Communications & Marketing Director

Organizational Overview: Columbia Riverkeeper is a successful nonprofit organization that unites communities to fight for clean water, salmon recovery, and our climate. Columbia Riverkeeper works with river communities and in solidarity with Tribes to make an impact. This includes high-profile campaigns to recover healthy salmon populations and protect the Columbia River from fossil fuels, toxic pollution, the Hanford Nuclear Site, and other threats facing people who rely on the Columbia. Our work is featured in national media, including CNN, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times.

Across our campaigns, we promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in environmental decisions and our own actions. This includes working in solidarity with Tribal Nations to achieve common goals. Our team includes community organizers, scientists, communications specialists, and attorneys. To learn more about our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, click here, and to learn more about our values, click here.

Location: Hood River, Oregon (hybrid option)

* Preferred location is Columbia Riverkeeper's Hood River office and there is a preference for applicants who can work from the Hood River office. However, we will consider applicants who would work from the Portland office. This position has the option to work remotely 2 days a week from either state, Oregon, or Washington and requires periodic travel to Columbia Riverkeeper’s Portland office and within the region. Columbia Riverkeeper currently offers remote/hybrid work for some positions as a benefit and subject to periodic reviews.

Job Type: Full-time (40 hours/week), Exempt Position.

Position Description: The Communications & Marketing Director is a senior position that partners with Columbia Riverkeeper’s Executive Director, staff, and contractors to advance the organization’s mission and values.

Responsibilities:

• Strategy and Planning: Lead the overall strategy, management, and communications content creation to deliver on Columbia Riverkeeper’s organizational goals.
• Management: Supervise two employees and oversee multiple contracts with independent contractors and vendors.
• Content Creation: Develop creative written and visual strategies for various digital and print platforms, including social media, website, email, newsletter, press releases, video, and infographics.
• Media: Guide the strategy on press outreach, including messaging in press releases, creation of press kits and materials, interview preparation, and responses to media requests.
• Public Relations: Support and advance the organization’s public image. Be an advocate for, and from time to time be the external face of, and effectively represent the organization in order to increase its impact and visibility.
• Fundraising: Drive fundraising efforts to secure grants and work in collaboration with the Advancement Director and Executive Director in securing individual donations to support and advance the organizational budget.
• Analytics and Reporting: Track and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) for digital campaigns. This could include metrics related to website traffic, email engagement, social media reach, earned media placement, and campaign effectiveness.
• Crisis Communication / Rapid Response: Manage communication strategy during rapid response moments or urgent situations with input from the Executive Director or Leadership Team.
• Events: Plan and represent Columbia Riverkeeper at events.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Minimum ten (10) years of professional experience in communications and marketing with at least five (5) years in a manager or director-level role in communications and marketing
• Minimum four (4) years of experience supervising a team of two or more people in communications and marketing
• Minimum education of a Bachelors of Science or Arts, with a demonstrated history of professional development in communications and marketing. To advance our value of equity and to recognize the knowledge gained through lived experience, no specific professional certifications or area of study are required. Please detail your relevant education, experience, and training in your resume or cover letter
• Experience:
  • Developing communications and marketing plans
  • Generating earned media coverage, social media, advertising campaigns, and driving narrative change
  • Working in a team environment and managing complex short- and long-term projects with a team of colleagues and contractors
  • Working for a public interest nonprofit advocacy organization
  • Applying communications and marketing strategies to support fundraising
  • Evaluating analytics and applying lessons learned using EveryAction, Salsa Engage, or similar CRM
  • Advertising through digital platforms like Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, or similar
• Involvement or leadership in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) spaces (ex: committees, initiatives, programs, outside community involvement etc.)
• Excellent written and project management skills, including experience using project management software
• Valid driver’s license with either access to own vehicle or eligibility to rent.
• A note to potential candidates: Studies have shown that women, trans, non-binary, BIPOC, and other

Candidates from most-impacted communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that’s welcome. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.

Salary Range & Benefits: $105,000 to $125,000 depending on experience. Benefits include medical and dental insurance, generous vacation package, paid holidays and personal days, 401(k) employer contribution and matching, an encouraging and flexible work environment, training budget, wellness stipend, and career growth opportunities.

To Apply: Email a resume, a cover letter, three professional references, and three work samples to info@columbiariverkeeper.org with the subject line “Communications & Marketing Director.” Please combine the cover letter, resume, and references into a single PDF attachment titled “Last Name.First Name Communications & Marketing Director.”

Application Deadline: June 1, 2025. Consider applying early; the Hiring Team will review applications on a rolling basis.

Start date: Preferred start is August 25, 2025.

Columbia Riverkeeper is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors.

Columbia Riverkeeper is committed to providing equal opportunity and access throughout the hiring process. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants upon request. If you need assistance or accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact the Director of People & Culture by email or phone: kayla@columbiariverkeeper.org, 541.399.9119.