Senior Communications Director at Climate Cabinet

Chicago, Illinois, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

27 Mar, 26

Salary

160000.0

Posted On

27 Dec, 25

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Strategic Thinking, Excellence in Communication, Operational Leadership, Continuous Improvement, Climate Movement Experience, Political Experience, CRM Fluency, Data-Driven Metrics, Team Enablement, Storytelling, Campaign Management, Narrative Development, Fundraising Support, Policy Advocacy, Collaboration, Training and Coaching

Industry

Civic and Social Organizations

Description

Role: Senior Communications Director, Full-time Role Purpose: Define, implement, and lead communications across Climate Cabinet’s affiliated entities to drive public-facing, data-informed narratives that will uplift state and local climate leadership, support political and policy impact, strengthen Climate Cabinet’s brand, and nourish organizational growth. Location and Travel Expectations: Remote in the U.S. Some travel is required (~5%). Salary Range: $140,000-$160,000, commensurate with skills and experience. Timeframe: Priority deadline for applications is January 26, 2026. We will begin actively reviewing applications in early January. The target start date is March/April 2026. We recognize senior transitions can require notice. While this is our preferred start date, we are able to flex for the right candidate. About Climate Cabinet Climate Cabinet helps state and local champions win on climate. We support high-impact, under-the-radar offices who have “outsized impact” on our ability to solve the climate crisis - from clean energy buildout to zero-carbon transportation. These leaders drive progress regardless of who is in the White House. We are a dynamic, passionate team of experienced climate experts with staff on-the-ground across the country and a remote-first workplace. We create a clear, kind culture of agency and growth—sharing expectations openly, giving space for initiative, and supporting one another as full people to build their climate movement leadership in service of our mission. Role Summary We’re looking for a Senior Communications Director to lead Climate Cabinet’s organization-wide communications function. In this role, you will report to the Executive Director and work closely with the Executive Team to define and execute the communications approach for impact and scale. Climate Cabinet’s communications function should supercharge programmatic work and fundraising, uplift climate leaders across America, and amplify the importance of state and local governments for addressing climate change. This new role will be our most senior communications leader and will hold decision authority over strategy development, organizational and campaign narrative, product and campaign execution, systems, staff management, and brand coherence. You will collaborate deeply across the organization, working side-by-side with Policy, Political, Data and Fundraising department heads and Executive leadership to achieve a consistent national brand presence and drive effective communication to donors, partners, and lawmakers. The ideal candidate has deep experience in the climate movement in a communications leadership role. They are a systems thinker, powerful writer, and team player who is excited to define powerful strategies and operationalize strategy into execution. This is an exciting opportunity to shape Climate Cabinet’s voice in national and state climate solution spaces while building a high-performing communications function – building upon a solid foundation. Responsibilities Communications Strategy & Narrative Leadership Define Climate Cabinet Communications Strategy across all platforms and channels. Build and deploy communications campaigns with clear content pillars to support program work, fundraising, and positioning. Drive analysis to make strategic decisions about list management and communication channels. Position Climate Cabinet and its leaders for impact in the national landscape; drive thought leadership across organizational and individual staff channels. Supercharge Programs & Fundraising Define state-specific and issue-specific communications campaigns in partnership with program staff. Support the programmatic teams in producing technical policy reports as well as accessible materials for lawmaker and partner engagement. Leverage the team’s data analysis capabilities for powerful data storytelling to support communications goals. Translate program work into compelling deliverables that support fundraising and external engagement. Ensure communications strategies strengthen fundraising effectiveness and support institutional and individual donor goals. Communications Team & Systems Leadership Strengthen and steward systems to support the communications function, including content calendars, messaging guidance, and processes to operationalize strategy. Train and coach staff to strengthen organization-wide narrative capacity and ensure compliance with brand and messaging guidance. Manage the Communications team, including management of staff, consultants, and budgets. Approve public materials to ensure quality, coherence, and strategic alignment. Represent Communications function on the leadership team to support organization-wide priorities, inform strategy, and define strategic organizational positioning. What Success Looks Like Climate Cabinet’s communications strategy and narratives clearly reflect its bold vision for impact on U.S. climate outcomes. Communications Strategy guidance is written and aligned upon by the executive team, and shows early data-driven evidence of supercharging program delivery and fundraising goals. Communications systems support clarity, accountability, efficiency, and shared ownership across teams. Content across all channels reflects narrative discipline, strong message coherence, and strategic alignment. Staff across Programs, Policy, Data, and Development engage confidently with narrative pillars and communications processes, and apply brand/messaging guidance consistently. Staff are trained, supported, and empowered to communicate with clarity, consistency, and confidence. Required Skills and Experience: Strategic Thinking & Positioning: Maintains a systems-level view of climate, policy, political, and organizational context; applies deep insight to position Climate Cabinet within the broader landscape. Excellence in Communication: Masterful writer and communicator; Leads compelling storytelling that resonates across diverse audiences, simplifying complex policy and governance information while retaining appropriate nuance. Operational Leadership & Team Enablement: Builds the conditions for strong execution by defining team workflows, decision boundaries, and systems; manages and coaches staff to deliver on outcomes; designs systems and rhythms that enable deep collaboration and collective ownership of results. Continuous Improvement & Innovation: Demonstrates a growth mindset—seeks feedback, iterates processes, experiments with new tools, and fosters team learning. Climate Movement & Policy Experience: Has led or significantly contributed to climate policy communications campaigns and policy reports. Political & Advocacy Experience: Has experience leading political or advocacy campaigns and nonprofit structures; has a track record of shaping communications that reflect political realities and advance strategic influence. Fully fluent in nonprofit and political structures, rules, and multi-entity compliance. CRM & Data-Driven Metrics Fluency: Proficient with CRMs and analytics for communications platforms and list management, leveraging analysis for measuring impact and honing strategy. Compensation and Benefits: Salary Range: The national base range for the role is $140,000-$160,000, commensurate with skills and experience. (Internal Level for Role: 4) The position offers a competitive benefits package, including: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, with the organization covering nearly 100% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums; Unlimited PTO; Basic life insurance and long-term disability; Health FSA and Dependent Care FSA; 401k employer contribution; Paid parental leave; Computer reimbursement stipend. Application Process We are accepting applications via Greenhouse on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of January 26, 2026. Include 1) a resume, 2) answers to our application questions, and 3) a writing sample as described below: Questions: Why do you want to work at Climate Cabinet and in this role? (200 words max) Describe a communications strategy you have designed and executed for a policy advocacy campaign and the impact it had in shaping a specific policy outcome. Share an example of how you’ve built or improved a full-stack communications team or program. (200 words max) Writing sample attachment: Please upload a writing sample that you are proud of. This should be an example of long-form writing on a climate policy topic (e.g., a report, analysis, explainer, or long-form opinion piece) for which you were the primary author. The sample should demonstrate your ability to synthesize complex policy issues, communicate clearly to a defined audience, and advance a compelling argument or set of recommendations. All applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy no later than February 16, 2026. The interview process will include approximately three Zoom interviews and reference checks. Target start date is March/April 2026. We recognize senior transitions can require notice. While this is our preferred start date, we are able to flex for the right candidate. You should apply! We encourage applications from people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, women, first-gen and low-income people, and members of marginalized communities. Furthermore, if you don’t meet the exact job qualifications listed but feel called to the work — please apply. There are many ways to have developed the expertise necessary to excel in this position. Climate Cabinet is an equal opportunity employer. Climate Cabinet believes every employee has the right to work in an environment free from unlawful discrimination. Consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, Climate Cabinet provides all employees and applicants with equal opportunity in all aspects of the employment relationship. This includes employment decisions related to hiring, promotions, transfers, disciplinary action, termination, and training. Climate Cabinet will comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. Want to learn more about Climate Cabinet? Check out our interview on Volts and climatecabinet.org.

Responsibilities

The Senior Communications Director will define and implement the communications strategy for Climate Cabinet, leading campaigns that support program work and fundraising. This role involves collaboration with various departments to ensure a consistent national brand presence and effective communication.