Senior Communications Strategist

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has taken a strong, public stance and made a significant investment in promoting diverse voices in ocean science and conservation. For too long, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color, as well as LGBTQIA people, have been underrepresented in marine science and conservation fields.

To learn more about Monterey Bay Aquarium, please visit website.

***This role is being recruited by a third party agency, Creative Circle. To be considered for this role, you must apply via the Creative Circle website. Applications submitted to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website will not be considered.***** 

The Opportunity:

The ideal candidate would work onsite, though remote candidates will be considered on the condition they travel onsite to Monterey, CA at least 6 times per year. This role may require additional work travel to conferences or events (1-2 times a year).

Core Activities:

• Develop a comprehensive strategic communications plan that advances the Aquarium’s ocean conservation priorities, ensuring alignment with broader organizational communication goals.

• Execute targeted communications strategies to elevate the Aquarium’s impact among key audiences, including decision-makers, industry partners, donors, peers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the media.

• Implement a robust commentary and op-ed strategy that aligns with the Aquarium’s mission and programmatic goals, securing placements in influential publications.

• Create crisis communications briefing documents, statements, and talking points to ensure a rapid, coordinated response when needed.

• Lead communication plans to position Aquarium senior leaders as thought leaders by highlighting their expertise at high-profile speaking engagements (e.g., conferences, industry panels) and through their personal digital channels.

• Identify and secure high-impact speaking opportunities, media interviews, and event participation for senior leaders.

• Craft compelling narratives, key messages, and story arcs that reinforce the Aquarium’s mission and leadership, in collaboration with content leads and senior executives.

• Deliver high-quality written content across multiple platforms, including: website articles, email communications, speeches, talking points, and executive briefings. Opinion pieces, blog posts, and personal social media content for Aquarium thought leaders.

• Produce outreach materials tailored for various stakeholders such as general public, government agencies, seafood industry leaders, and NGOs, including impactful visual content (videos, photographs, infographics) for presentations, digital platforms, and executive social media channels.

• Draft and place op-eds and expert commentary to amplify the Aquarium’s conservation messaging.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

• Bachelor’s in English, journalism, communications, or related field or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Minimum 6 years of communications and marketing experience developing and managing strategic marketing plans that achieved organizational goals.
• Exceptional, demonstrated written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience communicating complex messages and topics in a clear and concise manner.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership to ensure alignment.
• Keen understanding of external environment dependencies, attitudes, and context relevant to conservation and the Aquarium’s role.
• Experience developing visual assets for use in presentations and social media.
• Strong project management skills: experience managing multiple and competing priorities, proactive task setting, tracking and communication to stakeholders and marketing team.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders across teams to achieve shared goals.
• Strong understanding of the external objectives and goals of the Aquarium.
• Takes initiative and communicates a plan of implementation.
• Expertise with Salesforce, Google Suite, and social media platforms.
• Ability to think creatively.
• Ability to work within and maintain Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Core Values.

About Creative Circle:

https://www.creativecircle.com/about-us/

Creative Circle is a recruiting agency, and we proudly match professionals with companies looking for talented team members. The above listing is for a role with one of our clients. Our connections at top companies get your resume in front of the right people and access to amazing positions that aren't posted anywhere else. If you’re a good fit for this role (or another we're currently working on), a local recruiter will reach out to schedule a screening interview. We present only the top candidates to our clients.

For Creative Circle to represent you for this opportunity, you must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need of employer sponsorship for a non-immigrant visa.