International Institute for Sustainable Development Looking for Communications Assistant at Toronto, Ontario, Canada Full Time

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 200 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

About IISD Resilience And The NAP Global Network

IISD’s Resilience Program is a multidisciplinary team of policy researchers who work with governments, civil society, communities, and businesses to help them manage climate- and conflict-related risks. Its work focuses on planning, people, and nature—preparing for a different or uncertain future, making sure different genders and social groups influence and benefit from investments in resilience, and harnessing the role of ecosystems to help communities manage risks.

The Resilience Program hosts the secretariat for the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network, an initiative focused on accelerating adaptation planning and action in developing countries. The NAP Global Network strives to achieve this goal by a) enhancing national-level action through short- and longer-term technical support on adaptation planning; b) facilitating South–South peer learning and exchange; and c) generating, synthesizing, and sharing knowledge on NAP processes. Established in 2014, the NAP Global Network connects more than 2,000 participants from over 155 countries with financial support from an expanding base of donors.

The Position

This entry-level role will be embedded in the Resilience Communications team supporting both the NAP Global Network and the wider Resilience Program. We are seeking an enthusiastic and organized communications professional with a talent for working with complexity and a passion for making an impact through digital media. If you are a strong writer/editor with a good eye for design, excellent planning skills, and a keen interest in developing a communications career in climate change and / or sustainable development, we look forward to hearing from you.

  Responsibilities

• Develop content for social media and assist in daily management of these accounts, ensuring they are relevant, timely, and engaging, targeted to the needs and interests of key audiences.
• Support the production of digital content, including Twitter cards, posters and videos, in collaboration with IISD’s design team. Retouch and resize images as needed.
• Maintain and update webpages using content management systems (i.e., Drupal, WordPress) and upload briefings, reports, and guidance notes.
• Write short news pieces for the NAP GN website.
• Oversee the maintenance of the Resilience Team’s staff biographies on the IISD website.
• Use analytics software to regularly monitor, assess, and report on the performance of a wide range of communications channels and products and advise how we can improve.
• Support the creation and dissemination of internal and external newsletters for Resilience and NAP GN.
• Support the Resilience and NAP GN team on peer learning events, strategic meetings, online events, and webinars, including drafting and updating PowerPoint templates as needed.
• Support event-related outreach and oversee post-event follow-up (i.e., uploading webinar recordings to YouTube, sending thank-you e-mails).
• Help to implement strategic communications plans for a broad range of projects, reports, and events, supporting internal processes related to the development and dissemination of communications products, including coordinating feedback from internal and external stakeholders, approvals, and copy editing.
• Ensure brand coherence and compliance with IISD and NAP GN communications practices.
• Discover and share new industry best practices in the digital space to maximize impact.

Required Skills And Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and/or postgraduate degree in journalism, communications, public relations, public policy, or a related discipline.
• 1–3 years of relevant professional experience.
• A high level of computer literacy: must be able to work in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and be familiar with virtual event software, such as Zoom and MS Teams. Knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud applications is an asset.
• Experience and comfort working with online content management systems and website monitoring tools (especially WordPress, Drupal, and Google Analytics).
• Excellent knowledge of social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and X, and an eagerness to learn about new innovations and software related to our audience.
• Results-focused, able to work quickly and accurately to meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of the results.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Self-starter, able to work independently as well as within a team.
• Excellent English verbal and written communication skills (with French a strong asset).
• Knowledge of climate change adaptation, environmental peacebuilding, and nature-based solutions is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with e-mail outreach strategies and an understanding of content marketing and SEO is considered an asset.
• Experience working with think tanks or other research-intensive organizations is considered an asset, especially focusing on international development, climate change, and/or sustainable development, particularly in the Global South.

Position Details

Location: Canada, where IISD has offices in Winnipeg, Ottawa, or Toronto

**Candidates must have the authorization to work in Canada during the time of their employment with IISD. IISD is not able to sponsor work permits.**

Salary: $39,000–$49,000 CAD Annually (based on experience and location)

Term of employment: Full-time

Application deadline: February 21,2024

Start Date: immediate opportunity

Application Procedure

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. Please include the following:

• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A cover letter (one page)
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire
• All submissions must be in English.

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for one year.

IISD has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination Policy that requires employees who are required or choose to be at an office or participate in in-person team events or in-person meetings/events to be fully vaccinated. Anyone unable to be fully vaccinated, either because of a sincerely held religious belief or a medical condition or disability that prevents them from being fully vaccinated, can request a reasonable accommodation.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply for this position. Preference will be given to the equity-deserving groups during the hiring process. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants’ advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.