differences to build trust and facilitate alignment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Philanthropy, International Affairs, Conservation, or a related field.
• An equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience may be considered.

Requirements

• At least 5 to 7 years of relevant experience in donor communications, fundraising communications, strategic communications, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing audience-focused communications that support fundraising.
• Experience leading complex cross-functional, regional, or multi-country projects.
• Experience advising senior stakeholders and influencing without direct authority.
• Experience producing a range of communication formats.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strategic communications planning and narrative development.
• Fundraising communications, donor engagement, and persuasive writing.
• Strong writing, editing, synthesis, and storytelling skills.
• Ability to interpret scientific, conservation, financial, and programmatic information.
• Project management, prioritization, and delivery across multiple workstreams.
• Stakeholder management and facilitation in matrixed organizations.
• Editorial quality assurance and multilingual content coordination.
• Desirable: familiarity with content management systems and digital storytelling.

Languages

• English: Professional fluency, with very strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Spanish: Professional fluency, with very strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Portuguese: Advanced working proficiency sufficient to understand discussions and collaborate directly with Portuguese-speaking colleagues.

Competencies

• Strategic thinking: Understands the organizational and fundraising context behind each communication.
• Donor-centered storytelling: Connects the work being done with donor motivations.
• Ownership and proactivity: Anticipates needs and drives work forward with autonomy.
• Influence and collaboration: Builds alignment across cultures and functions.
• Adaptability and sound judgment: Manages ambiguity and complex stakeholder dynamics.

Our Team Profile

• The successful candidate will join an experienced, collaborative team.
• Values initiative, expertise, and constructive partnership over formal hierarchy.
• Comfortable operating as a senior contributor who can influence peers.

Key Interests for Working with Us

• Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem protection.
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Protection of land, oceans, freshwater, forests, and other critical natural systems.
• The role of philanthropy and strategic partnerships in enabling conservation at scale.

Reasons to Join Our Team

• Mission-driven work: Contribute to a global organization working to conserve nature.
• Regional reach: Support fundraising and conservation initiatives across diverse Latin American countries.
• Strategic influence: Help shape narratives and communications practices.
• Professional autonomy: Lead complex initiatives and exercise independent judgment.
• Remote work: Work remotely from an approved location in Argentina or Mexico.

Relevant Details Before Applying for This Vacancy

• Role scope: This is a senior strategic communications position with substantial hands-on writing and editing responsibilities.
• Sector flexibility: Candidates from various persuasive communications environments may be considered.