Senior Communications Officer, International Energy Transition

About the IISD

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 300 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

This position is based within the IISD Energy Program (www.iisd.org/energy), a diverse and dynamic team of more than 40 experts based in IISD’s Geneva, Winnipeg, and Ottawa offices, as well as remotely in India, Indonesia, South Africa, and other countries.

At an international level, our work program delivers cutting-edge research and practical policy support for energy policy reforms in developed and developing countries, including shifting public financial flows from fossil fuels to clean energy and implementing commitments to go beyond fossil fuels in a socially just way.  

At the national level, our approach is hands-on, through country-level research and outreach in Canada, India, Indonesia, and South Africa.  

 
About the Position

At COP 28 in Dubai, the world’s governments committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly, and equitable manner. Yet, they currently plan to produce more than twice the amount of fossil fuels in 2030 as would be consistent with limiting global warming to 1.5°C. 

This is a major threat to emission reduction targets. Civil society efforts are critical in maintaining political momentum, supporting first-mover coalitions, and monitoring commitments from other governments and institutions. IISD is at the forefront of these efforts and needs high-impact, effective communications to elevate this work.
The Senior Communications Officer will drive communications for IISD Energy’s international team to support a managed phase-out of global oil and gas production and a shift in public financial flows away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy in line with the Paris Agreement. They will be collaborating with communications colleagues across IISD and closely coordinating with the Energy Program’s international strategy team, which leads on research, policy proposals, and strategic advice in this area. The successful candidate can also expect to regularly collaborate with a large range of external stakeholders, including other civil society organizations and networks, governments, and media.

The Senior Communications Officer will aim to maximize the impact and visibility of the Program’s research. Their key areas of responsibility will include but not be limited to the following:

Creative Content 

•    Coordinate production of a wide array of communications materials, including press releases, articles, social media posts, newsletters, and other outputs. This includes drafting and editing content. 
•    In consultation with the Communications Manager, create and lead implementation of communications strategies and plans for major projects, high-profile or politically sensitive work, and/or secretariats. This may include flagship reports and/or global campaigns.  
•    In collaboration with IISD’s design team, manage the production of digital content, including social media cards, posters, videos, invitations, simple infographics, presentations, and other conference or workshop materials.

Leadership 

•    Play an active role in shaping new communications strategies at the program or institute level.  
•    Regularly share program work and collaborate with IISD’s core communications team to ensure alignment on key messaging and amplification of programmatic expertise in broader, organization-wide communications activities. 
•    Lead knowledge-sharing efforts such as presentations to the IISD communications team, program team, or broader staff during the annual Comms Week.  
•    Manage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, liaising when appropriate with IISD senior leadership, funding partners, peer organizations, and members of the media. 
•    Mentor junior staff, including Communications Assistants and/or Officers, through regular knowledge sharing, offering guidance and support on annual goals, key outputs, strategies, etc. 
•    Track current events and public discourse related to specific workstreams and communicate these to colleagues, identifying opportunities for new work and/or expanded thought leadership. 

Newsletters, Events, and Social Media 

•    Maintain and update lists of newsletter subscribers within platforms such as MailChimp. Draft, edit, and distribute newsletters. Help to inform and execute an email outreach strategy. 
•    Conduct event-related outreach and oversee post-event follow-up (i.e., uploading webinar recordings to YouTube, sending thank-you emails, etc.). 
•    Inform social media strategy and contribute content for all applicable social media accounts, ensuring posts are relevant, timely, engaging, and targeted to the needs and interests of key audiences. This may include drafting and/or editing posts, organizing promotions, tracking trending topics/hashtags, and regularly monitoring the feeds of peer organizations to identify opportunities for cross-promotion. 

Media Outreach  

•    Establish trusted relationships with journalists to secure targeted coverage for IISD research and initiatives in key outlets. Build media lists; maintain and update databases of media contacts. 
•    Draft, edit, and disseminate press releases, media briefings, and email pitches for reporters and editors. Draft or support other staff in writing and placing op-eds. 
•    Lead or facilitate media training for IISD experts in advance of speaking to the press. 
•    Conduct media monitoring on a regular basis for assigned areas of work. Provide reports on media coverage and digital performance using Cision, Google Analytics, and other available platforms. 

Websites 

•    As needed, use content management systems such as WordPress to upload and edit content for IISD and/or project microsites, adhering to established guidelines and SEO best practices. Proactively update program-relevant pages on IISD sites as needed.  
Internal Processes 
•    Ensure brand coherence and compliance with existing IISD communications practices. 
•    Manage internal processes related to the development and dissemination of communications products, including coordinating feedback from internal and external stakeholders, approvals, copy editing, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting on impact.  
•    Maintain strong relationships with research staff to gain a deeper understanding of their work and policy objectives. Initiate cross-programmatic coordination when applicable. 
 
About the Successful Applicant

The successful applicant will be a highly skilled communicator. They will have extensive experience working for or with top international media, either as a journalist or through achieving meaningful coverage in the media for civil society organizations, governments, or international organizations. They will be confident in shaping narratives and strategies to convey complex issues to governments and the broader public.

The successful applicant will also have:

•    A minimum of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., communications, journalism, political science, economics, environmental or development studies, etc.).
•    A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in journalism or communications/media relations.
•    Experience in climate or energy-related communications will be considered a strong asset.
•    Confident and engaging communication skills, including an understanding of different communications approaches for different audiences.
•    Excellent oral and writing skills in English and a track record of written products in English. The ability to work (read, write, speak) in other languages will be considered an advantage.
•    An understanding of digital communications tools and the ability to use social media and other digital platforms in an effective way.
•    Excellent organizational, planning, and project management skills.
•    Results-focused with an ability to prioritize and work quickly and accurately, with the flexibility to take on tasks ranging from highly complex to basic in nature.
•    A strong ability to work comfortably across different cultures with an inclusive approach that respects the diverse backgrounds of fellow staff.
•    Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications and experience in handling web-based communications and management systems.
•    Experience working in or with developing countries will be considered a strong advantage.
 
Location:  Flexible, with regular working hours in Africa, Europe, or the East Coast of North and South America. Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for locations where they expect to be based. We strongly encourage candidates

Salary:  Competitive and depends on location

Type of engagement: Full-time consultancy or staff position, depending on location  

Start date: Immediate opportunity

Application deadline: April 27, 2025, 23:59 p.m. CEST

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for locations where they expect to be based without any sponsorship from IISD.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. 

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. 

• A CV (no longer than two pages) 
• A one-page letter of motivation 
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional) 

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. Preference will be given to the equity-deserving groups during the hiring process. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants’ advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.  

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.