Senior Manager, Strategic Communications (Litigation)

Overview NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.  As an international nonprofit environmental organization, NRDC is working to address the world’s most urgent environmental challenges, and advance innovative, science-based, and enforceable solutions.   Since our founding in 1970, NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of America’s foundational environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today, we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local, state, federal and international levels, as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world, from offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as in Beijing, and New Delhi (a subsidiary of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd.).   Supported by our members and online activists, NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis, defend nature and safeguard public health across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. At NRDC, we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent, passion, and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world. Learn more at nrdc.org  POSITION SUMMARY    Under the guidance of the Managing Director, Integrated Communications, the Senior Manager, Strategic Communications: Litigation, develops comprehensive communication strategies that advance organizational goals and enhance public engagement for the work led by NRDC’s litigation team across climate, nature and environmental health sectors.   Serving as the primary communications partner to NRDC’s litigation team, this role translates complex legal strategies and developments into clear, accessible narratives that expand public engagement, elevate NRDC’s thought leadership, and drive supporter and policymaker action. The Senior Manager collaborates closely with media, digital advocacy and fundraising, content, creative, and analytics teams to plan, launch, and assess the effectiveness of integrated, multichannel communications across earned, owned, and paid platforms, using performance insights to refine strategy and maximize reach, engagement, and impact among key audiences.    This is a limited term 2 year position.  This person can be based out of any of NRDC's US-offices (New York, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Santa Monica). The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).   Responsibilities To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the following essential functions:    Under the guidance of the Senior Director, Integrated Communications, develop and execute clear, compelling, and measurable multichannel communication plans for NRDC’s litigation work and cases, that expand reach beyond core supporters and reinforces durable narratives collaborating closely with litigation, programmatic, governmental affairs and communications teams.  Create and update messaging and talking points for NRDC’s litigation work and specific cases, ensuring messaging is consistent, accessible, and aligned with NRDC’s brand and mission.  Coordinate communications team’s response to major legal developments, including court rulings, regulatory actions, and litigation filings.  Provide regular updates on litigation projects/cases to the communications team.  Manage the intake and execution of incoming communications and marketing requests from litigation establishing clear timelines, workflows and expectations.  Establish and maintain  litigation communications  calendar and set short- and long-term priorities aligned with organizational goals.  Maintain expertise of relevant priority litigation narratives along with audience trends in alignment with policy issues in the U.S.  Identify and develop storytelling opportunities (e.g., case studies, attorney and client profiles, human-centered narratives) that demonstrate the real-world impact of NRDC’s litigation.  Collaborate with Editorial and Content teams to develop written and visual assets that will resonate with target audiences, create compelling story telling, and drive relevance, engagement and action for the organization.   Support the Digital Advocacy and Fundraising team in developing appropriate materials and tactics to promote key messages with NRDC supporters when needed.  Collaborate  with Earned and Social Media teams to amplify key institutional priorities, litigation cases and initiatives.  Champion a data-driven approach to evaluate communications performance and apply insights to refine future strategies, partnering with the Director of Analytics.  Utilize storytelling, thought leadership and strategic messaging to influence and shift public narratives on climate change, nature and environmental health, highlighting the benefits and importance of environmental protection and climate action for our health, our societal values and our economy.   Investigate litigation cases to identify and develop content (e.g. profile pieces, case studies, human-led stories) that highlight the impact of NRDC’s litigation work and profile our clients and attorneys.   Create and manage a story bank from current and past litigation cases to enable  communications team to quickly