Sustainability Matters is a young grassroots conservation nonprofit, based in Virginia’s rural Northern Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont regions, and expanding to the DC suburbs. We’re also an architect of transformative, scalable projects like Making Trash Bloom (our flagship initiative to plant pollinator meadows at landfills) and creator of webinars with global reach. Our focus is on outreach that is truly universal, including both traditional and non-traditional conservation audiences. Our approach to conservation is realistic and practical, never purist. We’re about people almost as much as we’re about the planet: the community we’re building catalyzes our impact.
We are creating new positions, not filling existing ones. We’re hiring for multiple opportunities, but not constrained by job descriptions: we’re open to candidates whose skills cross over aspects of different positions, or include capacities not mentioned in any. Go ahead and pitch us.
Sustainability Matters expects our staff to perform at the highest professional level. We treat them accordingly, offering unlimited paid time off, flexible working hours, and pet healthcare coverage, in addition to more standard benefits.
The Outreach & Communications Coordinator will bear significant responsibility for Sustainability Matters’ outward-facing persona. In partnership with other members of our small, collaborative staff, this includes writing for external audiences (grant applications and reports, email marketing, and social media), as well as liaising with traditional media, partner organizations, and funders. Depending on the capacities of the successful candidate, the position may also incorporate development of educational materials, video/photo, or fundraising.
This position is primarily remote, but the Outreach Coordinator should expect to attend in-person events or meetings approximately 3-6 times per month in the Northern/Central Shenandoah Valley, Northern Piedmont, or Northern Virginia areas. Residence within those regions is desirable.
Hours are flexible and will include weekend and evening commitments. We are primarily seeking a full-time Outreach Coordinator, as described. However, if the right person is interested in a part-time position covering only some of the responsibilities listed here, we’re open to that.
The right person for this position will possess the skills and qualities listed below. We welcome applicants from both nonprofit and for-profit backgrounds. Conservation professionals and those new to the field are encouraged to apply, but the latter must possess strong independently acquired subject knowledge.
Most importantly, the successful candidate will be a cultural fit with an organization that roots our success in our differences from other nonprofits: our commitment to working with non-traditional conservation audiences, our realistic and practical approach to conservation, and our emphasis on people as much as the planet. Sustainability Matters is new, growing fast, and immensely ambitious. We’re still in our “all hands to the pump” stage, looking for early adopters who want to grow with us long-term. We take quality and impact extremely seriously. We don’t take much else seriously, and we’re looking for a colleague who’ll laugh with us. If you have to ask whether we really need a spokescat, we’re not the best fit for you.
Specific requirements include:
Not required, but nice to have:
The ideal candidate for this job will have invested heavily in education and developing new skills. This could take the form of anything from a Master’s or other higher degree to being entirely self-taught. What we care about is the ability to add value to a team that is constantly learning and leveling up in the areas of conservation, community building, and nonprofit management.
Sustainability Matters requires all staff to keep COVID vaccination and boosters up-to-date.
Sustainability Matters believes our people are our most important asset. We expect our staff to perform at the highest professional level, and we treat and compensate them accordingly. Salary range for this position is $60,000-$75,000. The position is primarily geared at senior candidates with at least 10 years of experience. We’re happy to consider more junior candidates with stellar writing and social media marketing skills, but likely for a modified position at a lower starting salary.
We offer flexible working hours and unlimited paid time off. Sustainability Matters supports our team’s family members of all species, reimbursing pet healthcare coverage and adoption fees and funding employees’ dental and vision coverage, disability coverage, and life insurance. We provide retirement benefits and cover remote office expenses including laptop, internet, cell service, software, and mileage.
Sustainability Matters is an equal opportunity employer, drawing strength from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We value potential employees’ intellect, capacities, and work ethic. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, or any other non-merit factor. Bring your brain, and come as you are.
For consideration, please submit the following to [email protected]:
We will begin reviewing applications immediately, and the position will remain open until filled by the right individual.