Communications Associate

Location

Oakland, CA | United States

Job description

Note: This application requires submitting a cover letter and applications without one will be automatically dismissed. Please utilize the application form at to apply.

Job Title: Communications Associate

Primary Work Location: Preference for Oakland, CA; open for remote in California

Reports to: Deputy Director 

Classification: Full-Time

About You

You’re a curious, motivated, early-career communications professional who’s passionate about community development, design and housing in California and thrives in the dynamic, ambiguous and sometimes unpredictable nature of a start-up organizational culture.

You’re eager to apply your content development and curation skills to different communications platforms. As an avid consumer of news, social media, and information, you have the ability to analyze and synthesize information simply and identify content opportunities. 

You’ve seen the housing challenges facing Californians, and you’re excited by an opportunity to contribute to changing the conversation and transforming the ecosystem to support equitable, affordable, and regenerative communities that are accessible to all residents. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you!

About Us

Build It Green (BIG) is a California-based nonprofit dedicated to connecting changemakers to transform California’s communities in service of human and ecological vitality. 

In our first two decades, BIG worked with people in the housing industry to normalize building green homes throughout California and establish the GreenPoint Rated program. After years of success focused on individual homes, BIG expanded our focus to transforming communities as a whole to be regenerative communities—which are not extractive and go beyond sustainability. That’s why today we connect changemakers—like developers, community advocates, nonprofits, government officials, and more—throughout the state to break down silos, form new partnerships, and come up with innovative ways to design our communities and homes that don’t compromise on the things that matter most. Learn more at .

What the Work Looks Like 

Changing the conversation in California around community and housing development and design is an important part of transforming California’s communities. 

As BIG’s Communications Associate you are responsible for supporting BIG’s communications messaging and strategy. You will develop new and creative ways to share information and highlight new voices across BIG’s communications platforms so that our messages reach traditional and non-traditional audiences to inspire engagement and build community. 

We understand no single applicant will have all of these skills. If you feel you meet most of them and find this job exciting, we encourage you to please apply!

• Contribute to and support communications plans and strategies that include messaging, strategy and tactics for BIG’s initiatives and events.
• Assist in developing and implement an annual communications calendar to advance organizational and programmatic goals.
• Manage and update BIG’s CRM/Hubspot/Contact database and associated accounts
• Manage BIG’s social media platforms and create and publish social media content with a focus on LinkedIn
• Draft and send BIG’s monthly newsletter with support from leadership
• Develop website / blog content in collaboration with other BIG staff, and coordinate with website vendor for web updates 
• Create communications content which may include flyers, announcements, presentations, digital ads, annual or other reports, and other materials to align with brand, voice, seasonal themes, and timely current events and news.

• Track and analyze communications metrics.
• Monitor news and social media channels to identify relevant stories.
• Support online and in-person events including developing event collateral, signup pages, registration forms, email communications, social promotion, etc. 
• Coordinate and collaborate with consultants as needed, including technical and communications professionals
• Support implementation of a brand refresh, including creating new templates and other resources and applying the brand refresh to existing communications resources and elements (i.e., website, email newsletter template)

Requirements

Skills and Qualifications

• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to changing priorities, objectives and situations
• A self-starter with initiative, commitment to quality work, and good judgment, even with light-touch management 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write in a clear, concise, and engaging way across different platforms for different audiences.
• Knowledge and experience with social media platforms and analytics, content management systems, and email marketing.
• Project management skills and strong attention to detail.
• Good proofreading skills, including basic knowledge of AP style.
• Working knowledge of Google Suite, Canva, Asana, Wordpress, and Hubspot (or similar) and interest in learning or exploring tool and platform integration.
• Strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice that values and respects all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression/identity, religion, ability and socioeconomic circumstances.
• A combination of education and/or demonstrated success in communications, journalism, digital marketing or a related field.
• Preferred experience working on or lived experience with environmental, housing, and/or racial equity issues.

Work Environment

If not based in a location with access to the BIG office in Oakland, individuals must have the appropriate telecommute tools to conduct work at home or at an alternative work location. When working in the office, BIG supplies necessary tools. BIG also provides a Telecommute Expense Reimbursement stipend and a laptop with all necessary software.

• Considerable time is spent using a computer laptop.
• May be asked to move objects up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to travel to various locations may be required such as attending conferences or training sessions within the Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations.

Travel

The role may require travel roughly once per month and approximately 2-4 overnight trips per year to attend internal events (i.e., staff retreats), organizational events and partner events (i.e., conferences).

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits 

Our office is located in the heart of downtown Oakland at 300 Frank Ogawa Plaza, close to BART and AC Transit lines. Employees based in the Bay Area currently work on a hybrid remote and in-office schedule. Ideally, the candidate is based in the Bay Area, but we will also consider candidates based within the state of California.

The salary range for this position is $70,000 - $75,000. We offer a competitive wage and benefits package that includes:

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental and vision insurance for employee
• 403(b) retirement savings plan with a 5% employer match
• Life and disability insurance
• Health savings and flexible spending accounts
• Flexible schedule
• Targeted 15 paid holidays per year
• Paid time off begins with 15 days accrued per year for 0-2 years of service, 20 days for 2-5 years of service, and 25 days after 5 years of service

Build It Green is an equal opportunity employer, committed to centering equity and inclusion in our programs and across all aspects of our organization to make it a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace. We believe that diversity is necessary to meet our mission. Recruiting and supporting staff to create an inclusive and equitable organization that reflects the communities and places we serve is a priority. People of color, LGBTQIA+ people, women, and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 
If you require reasonable accommodation, please email your request to [email protected] or call (510) 590-3360. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Salary