Senior Communications Officer

In a newly visioned position for the organization, and reporting to the Deputy Director, the Senior Communications Officer will lead California Ocean Science Trust’s day-to-day communications function and help shape how OST is understood by funders, state leaders, scientific partners, experts, and other priority audiences.

We seek a thoughtful and politically savvy communications professional who can move comfortably from vision to execution: helping define and steward OST’s external voice, translating complex science and policy work into compelling communications, leading donor and funder communications in close partnership with the Director of Philanthropy, and managing OST’s brand in external engagements and online channels including website, email and social media.

The Senior Communications Officer will serve as a communications thought partner to the Deputy Director and Executive Director, bringing sound judgment, constructive pushback, and recommendations about audience, timing, framing, visibility, and risk. They will independently handle most day-to-day communications decisions while recognizing when questions of institutional positioning, political sensitivity, audience priorities, or organizational strategy should be elevated to leadership.

This is both a strategic and hands-on role, ideal for a colleague excited to build this essential function that connects to every part of a maturing organization. The Officer will work across OST to identify communications opportunities, provide editorial direction, guide staff developing external-facing materials, and build systems that allow the organization to communicate consistently and effectively across functions.

We measure communications success not simply by the volume of content produced or the size of our audience, but by whether the right audiences understand OST’s value. Success in this role will mean helping donors and funders see a compelling case for investment; helping state leaders and academic partners understand OST’s role and capabilities; ensuring science partners and their contributions are amplified, represented accurately, and carry appropriate weight; strengthening consistency and across staff communications; and recognizing opportunities to build OST’s visibility, reputation, trust, and impact.

About California Ocean Science Trust

California Ocean Science Trust strengthens California’s capacity to bring science to bear on decisions affecting the coast and ocean.

Created through state legislation, OST works at the intersection of science and government to invest in the knowledge and people needed to address complex ocean and coastal challenges, and help California access trusted expertise. We connect decision-makers with scientific expertise, convene researchers and practitioners, support scientific review and synthesis, invest public and private resources in priority science, and strengthen pathways for the next generation of ocean science leaders.

Trust is fundamental to OST’s science-policy bridging role and landscape position. Our effectiveness depends on scientific credibility, strong relationships, sound judgment, and an ability to operate constructively across sectors, institutions and perspectives. We are politically aware without being partisan, attentive to the roles and contributions of our science partners, and thoughtful about how we represent both our own work and the work of others. A near-term priority is to actively strengthen our stewardship of the diverse network of scientific experts collaborating with us to bring their perspectives and science advice to state leaders.

As OST matures, communicating the value of the organization beyond individual project outcomes is increasingly important—not only for the role we play in connecting decision-makers with science and expertise today, but also in our growing role in building the scientific capacity, relationships, and infrastructure California’s coast and ocean will need for the future. Strong communications will help funders see the case for sustained investment, help state leaders understand the value OST brings, and help our broader community see how that work contributes to lasting impact.

California Ocean Science Trust is committed to cultivating a workplace and body of work that welcome a broad range of people, perspectives, experiences, and ways of knowing. We believe science and public decision-making are stronger when they reflect that breadth. We are committed to equitable hiring, to fostering a workplace where staff from all backgrounds and identities feel a sense of belonging and can thrive, and to continued listening, learning, and improvement in how we work with one another and with our partners.

Responsibilities

Communications Strategy, Positioning, and Reputation

• Steward OST’s external voice, messaging, and reputation across audiences and channels, adapting framing while maintaining a consistent institutional identity.
• Bring political, relational, and reputational judgment to communications decisions, including questions of timing, visibility, tone, partner recognition, and sensitivity.
• Independently manage most day-to-day communications decisions while recognizing when questions of institutional positioning, audience priorities, or significant sensitivities should be elevated to leadership.
• Help communicate both the value of individual programs and the broader case for sustained investment in OST’s capacity, relationships, scientific infrastructure, and long-term role in California ocean science.

Donor and Funder Communications

• Partner closely with the Director of Philanthropy to translate OST’s fundraising and donor-engagement vision into communications strategy and execution.
• Develop donor- and funder-facing materials including cases for support, digital and direct-mail appeals and campaigns, impact stories, stewardship communications, annual reporting, and other fundraising collateral.
• Develop and coordinate communications across website, email, social media, and external events to deepen relationships with donors and funders, carry impact stories consistently across channels, and create thoughtful engagement before, during, and after key moments.
• Lead communications and storytelling for philanthropic initiatives, including the SeaChange Scholars Fund, and support proposals and funder reports with strong narrative and evidence of impact.

Narrative Translation, Storytelling, and Program Communications

• Translate complex scientific, policy, and organizational work into clear, accurate, and compelling communications tailored to different audiences and purposes.
• Write, edit, and shape content across formats including web, email, social media, reports, presentations, public statements, donor materials, and other external communications.
• Work with program staff early enough in major initiatives to identify audiences, communications opportunities, partner considerations, sensitivities, and appropriate approaches to sharing the work.
• Provide editorial direction and constructive feedback on staff-produced materials, with attention to clarity, audience, positioning, tone, and appropriate recognition of partners.

Digital Communications, Social Media, and External Engagement

• Own OST’s website, email communications, and social media channels, including strategy, content development, publishing, and coordination with interns, contractors, or other contributors.
• Maintain an organization-wide editorial and communications calendar aligned with program milestones, fundraising priorities, and major external moments.
• Use web, email, and social media analytics to understand communications impact, strengthen strategic reach, and refine future communications choices.
• Support OST’s presence in media, state and federal engagement, conferences, public presentations, and other high-visibility settings through talking points, presentations, press materials, statements, and related communications.
• Lead or coordinate media outreach and communications around major events or convenings when they advance OST’s organizational goals.

Organizational Communications Leadership

• Establish systems, standards, templates, workflows, and review processes that support consistent and efficient communications across OST.
• Serve as a primary communications advisor and editor for staff, helping colleagues think strategically about audience, purpose, timing, and message before products are developed.
• Coordinate messaging across programs, philanthropy, leadership, and external engagements so OST communicates coherently across the organization.
• Manage and provide direction to communications interns, contractors, and other contributors as appropriate.
• Build communications capacity across the organization so responsibility for generating strong content is shared, while maintaining clear communications leadership and quality control.

Landscape Awareness and Communications Judgment

• Maintain awareness of the policy, media, philanthropic, and ocean science landscape relevant to OST’s work and audiences.
• Work with leadership and staff to understand evolving state priorities, partner relationships, funding trends, communications trends, and other context that may affect communications choices.
• Ask the questions necessary to understand history, audience, and sensitivity before communicating on consequential issues.
• Surface emerging communications opportunities, inconsistencies, and risks to appropriate leadership, and exercise sound judgment about when OST should communicate broadly, target a specific audience, or choose restraint.

Qualifications

We seek a communications professional who combines excellent writing and production skills with sound judgment, political awareness, curiosity, and the ability to lead a communications function in a lean organization.

Knowledge and Experience

• 5+ years of progressively responsible communications and public relations experience, including demonstrated senior-level responsibility, ideally in science, public policy, government, philanthropy, higher education, or a nonprofit setting.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing communications strategy across multiple audiences and channels. Experience in employing a constituent journeys framework to build digital and in-person engagement and support welcomed.
• Experience developing donor, funder, or institutional advancement communications and making a compelling case for organizational impact and investment.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex scientific, technical, policy, or organizational content for non-expert audiences without sacrificing accuracy or nuance.
• Experience advising colleagues or organizational leadership on communications strategy, framing, audience, timing, or tone.
• Experience directing or coordinating communications work produced by colleagues, interns, contractors, or others.
• Familiarity with California government, public policy, or public-sector environments is preferred; comparable experience working in politically or institutionally sensitive environments may substitute.
• Experience with media relations, public affairs, executive communications, or policy-facing communications is very welcome.
• Experience in ocean, climate, natural resources, science, research, or higher education environments is very helpful but not required.

Skills and Attributes

• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills across institutional messaging, donor communications, technical translation, web content, social media, presentations, and other public-facing materials.
• Strong strategic judgment and the confidence to provide clear direction, constructive pushback, and recommendations when communications choices may affect organizational reputation, partner relationships, or political sensitivities.
• Ability to understand different audiences and adapt framing and language while maintaining a consistent organizational voice.
• Politically aware without being partisan, with good instincts about when context, relationships, or timing may change how a message will be received.
• Curious and proactive about understanding the history, relationships, and institutional context surrounding work before communicating about it.
• Comfortable making communications decisions independently and recognizing when a question requires leadership input.
• Strong project-management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects, stakeholders, timelines, channels, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Collaborative, with the ability to work closely with scientists, program staff, fundraisers, and senior leadership while exercising independent professional judgment.
• Comfortable moving between strategy and execution: able to develop a communications approach and also write, edit, publish, and manage content directly.
• Highly skilled with common digital communications tools, including content management systems, email platforms, social media, analytics, and basic design tools, with the ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Genuine interest in OST’s mission and in the role that science, relationships, and institutional capacity play in public decision-making.

Platforms and Tools

OST currently works across Google Workspace, Squarespace, Mailchimp, Canva, Monday, Bloomerang, and Slack. Experience with these specific platforms is welcome but not required; comfort learning and working across comparable communications and collaboration tools is more important.

Location and Travel

California Ocean Science Trust is headquartered in Sacramento, California, but staff work remotely and are based throughout the state. Our team values the flexibility of remote work and is dedicated to effective remote collaboration. Travel within California will be required, including occasional travel to Sacramento for team meetings, events, and other organizational needs.

Compensation and Benefits

This exempt position is a full-time regular appointment. The salary range for this position is $80,000 - 95,000 per year, commensurate with experience.

OST offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that supports employees’ health, financial well-being, and work–life balance. Benefits include health coverage, retirement savings with a 4.5% employer match after one year, generous paid time off and holidays (including a paid year-end office closure), and a monthly remote work stipend. Combined with family-friendly, flexible schedules, the total package is designed to support employees in balancing meaningful work with their lives outside of work.

To Apply

Select the Apply for this Job button in the upper right corner of your screen to complete a questionnaire and upload materials including a resume and cover letter describing your specific interest and fit for the position. The position will be open until filled, with preferred start date by December 1, 2026. For first consideration please apply by November 15, 2026.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and be current residents of California or willing to relocate to California if hired. OST is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to an equitable hiring process where every candidate is evaluated fairly, objectively, and without bias. Your privacy is important to us; all application materials and all interview discussions will be kept completely confidential. Due to our double-blind qualifications review process, our staff members are unable to communicate with job applicants outside of the established interview process. Thank you for your interest.