Impact & Storytelling Manager, International Cooperation & Conservation

Are you looking to channel your skills into meaningful, energizing work that will directly contribute to protecting our natural world? Do you want to work with an exceptional group of passionate and caring colleagues?

Birds Canada is the country’s premier national organization dedicated to bird conservation. Every day, our thousands of caring donors, 80+ dedicated staff, and 70,000+ outstanding volunteers are taking action to help us better understand, appreciate, and conserve birds and their habitats. Together, we are Canada’s Voice for Birds – will you join us?

This position is all about helping make sense of data and telling stories to bring people together to address the complex and overlapping crises that nature and communities in Latin America face today. With our partners, you will be supporting something new – working at the intersection of biodiversity conservation for birds, gender equality and inclusion among conservation actors and community-led sustainable economic development. Are you the science communicator we’re looking for? Keep reading…

 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Conserva Aves project at Birds Canada is an innovative biodiversity and climate change initiative supporting locally led and gender equitable change to benefit birds, biodiversity and communities in eight countries: Peru, Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Colombia. This $15-million project (funding anticipated from April 2024 to March 2027) scales up and scales out the already proven Conserva Aves initiative operating in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador.

The key role of the Manager of Impact & Storytelling is to support Birds Canada’s International Cooperation & Conservation team and others to dig deep into Conserva Aves project data and documentation to understand, capture and communicate the stories of impact emerging from the initiative throughout South and Central America and Mexico. You will collaborate closely project management and science teams in Canada and Latin America. You will play a key collaborative role in capacity building to make sense of data captured by the project and to drive impact-focused storytelling and advocacy campaigns. You will also leverage these actions to engage with relevant audiences in Canada, convene public-facing events and contribute to donor reporting. This role requires a strong communicator comfortable with diverse media, a passion for building strong relationships with diverse peers in Canada and Latin America, and a natural ability to translate scientific knowledge for public engagement.

Strong spoken Spanish and English skills are essential.

 

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS

This full-time role reports to the Director, International Cooperation & Conservation at Birds Canada and is either fully remote (in the incumbent’s home office) or a hybrid or in-person arrangement at one of Birds Canada’s offices in Ontario, British Columbia, or New Brunswick. Offsite and in-person meeting will be required periodically. This role will also require international travel (10-15% approximately), especially to Latin America, and could include travel to higher risk or remote locations with basic amenities only.

Anticipated start date for this role is early May 2024.

 

TOTAL COMPENSATION

Birds Canada is proud to offer an exceptional Total Compensation Package, including a competitive starting salary and 5% RRSP matching after 12 months of service.  In addition, staff enjoy a primarily employer-paid extended benefits package including health and dental coverage, Basic Group Life Insurance, Group out-of-province travel insurance, Vision, ADD&D and short- and long-term disability coverage.  We offer all staff 4 weeks’ vacation per year to start along with 12 personal health days and additional paid vacation days between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

STARTING SALARY: $68,846 – $75,731, commensurate with your previous experience.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate with and support Conserva Aves’ Latin American partners in developing, capturing, telling and amplifying stories that link conservation action, gender equality and social inclusion and community development in Latin America.
• Support teams to dive deeply into project data and documentation to understand, capture impact trends and translate scientific findings into briefs and communications tailored to diverse target audiences. This includes working closely with monitoring and evaluation focal points in Latin America to build capacity for sensemaking, knowledge translation and impact-driven storytelling and advocacy campaigns.Develop and implement a communications strategy for Birds Canada’s efforts in Conserva Aves, including but not limited to sharing and disseminating stories in Canada of the impact of gender just hemispheric bird conservation actions. Includes supporting thought-leadership, public engagement and visibility.
• Advise the Director and the Senior Director, International Cooperation & Conservation on effective communication and knowledge translation opportunities, practices and risks.
• Collaborate, with Birds Canada communications, to develop, implement and monitor content strategies across channels (social, web, email) that showcase Conserva Aves’ results and stories of impact and ensure curated, highly shareable and effective communications.
• Support and contribute to donor reporting, especially via stories of change and other written content
• Serve as a resource to indigenous conservation actors in Latin America and Canada as they share their knowledge and stories of effective and inclusive conservation action.
• Partner with Director and Senior Director to establish annual budget and manage expenses associated to the Conserva Aves project and across the International Cooperation & Conservation portfolio.
• Work with cross-functional teams to develop compelling campaigns that meet the business objectives of the organization and showcase impact with innovation and consistency.
• Promote and support wellness-focused team dynamics and collective responsibility for wellbeing and success.

 

 

REQUIRED SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

Required

• Strong written and spoken Spanish and English skills are essential.
• 3+ years Strong experience contributing to, implementing or leading the development of science communications or advocacy strategies.
• Strong experience working with diverse teams implementing conservation, environmental education, advocacy or international cooperation programs to capture, amplify and communicate stories of conservation action, gender equality and social inclusion or community development.
• Strong experience supporting knowledge translation of scientific data and knowledge for public engagement, storytelling, advocacy, environmental education, citizen science and accountability purposes.
• Experience showcasing project learnings, results and stories of impact on social media and other digital and non-digital media platforms.
• Strong skills in written, visual and other communication media, especially for use on social media and other digital platforms.
• Proven competency with digital platforms such as Engaging Networks or MailChimp, WordPress, Canva, Adobe suite and experience advancing projects that include visual tools like photography, videography and graphic design.
• Experience analyzing quantitative and qualitative data for measuring results and/or communicating stories of change.

 

Professional Competencies:

• Recognition of the ways in which power, privilege and the legacy of colonialism can shape relationships and ways of knowing.
• Thoughtful and respectful communication style and attention to relationship building with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders.
• A strong interest and willingness to learn about bird conservation, science and community engagement.
• Self-motivated, committed to own professional growth and seeking to work in a results-focused and psychologically safe team.
• A commitment to changing the world, especial via biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation, nature-based solutions or inclusive and participatory community development.

 

Assets:

• Additional language skills in Portuguese and/or French.
• Experience working with counterparts in Latin America in roles relevant to this position.
• Experience working with Indigenous Peoples and/or supporting Indigenous knowledge systems.
• Proven project management skills, familiarity with Results Based Management or Most Significant Change approaches and tools.
• Understanding of AODA and CASL compliance in Canada.

This position is also open to those who can demonstrate a depth of experience that may not solely stem from traditional years in the field, but rather from alternative pathways or unique contexts.

 

EDUCATION

A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a field relevant to strategic or science communications or other relevant to the Conserva Aves program, including biodiversity conservation, environmental management, environmental education, climate change adaptation, international development, community development, gender studies, sociology, etc.

And/or

Lived-experience in supporting conservation and community development actions in Latin America, especially with women-led, Indigenous, or Afro-descendant Organizations.

And/or

Additional training and/or certification in relevant fields, technical approaches and software.

 

TO APPLY:

Please submit your resume along with a covering letter outlining how your professional experience makes you the perfect candidate for this role via the Birds Canada Online Hiring Portal by Friday April 12th. Note that applications will be considered as they are received and we anticipate the interview process will start before the closing date so it is in your best interest to apply ASAP.  Birds Canada will provide accommodation throughout the recruitment, selection, and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.

Birds Canada is committed to improving levels of diversity among its volunteers, membership, staff, and board that reflects the diversity of communities across the country. In an effort to do so, we are actively seeking to improve our ability to reach all candidates with our job postings. Applicants belonging to racialized groups, who identify as Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, or who have differing abilities are therefore welcome to self-identify in their cover letter, if they feel comfortable, although this is not a requirement.