Director of Communications Appointment brief January 2018 Director of Communications | January 2018
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Welcome from Beth Thoren Thank you for your interest in ClientEarth. ClientEarth uses the law in innovative ways to protect the earth and all its inhabitants. We shape and enforce laws and work with businesses, civil society and governments to solve seemingly intractable problems.
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In existence for only ten years, ClientEarth is a young organisation with a talented, creative team from over 13 countries. Currently our work stretches from the UK across to Central and Eastern Europe, China and five African countries. The Director of Communications position is a critical leadership role for ClientEarth and an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to be part of an agile, bold, creative and rapidly growing professional organisation. In the past three years we doubled our income and we expect to grow substantially in 2018. Much of this growth has been driven by the awareness of the organisation, which has been led by the communications team. After a series of high profile legal successes and receiving multiple awards, we are now at a turning point where we are growing into a major force globally. A strong communications operation is in place, including an experienced team based across the UK, Warsaw and Brussels, a significant pipeline of strong legal actions to talk about and strong relationships with the breadth of media outlets, particularly in the UK. The communications team has increased media mentions fivefold since 2015, built a strong digital footprint, launched major public-facing campaigns, grown online donations and made our brand more impactful. ClientEarth is becoming a household name in the UK. Our aspiration is to extend this awareness across Europe and beyond, building people’s understanding of ClientEarth as one of the most effective environmental organisations. If you are passionate about protecting the environment and a highly experienced leader who thrives in a fast-paced and people-focused organisation, then we would like to hear from you. Best wishes, Beth Thoren Deputy Chief Executive Image: David Marcu
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Director of Communications | January 2018
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Director of Communications | January 2018
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About Us
ClientEarth is Europe’s leading public interest environmental law organisation with over 70 qualified lawyers and over 100 staff, based at our head office in London and offices in Brussels, Warsaw, New York, Beijing and soon in Berlin.
We were the UK’s first public interest law organisation and we are now internationally recognised as an innovative and significant force within the environmental movement, helping to protect people and the planet. We were rated the “UK’s most effective environmental charity” and voted “Charity of the Year” in 2017.
Our Mission We believe in the rights of citizens to live in a healthy environment. We use the law in innovative ways to protect the Earth and its inhabitants. We bring together law, science and policy to create practical solutions to key environmental challenges. We believe that tough, diligent use of the law to protect environmental rights helps to strengthen civil society.
What we do We harness the power of the law to tackle the most pressing environmental threats to people and nature. Our work focuses on key topics - from climate change to deforestation, and biodiversity loss to air and water pollution, toxic chemicals and access to justice. We use law, mixed with science and economics, to address the world’s paramount environmental challenges. We work with governments, law-makers, industry stakeholders, civil society and other NGOs who can assist us in achieving the right results for humanity and the planet. Using the law creatively, we find real, workable solutions to the most crucial challenges. We assist in writing strong laws. We ensure relevant law is properly implemented. We enable citizens to hold decision-makers to account and to get access to the information they need.
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Director of Communications | January 2018
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Finance and Governance
Financials
Trustees
We are growing significantly in size and ambitions and have a fundraising operation in New York. Our budget for 2018 is expected to be well over ÂŁ12 million with over 30% growth on 2017 and we are on track to double in size by 2022.
We have 13 Trustees: Winsome McIntosh (chair), Howard Covington, Frances Beinecke, Sarah Butler-Sloss, Brian Eno, Dan Greenberg, Stephen Hockman, Philippe Joubert, Christina Robert, Fabienne Serfaty, Sir Martin Smith, Georg Stratenwerth and Emily Young.
1% Other (including mass market) 11% Institutional 78% Trusts and Foundations 10% Major Gifts
We are highly ambitious, forecasting 30% income growth in the current financial year, and expect to double by 2022.
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Director of Communications | January 2018
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Director of Communications | January 2018
Organogram Chief Executive Officer
Deputy Chief Executive
General Counsel
Director of Development
Director of Human Resources
Director of Finance & Resources
Director of Communications
Head of Digital & Internal Communications
Communications Manager
Head of UK Public Affairs
Communications Manager
Digital Communications Officer
Communications Officer
Senior Campaigner, Clean Air team
Communications Officer
Business Engagement Coordinator
Programme Teams
Communications Assistant
Director of Communications | January 2018
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The Opportunity
Job Title - Director of Communications
Location - London or Brussels Involves out-of-hours travel, mainly within Europe.
Salary The Director of Communications will spearhead ClientEarth’s strategic use of communications, bringing increased attention to and support for its cuttingedge legal approaches to the toughest environmental problems of our time, and raising the profile of ClientEarth such that it becomes a ‘household name’. In doing this, there will be the need to build the profile of our lawyers and the senior executive, and to promote the ClientEarth story. These efforts will increase ClientEarth’s recognition across Europe and beyond, building its reputation as one of the world’s most effective environmental organisations. The Director will be responsible for all external communications through international print, broadcast and digital output, and internal communications. He or she will lead a proactive approach to engagement with current media issues to ensure that ClientEarth is at the forefront of environmental discussion and debate
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Director of Communications | January 2018
- Highly Competitive
throughout Europe and beyond. While this role has significant strategic responsibility, the Director will also engage personally in substantive communications work whenever necessary. The Director will continue to build strong relationships with the programme teams, ensuring effective use of strategic public communications in support of our legal strategies, as well as to get the programme teams’ support in building the profile of the organisation. He or she will lead our small but highly motivated and skilled communications and campaign team and give it the support it needs to thrive in line with our organisational values of ‘Agility, Boldness, Creativity.’ The Director will also play a part in diversifying the organisation’s income streams by growing individual donations through digital marketing, whilst making ClientEarth a responsible campaigning force to be reckoned with.
The Opportunity
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Working relationships The Director will lead a small, highly motivated team already established within the organisation, providing digital, media, design and marketing support and leadership to ClientEarth as a whole. The Director will be a member of the Senior Management Team and will represent the communications group within this team, interacting with the CEO, Deputy CEO and the Board as needed. The Director of Communications reports to the Deputy CEO, who in turn reports to the CEO.
Director of Communications | January 2018
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Job Responsibilities
Strategic leadership and senior management team
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Spearhead building ClientEarth’s organisational profile, reputation and brand across Europe and beyond as one of the world’s most effective environmental organisations. In doing this, there will be the need to build the profile of our lawyers and the senior executive, and to promote the ClientEarth story.
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Responsible for all external communications through international print, broadcast and digital output globally. This will include using targeted communications to amplify the impact of our legal work and publicise ClientEarth programmes, and reactively responding to relevant current media issues to ensure ClientEarth is at the forefront of environmental discussion and debate throughout Europe and beyond. The Director will also engage personally in substantive communications work whenever necessary.
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Initiate major campaigns to support our legal strategies and build the ClientEarth reputation across Europe and beyond.
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Lead internal communications, including coordinating staff meetings, weekly “Directors Updates” and other change programmes.
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Own the organisation’s website and digital footprint, developing it so it reflects our key programmatic objectives and brand.
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Drive individual donations through digital marketing.
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Lead on brand development, brand guidelines and the production of leaflets, videos and other communications materials.
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Ensure the profile of ClientEarth and its team continues to be enhanced via award entries and speaking engagements.
• Work closely with the CEO, Deputy CEO and General Counsel to provide leadership on all matters regarding internal, external and digital communications, public affairs, campaigns, individual (or mass market) fundraising and brand building.
• Play an active role in the Senior Management Team (SMT) in developing overall organisational and programmatic strategy to shape our future, working for the best interests of the organisation as a whole and for nature.
• Lead ClientEarth communications and shape our policies and practices, along with other members of the SMT. This may include clarifying accountabilities and responsibilities, contributing to the development of organisational design, processes and systems, identifying and implementing staff retention policies and engaging in other shared areas of work.
• Contribute to governance and board management, including building relationships with and liaising with board members and preparing for board meetings.
• Support the efforts of the fundraising teams via enhancing fundraising communications.
Communications • Design and execute international multi-year and annual communications and campaigning plans, recognising that the world of public interest law is constantly changing and there is a need to balance the delivery and development of planned work whilst also being agile and responsive.
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Director of Communications | January 2018
Job Responsibilities
Programme •
Build strong relationships with the programme teams, ensuring effective use of strategic public communications in support of our legal strategies as well as to get their support in building the profile of the organisation and helping ClientEarth respond to external queries.
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Support the development of tailored communications strategies to maximise the impact of legal programmes, including communications to influence experts and decision-makers.
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Assist in the development of, review and approve communications plans for all legal intervention strategies (including matters before national and international courts, regulatory bodies and other tribunals) before such strategies are approved by the CEO and/or the Board, as required.
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Lead our small but multinational, skilled and highly motivated communications, public affairs and campaign team and give it the support it needs to thrive in line with our values of ‘Agility, Boldness, Creativity’.
This job description is not contractual and is liable to change over time due to the changing business needs of ClientEarth.
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Person Specification
Education and training • Degree level education or equivalent through relevant training / experience.
Experience and knowledge • Extensive experience in working with the media internationally in a variety of communications roles, including journalism, press relations and social media - essential. • Experience working with and influencing professionals, and communicating highly technical (e.g. scientific and/or legal) issues and translating them into communications that will appeal to the public and media outlets, or as appropriate, directly to expert audiences – essential.
of shaping and building the profile of an organisation – highly desirable. • Experience managing digital communications and developing websites, as well as driving individual (mass-market) fundraising via digital tools – highly desirable. • Experience operating with confidence as part of a senior management team - desirable.
Key competencies •
Able to build consensus and use influence within an organisation with a wide range of stakeholders, with strong interpersonal communications skills.
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Able to instruct the CEO, members of the Senior Management Team and members of the Board with respect to their communications skills, both verbal and written.
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Innovative and strategic thinking.
• An established record of leadership in senior communications roles, preferably in both NGO and for-profit spheres. Demonstrable results in devising and implementing wide-ranging communications strategies – highly desirable.
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Flexible, collaborative leadership style and proven motivational and supportive people management skills.
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Drive and a personal commitment to deliver to a high standard.
• Experience building the profile of senior members of an organisation and ability to train and coach such members appropriately – highly desirable.
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A passion for and an understanding of environmental and political issues.
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Fluent in English (verbal and written) and ideally, one other European language.
• Experience in managing directly or indirectly a highly skilled multi-site team of communications, public affairs and/or digital professionals – essential.
• A good understanding of brands and experience
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Director of Communications | January 2018
How to Apply
To apply in confidence to become Director of Communications at ClientEarth, please forward your up to date CV and a supporting statement of a maximum of 500 words outlining your interest in and suitability for the role. Please ensure that your application addresses the requirements outlined in this appointment brief. You should give the names, positions, organisations and telephone contact numbers of two referees, relevant to this role. Your referees must include employers covering the last 5 years of your work. References will only be taken once your express permission has been granted. Your application should also include details of your current remuneration package and notice period. You are also invited to complete the online diversity information as you submit your application. The information on the form will be treated as confidential, and used for statistical purposes only. The form will not be treated as part of your application. We would also be grateful if you could let us know if you will require any special provision as a result of any disability should you be called for interview.
Timetable Published closing date 12th February 2018 Interviews with Prospectus 19th-23rd February 2018 ClientEarth interviews 1st and 12th March 2018 These dates may be subject to change and candidates will be advised in advance should this happen. You will receive an outcome on your application within seven working days of the closing date. Shortlisted candidates may be required to undertake additional assessment prior or as part of the interviews. If you have any questions on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information or wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact Børge Andreassen or Eva Farina via email or on 0207 691 1920.
Finally please ensure that you have included mobile, work and home telephone numbers, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the indicative timetable. Applications should be submitted via our website: http://www.prospect-us.co.uk/jobs/ details/hq00171700
Director of Communications | January 2018
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Prospectus Ltd 020 7691 1925 www.prospect-us.co.uk Created by the Prospectus Advertising & Design team
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Director of Communications | January 2018