About Sustainability Matters

Sustainability Matters is a young grassroots conservation nonprofit, based in Virginia’s rural Northern Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont regions, and expanding to the DC suburbs. We’re also an architect of transformative, scalable projects like Making Trash Bloom (our flagship initiative to plant pollinator meadows at landfills) and creator of webinars with global reach. Our focus is on outreach that is truly universal, including both traditional and non-traditional conservation audiences. Our approach to conservation is realistic and practical, never purist. We’re about people almost as much as we’re about the planet: the community we’re building catalyzes our impact.

We are creating new positions, not filling existing ones. We’re hiring for multiple opportunities, but not constrained by job descriptions: we’re open to candidates whose skills cross over aspects of different positions, or include capacities not mentioned in any. Go ahead and pitch us.

Sustainability Matters expects our staff to perform at the highest professional level. We treat them accordingly, offering unlimited paid time off, flexible working hours, and pet healthcare coverage, in addition to more standard benefits.

Position Overview

The Outreach & Communications Coordinator will bear significant responsibility for Sustainability Matters’ outward-facing persona. In partnership with other members of our small, collaborative staff, this includes writing for external audiences (grant applications and reports, email marketing, and social media), as well as liaising with traditional media, partner organizations, and funders. Depending on the capacities of the successful candidate, the position may also incorporate development of educational materials, video/photo, or fundraising.

Core Responsibilities

  • Advance and execute effective messaging and communication strategies for email marketing, social media, and website content.
  • Conduct quality control on all communications.
  • Research and write grant applications and reports.
  • Conduct outreach to new partners, including city and county governments, other non-profits, and corporate and philanthropic partners.
  • Steward relationships with corporate sponsors and individual members.
  • Contribute to all-staff discussions on organizational strategy, growth, programming, and fundraising.

This position is primarily remote, but the Outreach Coordinator should expect to attend in-person events or meetings approximately 3-6 times per month in the Northern/Central Shenandoah Valley, Northern Piedmont, or Northern Virginia areas. Residence within those regions is desirable.

Hours are flexible and will include weekend and evening commitments. We are primarily seeking a full-time Outreach Coordinator, as described. However, if the right person is interested in a part-time position covering only some of the responsibilities listed here, we’re open to that.

Qualifications

The right person for this position will possess the skills and qualities listed below. We welcome applicants from both nonprofit and for-profit backgrounds. Conservation professionals and those new to the field are encouraged to apply, but the latter must possess strong independently acquired subject knowledge.

Most importantly, the successful candidate will be a cultural fit with an organization that roots our success in our differences from other nonprofits: our commitment to working with non-traditional conservation audiences, our realistic and practical approach to conservation, and our emphasis on people as much as the planet. Sustainability Matters is new, growing fast, and immensely ambitious. We’re still in our “all hands to the pump” stage, looking for early adopters who want to grow with us long-term. We take quality and impact extremely seriously. We don’t take much else seriously, and we’re looking for a  colleague who’ll laugh with us. If you have to ask whether we really need a spokescat, we’re not the best fit for you.

Specific requirements include:

  • Inspired and impeccable writing skills, and the ability to reflect Sustainability Matters’ existing voice.
  • Experience writing professionally in communications, marketing, journalism, or fundraising.
  • Experience writing grant applications or a willingness to learn.
  • Familiarity across social media platforms and with analytics, trends, and algorithms. Ability to adapt quickly to new digital spaces.
  • Excellent verbal communication and attention to detail. Ease representing an organization through public presentations and professional networking.
  • Passion for conservation issues and commitment to finding practical solutions to environmental concerns. Solid knowledge of and curiosity about conservation, horticulture, and nature.
  • An open, analytical mind, with the propensity to question established practices and opinions, in conservation and beyond.
  • Facility for collaborative relationship-building and appreciation for diverse constituent groups.
  • Strong track record as an implementer who thrives on managing a variety of key initiatives concurrently. Entrepreneurial mindset, both internally and externally, and comfort with working independently.
  • Absolute reliability and on-time delivery.

Not required, but nice to have:

  • Experience presenting technical content in a manner accessible to a broad range of audiences.
  • Skills in any of: graphic design, video/photo, UX, CSS, SEO.
  • Connections to immigrant/marginalized communities; fluency in Spanish.
  • Formal qualifications in environmental science, agriculture, communications, or journalism, and/or background in conservation nonprofits.
  • Background or interest in donor/member acquisition and stewardship.

The ideal candidate for this job will have invested heavily in education and developing new skills. This could take the form of anything from a Master’s or other higher degree to being entirely self-taught. What we care about is the ability to add value to a team that is constantly learning and leveling up in the areas of conservation, community building, and nonprofit management.

Sustainability Matters requires all staff to keep COVID vaccination and boosters up-to-date.

Compensation and Benefits

Sustainability Matters believes our people are our most important asset. We expect our staff to perform at the highest professional level, and we treat and compensate them accordingly. Salary range for this position is $60,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience. We offer flexible working hours and unlimited paid time off.

We support our team’s family members of all species, reimbursing pet healthcare coverage and adoption fees and funding employees’ dental and vision coverage, disability coverage, and life insurance. We provide retirement benefits and cover remote office expenses including laptop, internet, cell service, software, and mileage.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Sustainability Matters is an equal opportunity employer, drawing strength from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We value potential employees’ intellect, capacities, and work ethic. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, or any other non-merit factor. Bring your brain, and come as you are.

Application Procedure

For consideration, please submit the following to jobs@sustainabilitymatters.earth:

  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Contact information for three professional references
  • Three writing samples, preferably of different types. If you have experience writing grant applications, please include at least one redacted grant application among your samples.
  • Links to social media accounts or campaigns for which you are the primary manager
  • Photo/video/design portfolio (if relevant)
  • Anything else you’d like us to consider

We will begin reviewing applications immediately, and the position will remain open until filled by the right individual.