Senior Communications Associate

The Environmental Protection Network (EPN) was founded in January 2017 and now has over 750 EPA alumni across the country volunteering their time to protect the integrity of EPA, human health, and the environment. We harness the expertise of former EPA career staff and confirmation-level appointees from Democratic and Republican administrations to provide the unique perspective of former regulators with decades of historical knowledge and subject matter expertise. We are focused on building and defending the capacity of environmental agencies and the communities they serve to truly address the most urgent health and environmental crises. We work to ensure that EPA advances policies, budgets, and institutional changes to address environmental injustices and climate, as well as other pressing public health needs. We provide capacity-building technical assistance and training to frontline communities; non-profit organizations; and under-resourced state, local, and tribal government agencies. We provide pro bono support to civil servants . We educate Congress and serve as a critical resource for facts, objective analysis, and scientific rigor for reporters and other strategic partners . Priority Deadline: June 30th, 2026 Work will be predominantly remote, as EPN does not have an office. There will be some in-person meetings in other locations in the United States. You will work closely with other staff, including EPN's Senior Director for Public Affairs, Public Relations Associate, and our Policy team. We are looking for someone to start this position immediately. About The Position: Reporting to the Senior Communications Advisor, the Senior Communications Associate will be a key driver of supporting our press material creation, driving social media campaigns and content creation, and providing support to the Senior Communications Advisor on special projects. Responsibilities: Media Relations Work with the Senior Communications Advisor to identify key media targets and secure opportunities for national and regional press coverage. Support the Senior Communications Advisor in actively pitching stories to media outlets, building narratives that resonate with audiences. Support our Senior Communications Advisor in navigating relationships with reporters and establishing connections with new media contacts. Monitor media coverage to assess the effectiveness of communications strategies. Press Materials and Messaging Support with the draft and distribute press releases, media advisories, op-eds, Substack posts, social media guidance, and talking points. Support with creating compelling press kits and assist in drafting quotes for spokespeople. Social Media Help draft content and propose ideas for social media. Event Management Organize and coordinate press events, including speaker selection and logistics. Moderate media interactions and discussions, ensuring alignment with organizational messaging. Strategic Planning and Campaign Development Support with implementation of a comprehensive media and communications campaigns. Support a calendar of events and opportunities to amplify key messages. Special Projects and Campaigns Tackle projects as assigned by the Senior Communications Advisor. Collaborate with EPN's Senior Communications Advisor, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Safer, Not Sicker consultants, and other team members to align communications strategies. Coordinate communications agenda planning for the Safer, Not Sicker campaign to ensure alignment with EPN and partner goals. Qualifications: At least 2-4 years of relevant work experience Highly productive in remote working environments Strong written and verbal communication skills Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations or a related field, or equivalent professional experience demonstrating strong written communication skills, required. Marketing and development experience, including experience writing pitches and proposals Self-starter Interest in environmental justice, US environmental and health policy, and/or the work of EPA Experience with or knowledge of social justice and equity issues Strong writing skills Strong project management experience Detail-oriented and unafraid to ask questions Proficiency with Google Docs Experience with CRM database management Core Competencies: 1. Building Relationships: Establishing and maintaining strong relationships is critical for success in this role. The Senior Communications Associate builds trust and rapport with internal and external stakeholders, leveraging these relationships to advance organizational priorities and communications objectives. They collaborate effectively across teams, support cross-functional initiatives, and navigate complex relationships to ensure consistent messaging, strong stakeholder engagement, and successful execution of communications strategies. 2. Making Decisions & Demonstrating Judgment: The Senior Communications Associate demonstrates sound judgment by prioritizing competing communications needs, assessing audience and organizational priorities, and identifying opportunities to maximize impact. They use data, stakeholder feedback, and organizational goals to inform recommendations and communications strategies. They exercise discretion in messaging, respond thoughtfully to emerging issues, and make decisions that strengthen the organization’s reputation and effectiveness. 3. Managing Execution: The Senior Communications Associate ensures effective execution by managing communications projects, coordinating timelines, tracking deliverables, and collaborating with internal and external partners. They support the development and dissemination of communications materials across multiple channels, help manage editorial calendars and project workflows, and ensure communications initiatives are completed accurately and on schedule. They also provide support for events, campaigns, and special projects. 4. Planning: The Senior Communications Associate develops and maintains strong plans to effectively manage their core responsibilities and day-to-day workflow. They are responsible for leading and managing key communications projects, which includes creating project plans, coordinating with diverse stakeholders, monitoring progress toward goals, and adjusting strategies as needed. Through proactive planning and organization, they help ensure communications initiatives are executed efficiently and align with broader organizational goals. Pay: An annual salary of $74,261 based in D.C. We will adjust the salary up or down based on locality. Note that this salary is also eligible for a cost-of-living adjust that goes into effect between calendar years. Benefits: The Environmental Protection Network is a fully remote virtual environment. We think about our compensation as a package of total rewards that starts with a competitive salary. Work-Life Balance: Employees are encouraged to balance a 40-hour work week with a flexible work schedule and core hours of 11 AM-4 PM ET 11 paid Federal Holidays and other paid days when the office is closed, including: The work day before or after July 4. The day before and after Thanksgiving. The week of December 25th and the week of Jan 1st (FY26: Dec 21st-Jan 1st; FY27: December 20th-December 31st) Organization-wide non-meeting days on all major holidays that fall outside of the federal calendar (our staff can submit these to our calendar based on religious or cultural holidays). 3 weeks (120 hours) of paid time off (inclusive of sick, personal days, and vacation). 5 days of annual disaster relief time off in the event of a natural disaster impacting you or your family (does not carry over or pay out upon exit). 5 days of annual bereavement (does not carry over or pay out upon exit). 3 annual “EPN” days to be used for any purpose across the year (does not carry over or pay out upon exit). Financial Security: Competitive market-based salary. Annual tenure bonus (determined annually, where funds are available). Performance-based bonuses where applicable. 401K Retirement Plan, 4% company match. Wellness Benefits: 90% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, 50% employer-paid family. 100% employer-paid life (50K), opportunity to purchase additional life coverage is available for employee and spouse. 100% employer-paid short and long-term disability insurance. Access to employee-paid FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits. Up to 6 weeks of paid leave upon the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Career Development: Up to $500/year for professional development-related expenses. Ongoing access to internal professional development training. Additional Benefits: $150 monthly cell phone plan and home internet reimbursement. Up to $2,000/year for the purchase of phones, computers, headsets, software, or other equipment used consistently to carry out staff responsibilities. Applicable travel expenses will be reimbursed, including travel time outside of your local area. Environmental injustices disproportionately impact the most marginalized people in society, including people of color, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQIA+ people. Because we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.