Location: California (Remote), United States
Ten Strands advances environmental literacy and supports resilient, climate-ready schools across the TK-12 system in California. It is a California-based, remote-first nonprofit with a $2M operating budget and 12 staff. It is hiring a Senior Communications Manager to lead the day-to-day planning and implementation of its organizational communications as a department of one, reporting to the Chief Innovation Officer. The role has no direct reports and oversees projects, consultants and vendors.
The role's primary focus is supporting the programs team, with cyclical support for advocacy campaigns and close partnership with fund development. It translates organizational strategy into clear, compelling communications and amplifies stories of progress and impact.
Responsibilities:
- Program, advocacy and development communications (50%): serve as primary communications partner to the programs team (educator outreach, professional learning, curriculum promotion, events, storytelling); produce advocacy communications including campaign messaging, coalition communications, action alerts, press releases and op-ed support; partner with fund development on the annual report, impact stories, case statements and donor communications; manage website, newsletters, social media and publications.
- Brand management, messaging and storytelling (20%): steward brand and messaging guidelines, develop success stories, translate complex education, environmental, climate and policy work for diverse audiences, and build media relationships.
- Communications planning (15%): develop annual and quarterly communications plans and an editorial calendar, advise staff and board, set benchmarks and monitor performance.
- Cross-functional collaboration and workflow management (15%): manage a communications request and prioritization process and coordinate consultants and vendors.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
- 8+ years of progressively responsible communications experience, including managing multi-channel projects or campaigns.
- Experience translating organizational goals into communications plans, messaging and storytelling.
- Strong storytelling, editorial, project management and media relations skills; proficiency with digital tools, SEO, email marketing, analytics and design tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite.
- Experience in education, environment/climate, nonprofit or public policy preferred.
- Must be based in California; occasional travel (5%) and in-person retreats and board meetings.
Full-time, exempt. Salary $80,000-$95,000 plus health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k) with match, and flexible paid time off.
* Resume and application question review -- priority deadline Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.
HOW TO APPLY:
Apply via the online application form: https://airtable.com/appvDONESAK5XPAOZ/pagjEHtUuc5bcLy4v/form. Resume and application question review has a priority deadline of Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Selection process: initial interview November 4-13, 2026; professional artifact and reference submission due November 20, 2026; final interview with leadership December 2-9, 2026.