About the Opportunity:
The Senior Manager, Internal Communications, is a critical role at the Academy that will be responsible for developing, executing, and managing effective internal communications initiatives that drive employee engagement and foster an inclusive culture among the nearly 600 diverse staff across the museum. This position will report to the Director of Communications but will partner closely with the Chief People & Culture Officer and will serve as a strategic thought partner to other members of the senior leadership team.
The Senior Manager, Internal Communications, will be keenly focused on strengthening communications across the Academy to build awareness of key initiatives, events, organizational changes, employee successes, thought leadership, and resources. This role also will oversee communications related to the employee experience to engage and enhance the Academy’s distinctive culture and foster deeper connections among staff to each other and the Academy’s mission: to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.
We are looking for someone who is creative and passionate about employee communications and experience, and enjoys pushing themself to find exciting, novel ways to engage employees.
Organizational Culture:
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision
and values! Currently, the Academy’s strategic plan includes three initiatives –
Hope for Reefs,
Thriving California, and
Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.
We are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are intrinsic to Academy culture and operations, from recruitment and retention to science and advocacy.
We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications for the position.
This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 2-3 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. Candidates are required to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals receiving a conditional offer of employment from the California Academy of Sciences will be provided the full text of the vaccination policy.
About the Communications and People & Culture Teams:
The Communications Department raises awareness among both internal and external audiences about the wide-ranging activities at the Academy, from exhibits to path-breaking research by our 70 scientists, all in support of the Academy’s work to grow a movement to regenerate nature. The People & Culture Team collaborates across the Academy to: 1) build a thriving culture in which all staff members feel cared for and respected, with opportunities for growth; and 2) deeply connect employees to the Academy’s purpose of regenerating the natural world.
Key Responsibilities:
The responsibilities listed below are representative of the range of duties assigned and are not intended as an exhaustive list.
- Develop and execute internal communications strategies to ensure employees feel informed and connected to each other and the organization’s values and mission.
- Lead planning and execution of monthly all-staff meetings and assist with planning new staff orientations. Consult on communications strategies for other Academy-wide staff convenings as needed.
- Work with the Learning and Engagement Lead to align Academy-wide messaging and voice related to staff engagement initiatives.
- Serve as a trusted consultant to the People and Culture Team on communications related to Academy programs, events, and DEIA efforts.
- Develop, manage, and write internal communications, including staff e-newsletters and announcements, under the supervision of the Director of Communications and Chief People and Culture Officer.
- Manage and write internal communications related to union bargaining.
- Partner with the Communications team and cross-functional stakeholders to effectively manage messaging for sensitive or challenging situations, ensuring effective communication, consistency, and alignment across internal and external communications.
- Manage Intranet content and conceive new features and additions to make the Intranet engaging and useful to employees.
- Leverage and improve internal communications processes, platforms, and technologies.
- Develop, track, and measure internal engagement across internal communications platforms and channels.
Qualifications: A successful candidate will have the following:
Experience and/or Education:
- Minimum 7+ years of experience in internal employee communications roles in a large organization.
- Undergraduate degree in English, Journalism, Public Relations, or Communications.
- Proven track record of building and executing internal communications programs that support organizational goals, drive employee engagement, and foster company culture.
Skills and Abilities:
- Outstanding writing and editing skills; ability to adapt voice and tone to reflect diverse audiences and subject matter.
- Keen attention to detail and impeccable judgment with experience handling confidential matters.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and desire to cultivate and maintain open, effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
- Comfortable in a fast-paced and deadline-driven work environment.
- Flexible, creative, and curious. Adept at managing multiple tasks while maintaining flexibility as priorities shift.
- Ability to work collaboratively across a diverse organization and with senior leadership, both independently and as part of a team.
- Passion for storytelling and supporting an inclusive organizational structure.
- A positive attitude, and a desire to learn.
- Knowledge of Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
- Familiarity with content management systems is a plus.
- Bilingual (spoken and/or written) in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, or other non-English language is a plus but not necessary.
Physical Environment:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $95,000-$105,000. Actual compensation will be commensurate with experience, skills/knowledge set, and internal equity. We believe in fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to providing competitive salaries within the industry and market standards. The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits based on the hours per week worked. Further details regarding compensation and benefits will be discussed during the interview process.
Schedule: Full time, 40hr/week
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Please upload your resume, cover letter, and 1-2 writing samples and complete the brief online application
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
Review of applications will begin on February 14, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled.
The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance(SF Police Code, Article 49).
We are committed to ensuring that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placements, transfers, promotions, compensation, benefits, terminations, training, and social and recreational programs, will be on the basis of qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled. The Academy does not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment on account of any characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. Read our full Equal Opportunity Statement here.
