Communications Manager for “Voices for Just Climate Action”

The “Voices for Just Climate Action” (VCA) program

The VCA program is implemented by an alliance led by four powerful civil society organizations from the Global South—Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), Fundación Avina, Slum Dwellers International (SDI), and SouthSouthNorth (SSN)—and two global civil society organizations—Hivos and WWF. The VCA alliance brings people together globally and locally to advocate for just climate solutions that benefit both people and nature. Its goal is to strengthen civil society in Paraguay/Bolivia, Brazil, Tunisia, Kenya, Zambia, and Indonesia in co-creating and leading locally relevant, inclusive, and fundable climate solutions and influencing policy in favor of these solutions. We do this by connecting a variety of civil society organizations—representing women, youth, indigenous peoples, digital activists, and more. This project is part of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ five-year strategic partnership, “Power of Voices,” and runs until December 31, 2025.

The program is implemented in the countries mentioned above but also includes an international and a Dutch component. 

For more information about the program: www.voicesforjustclimateaction.org  

What are you going to do?

As the VCA Communications Manager, you will serve as the point of contact for WWF in the VCA Communications Task Force and will be a member of the VCA Lobbying Task Force, working closely with the Public Affairs team at WWF Netherlands.

You will focus on connecting the organizations involved in the alliance, on the one hand, and on raising awareness and stimulating public debate about locally designed climate solutions, on the other. To achieve these objectives, you will work on:

• The communication strategy and its implementation, through which you will contribute to positioning WWF NL within the VCA project (both internally and externally);
• You will take the lead in developing a unified messaging strategy that takes all interests within the alliance into account;
• You coordinate communication priorities with internal teams and engage the appropriate stakeholders to collaborate with, such as the press, media, other NGOs, supporters, government agencies, research institutions, etc.;
• You act as the linchpin between our internal and external worlds. For example, by identifying communication opportunities based on current events and translating them into activities that strengthen our position in the public debate; 
• You will actively seek out national and international partners, events, and platforms to promote stories about locally initiated solutions and, in particular, to mobilize young people worldwide;
• You will take the lead in organizing and facilitating inspiring storytelling from local communities in the countries where VCA operates;
• You will delve into topics, trends, and developments relevant to VCA and translate this into concrete recommendations;
• You will work closely with your WWF communications colleagues to align internal priorities and expand storytelling to include topics relevant to WWF, such as deforestation, sustainable agriculture, and Nature-Based Solutions; 
• You will oversee the process, timeline, and quality of communication projects and be responsible for the communication calendar; 
• You will work closely with WWF colleagues from the international WWF network, serving as a connector, inspirer, and motivator on the issue of climate justice.

What we're looking for

You have a college or university level of education and at least 3 years of relevant work experience in the field of communications. You are skilled at monitoring and implementing a communications strategy and identifying opportunities to contribute to VCA’s objectives through communications. You are also skilled at developing communications materials for various target audiences across different channels.

You have experience working in alliances, so you understand the challenges this entails. You are skilled at balancing different interests and adopting a collaborative approach, but you also know when and how to rally people to move things forward more quickly when necessary. You have an excellent command of Dutch and English. You are results-oriented, set your priorities, manage your time effectively, and provide clear and compelling advice.

What we offer

• Great coworkers and the opportunity to build an international network;
• A 32-hour workweek;
• A competitive salary for a mid-level position based on the Dutch nonprofit sector;
• Employees also receive a personal budget, consisting of 8% vacation pay and 2.08% flexible budget, and are entitled to 6 weeks of leave per year (based on a 40-hour workweek);
• We encourage flexible work arrangements and the use of public transportation and bicycles for commuting and business travel. Commuting expenses are reimbursed based on second-class public transportation fares (NS Business Card).

About Us

We “Pandas” work every day to protect and restore nature worldwide, driven by the belief that nature is vital to both people and animals. Because the loss of nature and climate change are affecting all life on Earth today. And not least of all, ourselves: humans. That is why WWF is fighting to ensure the Earth remains a livable place for everyone. Our goal is to make the world “Nature Positive” by protecting and restoring nature. And we don’t do this alone, but together with local partners, people, businesses, and governments.

Our Core Values 

You identify with the core values of WWF Netherlands:

• Courage
• Integrity
• Respect
• Collaborate

Information and Procedure

Are you interested in this position and do you recognize yourself in the profile above? If so, we invite you to submit your resume and cover letter by October 23, 2022, using the application form at the bottom of the page for this role on our Careers website. If you have any questions about this application process, please contact Babette Vanlancker (Recruiter) at bvanlancker@wwf.nl. If you have any questions about the position, please contact Annemiek Heuvelmans (Head of Brand & Communications) at aheuvelmans@wwf.nl.

Part of this application process will be conducted in English. Please include an English-language resume.

We value diversity of backgrounds and cultures within our organization and would like to see this reflected in the composition of our team. We therefore especially encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

We take the safety and well-being of our colleagues seriously. We therefore ask you to complete an integrity statement and may request references. A Certificate of Good Conduct is required for all positions.