Job Announcement: Communications Specialist (Fish and Wildlife)

The Council is seeking a Communications Specialist (Fish and Wildlife) to be the lead member of the Council staff in communicating the Council’s work in fish and wildlife planning for the Columbia River Basin. The intended audience for external communications about the Council’s work is broad: federal, state and tribal policymakers, public agency staff, regional utilities, environmental and conservation staff, local governments, public process stakeholders, the general public, and print and digital media. The work of this person will also be internally focused – helping the Council itself and other members of the staff be more effective in the way they communicate their work. This position will work alongside another Communications Specialist focused on the Council’s power work – a position the Council is also hiring for. Depending on candidate qualifications, one of the two Communications Specialists hired may be designated the Council’s Communications Lead.

The Council is an interstate compact agency formed by the states of Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Idaho under the Northwest Power Act of 1980. Under this Act, the Council develops, with broad public participation, a program to protect, mitigate and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the hydropower facilities in the Columbia River Basin, as well as a regional conservation and electrical generation power plan. The Council’s fish and wildlife program and power plan are largely implemented by agencies of the federal government, especially the Bonneville Power Administration, although the work of the Council has relevance and influence far beyond the federal agencies.

The Council consists of eight members, with the governors of the four states appointing two members each. The members are supported by the central office staff based in Portland, Oregon and several staff located in each state office. The Communications Specialist we are seeking will be part of the Council’s central staff, officially part of the Council’s Public Affairs team, but essentially embedded with and closely working with the staff of the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Division on a day-to-day basis.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Partner with the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Division staff in particular to synthesize complex information, issues and decisions relating to the fish and wildlife protection and mitigation work of the Council and communicate the key points to target audiences in a manner that resonates with the audiences. Requires demonstrated skill in distilling key points out of complex technical and policy materials and conveying those points in a clear manner.

• Develop and communicate in a wide variety of methods and media key points about the fish and wildlife work of the Council.

• Work with the Council’s Director of Fish and Wildlife, and other staff and members as needed, to develop strategic communication plans for large deliverables, such as the Council’s fish and wildlife program and significant fish and wildlife project review decisions and identify other communication priorities for the ongoing work of the division.

• Work closely with the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Division staff, other members of the staff, and the Council members to help them be more effective in communicating their work within the Council and to others outside the Council.

• Coordinate with the Council’s Communications Lead on energy planning in communicating matters about the Council’s work that involve both fish and wildlife and energy considerations.

• Exhibit a willingness to maintain and develop new relationships with key personnel in government and the private sector, industry media representatives, and relevant information sources.

• Assist in responding in a timely and useful manner to requests for information about fish and wildlife matters from media and others. Work closely with other Council staff to identify the best technical or policy spokesperson for relevant issues.

• Create opportunities for the Council to take a leadership role in communicating to the public on key issues relevant to the Council’s work in fish and wildlife.

• Be one of the staff primarily responsible for producing the Council’s required annual report to Congress.

• As a subset of communications work in general, develop a communications strategy and communications methods and products and methods for informing other government agencies and personnel about the fish and wildlife work of the Council. Develop and maintain relationships with key government personnel for this purpose. This includes executive and legislative personnel in federal, state, tribal and local governments. Government Affairs experience is a plus.

Essential Skills and Qualifications

• A degree in a Communications field, preferably including a master’s degree.

• At least 3 years’ experience working in the field (or working closely with people in the field) of communications about natural resources and environmental matters, with specific experience relating to fish and wildlife preferred.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Experience in public speaking and/or media engagements along with willingness to give in-person and virtual presentations to various audiences and to assist Council members and staff prepare virtual and in- person presentation material.

• Desire to learn about fish and wildlife protection and mitigation to ensure effective understanding and communication. Demonstrated previous experience in the field is preferred.

• Critical thinker with a curious mind and a demonstrated ability to learn, absorb and summarize highly technical information and communicate it to others in a clear and concise manner while making apparent the relevant connections from the Council’s work and responsibilities to the issue being discussed.

• Ability to seek out and develop new communications paths and strategies to get the Council’s message out to new and diverse audiences.

• Strong interpersonal skills and a willingness to develop relationships with Council members, staff, relevant personnel in government and non-government entities, and the public.

• Demonstrated ability to be an effective team player as a key member of the Council staff.

• Willingness to travel to meetings and other engagements to promote the work of the Council.

• Managing external resources such as consultants as needed.

The Council is also seeking a Communications Specialist for the Power work of the Council. One of the Communications Specialists hired may be designated the Communications Lead for the Council, supervising the work of the other Communications Specialist as well as the other two members of the Council’s Public Affairs division. This Lead position will report directly to the Council’s Executive Director.