Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) invites applications for the position of Partnerships Director.

Based at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, we conduct scientific research on public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior, and the underlying psychological, cultural, and political factors that influence them. We also engage the public in climate change science and solutions, in partnership with governments, media organizations, companies, and civil society, and with a daily, national radio program, Yale Climate Connections. 

Position Focus:

The Partnerships Director will manage external relationships for the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. In this role, the Director will help develop and disseminate climate change communication strategies, tactics and tools to advocates, governments, educators, and companies drawing on YPCCC data and insights, including:

• The Climate Change in the American Mind national surveys
• The Yale Climate Opinion Maps
• Global Warming’s Six Americas
• Microtargeting Models
• Message Experiments
• Field Experiments
• Online Communication Campaigns

The position includes three main functions:

1) Execute the current Partnerships strategy, which seeks to increase the strategic communication and engagement capacity of groups building public and political will for climate action. As such, the Partnerships Director maintains relationships with diverse climate organizations, ranging from large institutions to small grassroots groups.

2) Further develop, execute and scale the Partnership program via increased consulting and training in climate communication strategy, tactics, and tools to improve the communication and engagement capacity of partner organizations and the broader climate change community.

3) Working with partners and YPCCC’s research team, design and implement climate change communication and engagement experiments, develop actionable insights, and share them with partners and the climate change community.

The Partnership Director will work closely with the YPCCC Director, Research Team, and Digital Director, reporting to the Associate Director.

Core responsibilities:

• Serve as an ambassador — for example, giving presentations and attending convenings — to the climate change community for all YPCCC publications, tools and insights.
• Oversee partner-led research using YPCCC tools, such as Facebook and microtargeting models.
• Inform the YPCCC research team about emerging trends, ongoing challenges or research needs among partners and/or the wider community of practitioners.
• With the YPCCC research team, help assess the demand for and utility of new YPCCCC research products, tools and data.

Required experience:

1. Master’s Degree or equivalent undergraduate training or work experience in a relevant field, like environmental studies, political science, psychology, sociology, etc.
2. 2-4 years in issue or political campaigns, including digital campaigns.
3. Experience creating and evaluating data-driven advocacy and strategic communication plans.
4. Experience developing and implementing professional trainings.
5. Experience with research design and explaining quantitative data to non-research audiences.
6. Experience with message testing.
7. Experience as a staff manager.
8. Passion for building a more effective and equitable climate change community.

Required skills and abilities:

1. Proven track record of priority setting and multi-tasking;
2. Excellent verbal and written communication;
3. Ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse partners;
4. A working understanding of grassroots campaign strategy and data tools including microtargeting, digital ads, relational organizing;
5. Familiarity with the academic literature on climate change communication and movement-building a plus
6. Demonstrated ability to work with a team, as well as on one’s own;
7. Willingness to travel.

Yale University supports a diverse and inclusive workplace and climate change movement. Women and people of color are especially encouraged to apply.

Here is the link to the application on the Yale University STARS site.  You’ll notice small differences between this job description and the job description on STARS.  This job description is the most accurate version.