Rural Routes to Climate Solutions (RR2CS) is an Alberta-based initiative providing learning and capacity building opportunities for farmers, ranchers and rural communities to find how they can benefit from climate solutions. RR2CS is seeking a communications strategist to join Rural Routes’ skilled team of rural-based community organizers, facilitators and communications specialists.
The communications strategist will be responsible for the following activities:
- Leading the development of a RR2CS communications strategy;
- Testing the communications strategy via RR2CS multiple communications channels.
The communications strategist will contribute to and support the rest of the RR2CS team in bringing the initiative’s activities in line with the RR2CS communications strategy. Activities:
- blog, podcast, video production;
- social media channels and the website;
- webinars, workshops, field days and social innovation labs.
Why do we need a communications strategist at this point?
Rural Routes generates large volumes of original content for an initiative with a relatively small team (currently, it is a 3-person team). At times, RR2CS produces two blog posts, two podcast episodes and one YouTube video of original content in a single month while running webinars, field days, workshops and social innovation labs on the side. We recognize that Rural Routes and our target audience would benefit from more effective coordination of these activities and a deeper understanding of the communications tools we use and the ones that we perhaps should be using, but aren’t at the moment.
Rural Routes is equipped with a strong message—what’s good for the farm can be good for the climate—and mandate—the empowerment of rural Albertans with climate solutions—but now initiative requires an equally strong communications strategy to better engage its target audience.
Although, the ideal candidate must be able to work remotely and independently the communications strategist will be supported by and work with the rest of the RR2CS team.
Wages: $25-$27.5/hour. You will be working as a contractor. Contractors are responsible for ensuring that necessary payments for income tax / CPP have been made.
Hours: 15 hours/week.
Duration: early to mid-July 2021 – December 1st, 2021. If additional funding is secured, there is a possibility of a contract extension.
Qualifications:
- Background in communications, whether post-secondary or work experience;
- Knowledge of agriculture and/or rural Alberta social, economic and environmental issues;
- A basic understanding of climate change mitigation and adaptation including a good knowledge of agricultural and/or nature-based climate solutions;
- Strong team-communications skills for working with the RR2CS team and partners;
- Experience and comfort in using online tools and working virtually.
Assets:
- Previous experience developing a communications strategy for an organization;
- Previous experience working for an agriculture organization;
- A willingness to problem solve in order to overcome the challenges the communications activities may face;
- Related to the above, an ability to ask for help when needing clarity or support;
- A sense of humor. Listen to our podcast episodes The Coordinators and What We Do to better understand us and our sense of humor.
Requirements and Expectations:
- Report to the Director;
Participate in weekly team meetings; - Depending on the COVID-19 public health restrictions, there may be some travel required for events or in-person strategy sessions. Your mileage will be covered by Rural Routes;
- Using online tools like WordPress, Google Drive, Zoom and Trello;
- Keep track of and manage your own hours.
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume as a PDF and email it to adminrr2cs@stettlerlearning.com by 11:59pm on Sunday June 20th, 2021. Please include “Communications Strategist Application” in the subject line of your email. Only successful candidates will be contacted for interviews.
In the event a successful candidate is not found, the application process will be reopened.
