Communication Coordinator

The Communications Coordinator ("Coordinator") supports The Biomimicry Institute’s ("TBI") communications and development functions by executing day-to-day content, digital engagement, and project-coordination work. The Coordinator reports to the Director of Communications, translating strategy into action including drafting and scheduling content, maintaining the editorial calendar, supporting campaigns and donor communications, and keeping communications projects organized and on track across TBI’s project-management systems- Asana.

This is an execution-focused, detail-oriented role well suited to someone who enjoys turning strategy into polished, on-brand materials and who can move fluidly between creative content work and organized project coordination.

The Coordinator reports to the Director of Communications and may receive project direction from the Head of Development and Communications for donor, funder, campaign, and partner-related work. The Director of Communications is responsible for day-to-day supervision, workload prioritization, and performance feedback.

Essential Functions

Communications Strategy and Planning

• Support implementation of communications plans that advance TBI’s mission, programs, fundraising goals, and public visibility.
• Maintain an integrated communications calendar across newsletters, website updates, social media, events, campaigns, launches, partner moments, and organizational announcements.
• Help translate complex programmatic, scientific, design, innovation, and organizational content into accessible communications for priority audiences.
• Identify potential storytelling opportunities, campaign moments, media angles, and partner or funder visibility opportunities for review by the Director of Communications.
• Track timelines, deadlines, approvals, and deliverables to help ensure communications work moves forward in a coordinated and timely way.

Content, Storytelling, and Brand

• Draft, edit, format, and coordinate content across TBI channels, including website, email or newsletter, social media, reports, campaign materials, event communications, press materials, and partner or funder communications.
• Ensure materials are accurate, polished, inclusive, mission-aligned, and consistent with TBI’s voice, brand standards, and values.
• Help maintain a story pipeline across TBI programs, including AskNature, Ray of Hope, Innovation, Impact, Development, partnerships, events, and organizational milestones.
• Coordinate with program staff and subject-matter experts to gather information and route content for review and approval.
• Incorporate feedback from the Director of Communications, Head of Development and Communications, program leads, and other reviewers to revise and finalize communications materials.

Media, Campaigns, and External Visibility

• Support media relations by maintaining media lists, drafting press materials, tracking inquiries, and coordinating with external PR or communications partners as assigned.
• Support communications campaigns tied to major organizational priorities, program launches, events, funder or partner moments, and field-building opportunities.
• Coordinate communications tasks for key external moments such as Climate Week, COP, Bioneers, Ray of Hope, AskNature launches, and other strategic opportunities.
• Help prepare talking points, messaging documents, presentation materials, public statements, and external communications for review by the Director of Communications and organizational leadership.
• Track campaign assets, deadlines, approvals, and publication dates to support timely execution.

Digital Engagement and Analytics

• Maintain and update digital communications channels, including website content, email or newsletter, social media, and related audience engagement tools.
• Draft, schedule, publish, and track digital content according to the communications calendar and approval processes.
• Track and help report communications metrics, including audience growth, engagement, website performance, email performance, campaign results, media placements, and other relevant KPIs.
• Use data and audience insights to suggest improvements to content, campaigns, and channel performance.
• Coordinate with vendors or contractors supporting digital, design, web, PR, or campaign work as assigned.

Development and Partner Communications

• Partner with the Development team to support donor, funder, sponsor, and partner communications.
• Draft, format, and coordinate grant-related storytelling, stewardship communications, funder updates, campaign materials, and external recognition materials.
• Help ensure funder and partner communications comply with applicable approval processes, communications protocols, and brand or use requirements.
• Track deadlines and deliverables for Development-related communications projects.
• Coordinate review and approval of donor, funder, and partner communications with the Director of Communications and Head of Development and Communications.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Operations

• Work collaboratively with the Director of Communications, Head of Development and Communications, program leads, Operations, Finance, and external partners to support aligned communications priorities and workflows.
• Use TBI’s project-management systems, including Asana, to plan, track, document, and complete communications work.
• Follow TBI policies, SOPs, approval processes, and communications protocols.
• Support clear internal communication about communications priorities, timelines, capacity, approvals, and decision points.
• Help reduce confusion and duplicative requests by maintaining organized project records, timelines, and status updates.

Project Coordination and Vendor Support

• Coordinate communications tasks, timelines, and deliverables across internal staff, contractors, and vendors as assigned.
• Track requests, deadlines, approvals, and final deliverables in Asana or other TBI project-management systems.
• Help prepare materials, agendas, notes, and follow-up items for communications projects and campaigns.
• Support vendor coordination by gathering information, tracking timelines, routing materials for review, and documenting next steps.
• Escalate timeline, capacity, approval, or quality concerns to the Director of Communications in a timely way.

Qualifications

Required

• 2+ years of experience in communications, marketing, digital content, nonprofit development, project coordination, or a related field.
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with the ability to adapt tone and format for different channels and audiences.
• Experience managing content calendars, scheduling tools, or social media platforms.
• Comfort using project-management systems (e.g., Asana) to track and complete detailed, deadline-driven work.
• Highly organized, with strong follow-through and attention to detail across multiple concurrent projects.
• Ability to work collaboratively and take direction from both the Director of Communications and Head of Development, prioritizing effectively across both functions.
• Ability to handle sensitive or not-yet-public information with discretion and sound judgment.
• Commitment to TBI’s mission and to respectful, accurate communication about biomimicry, nature-inspired innovation, and related knowledge systems.

Preferred

• Experience in nonprofit, environmental, climate, design, science, innovation, or social-impact communications.
• Experience supporting remote or distributed teams.
• Familiarity with website CMS tools, email marketing platforms, and social media/analytics tools.
• Exposure to donor communications, grant support, or fundraising events.
• Familiarity with accessibility, inclusive language, or plain-language communications practices.
• Basic graphic design skills (e.g., Canva, Adobe Express) for simple content formatting.

Core Competencies

• Clear, accurate, and audience-aware writing
• Strong organization and project follow-through
• Reliability and responsiveness across two closely linked functions
• Brand consistency and attention to detail
• Collaborative, team-oriented approach
• Adaptability in a fast-paced, remote work environment

Success Measures

Success in this role may be assessed through:

• timely, accurate execution of content and campaign deliverables against the communications calendar;
• consistent, organized use of project-management systems for communications and development requests;
• high-quality, on-brand materials that require minimal revision from the Director of Communications;
• effective, responsive support of donor and funder communications alongside the Head of Development and Communications;;
• strong day-to-day collaboration across Communications, Development, Impact,  and Operations teams.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of that which an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Activities that occur constantly are communicating effectively with others to exchange information; assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work; repeating motions efficiently that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers; remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.
• Activities that occur occasionally are moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another; adjusting or moving objects less than 50 pounds in all directions.

Work Environment (Remote)

The work environment described here is representative of that which an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Duties are performed in a home workspace. Employees are expected to maintain their home workspace in a safe manner, free from safety hazards.
• May require up to 10% travel.

Comp & Benefits

• Applicants from California, Colorado, New York, New Jersey and Washington:
  Salary is determined based on internal equity; internal salary ranges; market
  data/ranges; applicant’s skills; prior relevant experience; certain degrees or
  certifications, etc. The salary for this position ranges: $55K - 65K
• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Enjoy 100% coverage for employees for medical/dental/vision provided by Biomimicry Institute. (Please note, employees are responsible for coverage for spouses and/or dependents.)
• Retirement Plan: Begin your retirement savings after just 6 months of employment.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Benefit from our generous PTO policy, allowing you to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• Paid Holidays: Take advantage of paid holidays as outlined in our Employee Handbook.
• Home Office Stipend: Receive a monthly stipend to help support your home office setup.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive or all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, functions, or working conditions associated with the job. This job description is not a contract of employment, or a promise or guarantee of any specific terms or conditions of employment. The Biomimicry Institute may add to, modify, or delete any aspect of this job (or the position itself) at any time as it deems advisable.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive or all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, functions, or working conditions associated with the job. This job description is not a contract of employment, or a promise or guarantee of any specific terms or conditions of employment. The Biomimicry Institute may add to, modify, or delete any aspect of this job (or the position itself) at any time as it deems advisable. I have read and understand this job description. My signature acknowledges that I am capable of performing the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation.