Scope: We seek a seasoned storyteller/copywriter to craft a unique voice for the Sierra Club’s donor materials ranging from newsletters, presentations, emails, videos, and reports. Our ideal candidate can weave ideas into compelling narratives that will delight and inform Sierra Club’s donors. Your love of words, ability to translate complex ideas into compelling narratives, and connecting the dots to big picture strategy will be key to the success of this role. You’re an active listener, idea generator, and can write stories that resonate with a wide ranging audience, from members to major donors. Join our team and make a difference in shaping narratives, changing hearts, and providing factual insights for donor communications. We’re at the hub of stewarding donor relationships through attention-grabbing storytelling that will help change our future.
We’re facing enormous environmental threats that will impact our safety and way of life. Not only that the Trump administration has eroded valuable progress in the fight to stem global climate change. These are challenging times ahead and if we don’t act now we’ll face irreparable damage to our environment. The Sierra Club is poised to help stem this damage, leading the charge with campaigns to eliminate coal, give power to grassroots climate justice, and continue the mission of our historic organization.
Context: The Advancement Communications team at Sierra Club has a key role that will help propel our upcoming campaigns and initiatives through impactful storytelling. As Mike Brune, our Executive Director put so well “...storytelling is an essential aspect of our humanity. As such, it can be a powerful tool for social change: If you want to change someone's mind, give them facts. If you want to change someone's heart, tell them a story.”
This is a new position reporting to the Donor and Communications Manager on the Advancement Communications team lead by Deputy Chief of Advancement, Major Gifts. Lead storyteller and writer for a broad range of communications and marketing materials, which help to engage, cultivate and steward major donors, planned giving prospects, membership prospects and existing members/donors of the Sierra Club and Sierra Club Foundation.
- Write and develop donor facing and fundraising marketing materials that are well researched, tell a story, and are on brand.
- Lead the research, writing and editing of weekly email newsletter to specific donor groups, incorporating news and relevant updates from across teams at the Sierra Club.
- Collaborate with Advancement Communication team to research, draft, and develop creative print and multimedia marketing content and assets for donor audiences including: presentations, campaign marketing materials, case studies, and quarterly impact reports and annual reports.
- Leverage formats that include written word, video, infographics and imagery, and podcasts to tell compelling stories of the Sierra Club’s campaigns, frontline stories, and donor achievements.
- Provide content, feedback and strategic direction on executive communications projects such as presentations, factsheets, talking points, webinars, and videos.
- Keeps current on Sierra Club programs and environmental issues to maintain relevance and appropriate program content.
- Work in partnership with our branding team to ensure materials adhere to our organization design and written style guide that provide a consistent look and feel to our materials across channels.
- 3-5 years relevant content development experience, including writing, editing, and publications experience at a non-profit, preferably climate-related.
- Polished writing and editing skills with proven ability to translate complex concepts into succinct, clear, accessible language for multiple audiences; you understand the power of the written word and can create evocative and memorable stories.
- Strong project management skills with attention to detail, and demonstrated ability to set priorities and complete tasks in a timely manner; skilled at shepherding publications – print, graphic, video - from concept to delivery.
- Enthusiastic and natural team player with the ability to work with cross-functional, virtual, and diverse teams to develop plans and drive results.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the confidence to interact effectively with all levels of management, staff, and external partners.
- Must be able to interview people from all backgrounds with an understanding of diversity, equity, and/or environmental justice.
- Experience with receiving feedback openly and able to incorporate suggested edits.
- Familiarity with Adobe creative suite a plus
- Highly proficient with Google suite specifically slides, docs, and other apps.
- Passion for environmental issues, climate justice, and commitment to the mission and values of Sierra Club.
The Sierra Club offers competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.