Communications Specialist I

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally. PHI was distinguished as one of the top 50 “Best Non-Profit Organizations to Work For” by the Non-Profit Times in a national search.

Roots of Change (ROC), a program of the Public Health Institute, is a think-and-do tank working to ensure emergence of a resilient, healthy, and equitable food system in California and the nation. ROC provides road maps to food movement power and environmental and policy change. ROC has a clear change strategy, an extensive statewide and national network of change agents, and a track record of spawning and leading projects that are transformative because they unify stakeholders to make progress using multiple intervention points simultaneously. ROC is focused primarily on California because it is a bellwether that can positively influence the nation. ROC believes that the root cause of the degradation of ecological, human and rural economic health is the industrialization of the food system.

About the role

The Communications Specialist I will support the delivery of ROC’s communications, project, and engagement initiatives by coordinating projects, creating communications assets, and undertaking outreach efforts across the organization. This position will contribute to growing ROC’s network in rural and urban communities and strengthening relationships with stakeholders across farming, agriculture, environmental, food and social justice, and public health sectors. This position will work on key projects related to regenerative ranching and protection of farmworkers from extreme climate. Working closely with the communications and project leads, the Specialist will help execute media and community/stakeholder outreach.

This is a regular full-time position that is expected to have a work schedule of 40 hours per week. This position is primarily remote, with the expectation to work during core business hours in the Pacific Time Zone. This position requires some travel, primarily within California, for meetings, events, and other work activities. The incumbent must be located in California.

Pay

Full salary range for this position: $65,962 to $94,454 per year. The typical hiring range for this position is from $65,962 (minimum) to $80,208 (midpoint), based on 100% FTE. The starting salary is determined using a variety of factors, such as the candidate’s knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as internal equity consideration and budget availability.

Responsibilities

• Community Liaison (25%)
  • Work with the communications and project leads to implement project communication and liaise community activities across ROC initiatives, including San Joaquin Valley Heat, Growing GRASS, educational events in Northern and Southern California, and the national Vote for Your Food campaign
  • Work with Project Manager to assist with relationship coordination with farmworker community members, agricultural producers, nonprofit partners, agencies, and other stakeholders in support of ongoing projects
• Communications and Media (50%)
  • Execute social media content strategy by drafting, scheduling, and publishing content across ROC’s established channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, BlueSky, X, and Facebook)
  • Create and coordinate communications assets that highlight ROC’s policy work, campaigns, reports, partners, events, and community stories
  • Support the production and distribution of newsletters, email communications, podcasts, and other digital communications
  • Use Canva and other basic design tools to develop simple, on-brand graphics, and visual assets
  • Track engagement metrics and prepare basic reports to help inform future communications efforts
  • Work with other colleagues to update website content to ensure information about ROC’s programs, staff, events, and resources remains current
• Project Coordination (25%)
  • Maintain project trackers, coordinate timelines, and support timely delivery of communications and project milestones
  • Collaborate with staff and external partners to coordinate communications deliverables and ensure projects move forward efficiently
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• 2 years of experience in the field. A master’s degree in a sustainability science or food systems may be used to substitute for 2 years of experience required
• Bachelor’s degree in a field relevant or applicable to food and agricultural systems analysis, or substitute with four additional years of relevant experience
• Spanish language fluency

Skills

• Experience with stakeholder engagement planning and implementation to develop trust and foster collaboration in marginalized communities
• Excellent analytical skills
• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Ability to assist in facilitation of stakeholder engagements maintaining professional protocols in complex situations in which stakeholders share strong emotions
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with farmers, ranchers, farmworker, food justice and food system advocates and public agency partners
• Ability to convey information clearly and concisely and summarize research in written form or verbally in public settings
• Ability to create visualization tools such as infographics and to convey information using these tools in public settings
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work well in a team environment
• Ability to progress on several projects concurrently
• Ability to travel within California for in-person meetings and events
• Master’s degree preferred