Director of Communications

A day with Verra might include:

• Convening and chairing a meeting of senior staff to discuss the content and nature of the organization’s response to a breaking news story.
• Providing guidance on the development of a style guide to ensure accurate and consistent writing across the organization.
• Giving authoritative substantive and editorial clearance to a major announcement about a project that demonstrates the impact of one of Verra’s standards.
• Deciding on a key implementation partner for a major communications initiative following the successful execution of a vendor procurement and selection process that you led.

Specific functions that the Communications Team, under your leadership, is responsible for delivering:

• Communications strategy: identify, develop, and implement strategies aimed at driving positive narratives across multiple media platforms about Verra’s areas of work, particularly in carbon offsetting, nature crediting, plastics crediting, and results-based finance for sustainable development, drawing on and, where necessary, supplementing existing messaging and materials.

• Educational materials: produce compelling content about Verra’s work and impact, including photos, videos, podcasts, and webinars, and ensure that this content reaches its intended audiences.
• Media relations: promote fair and accurate media coverage of Verra’s activities, including by establishing and strengthening relationships, responding promptly and thoroughly to queries in an accurate and accessible manner.
• Marketing: produce, and promote the consistent use of, materials to ensure an appropriate tone and image for the organization, including banners, business cards, color palettes, email signatures, flyers, logos, presentation templates, and virtual backgrounds.
• Asset management: organize, curate, and catalogue the organization’s communications assets (e.g., photos, b-roll, testimonials, talking points), while identifying gaps in our collection, and provide relevant assets so they can be used effectively at relevant moments.
• Internal communications: identify and build tools to enhance internal communications throughout a fully remote workforce, including by developing and maintaining an intranet site and producing staff newsletters.
• Public relations: serve as first point of contact for members of the public who contact Verra, including by triaging all incoming messages and directing them toward the appropriate person in the organization.
• Stakeholder relations: produce and circulate announcements and newsletters.
• Social media: position Verra as a thought and action leader in social media by developing and posting influential content and regularly sharing high-value content.
• Website: ensure the accessibility, accuracy, and appeal of Verra’s website, which underwent a first-phase redesign in 2022.
• Communications training: train staff throughout the organization in communications skills.
• Communications process management: design and continually optimize communications-related business processes with the aim of enabling the scale, efficiency, and replicability of activities.

You bring with you:

• Significant relevant professional work experience (preferably 12+ years at the Senior Director level; 8+ years at the Director level) in the communications functions set out above, including at a minimum a demonstrated understanding of the role of environmental and social markets (e.g., carbon markets) in accelerating action on climate change and sustainable development. Work experience in carbon markets, climate change, and/or sustainable development would be a strong asset.
• Very strong organizational skills and discipline to be able to prioritize and work efficiently and effectively under deadlines in an independent manner.
• Excellent networking and interpersonal skills, maintaining a professional approach and demeanor in high-pressure situations, and ability to work with stakeholders and partners from different countries and cultures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English is essential. Fluency in other languages would be an advantage.
• Experience effectively managing staff, consultants, strategic partnerships, and budgets.