• Open
  • Closing date: 30 April 2022

VISION AND MISSION

To rid the world’s oceans of plastic, we must effectively tell the story of The Ocean Cleanup to new and seasoned supporters of The Ocean Cleanup. The Head of PR & Media’s task is to help spread the brand and messaging of the organization across influential print, digital, and broadcast media channels, ensuring that our mission is recognized across the globe.  

“Communications as a discipline has a unique and central role at The Ocean Cleanup. Our main task is to oversee the day-to-day management of one of our most important assets: our brand, an attractive promise that is driving funding and buy-in from stakeholders globally. We are looking for top talent to join us in the exciting work to continuously uphold and improve our image. Professional warning: some level of craziness may be required!”– Joost Dubois, Communications Director

RESPONSIBILITIES

Every day, something is said about The Ocean Cleanup; someone is writing about us on social media, reporting on us in various media or news outlets, or simply sharing our story through word of mouth. Our story, visual identity, and Boyan make up the brand identity for our organization, which together carry our financial success. It will be your key responsibility to ensure that The Ocean Cleanup’s story is kept cohesive, accurate, engaging, and motivating when it is told in various media channels. You will take care of training and manage our team of spokespersons, keep them sharp, sign off on press Q&A, and liaise with the PR agency as they represent our mission to the media. You will strategize ways to engage journalists and media channels to further the message of this ambitious team that seeks to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. 

Key tasks include (but are not limited to):

  • Together with the Communications Director, concept, strategize, and oversee PR moments, both large and small: from major milestones to community-driven updates.
  • Organize all media events for The Ocean Cleanup.
  • Align and sign off on Q&A written for our spokespersons, press, and the community, requiring know-how and a know-who within the organization. 
  • Strategize ways to (continually) prevent, respond, and improve critical coverage regarding The Ocean Cleanup. 
  • Act as the liaison with The Ocean Cleanup’s media agency: responsible for picking and training the organization’s spokesperson group, as well as managing the optimal allocation of individual spokespersons to specific PR roles (including the prevention of the ‘wrong’ person doing a particular job, and the distribution of language-specific interviews/media moments)
  • Represent The Ocean Cleanup as a trained spokesperson and act as a gatekeeper to press both in-person and online when needed
  • Build and manage relationships with journalists from influential print, digital and broadcast media across the globe
  • Strategize and develop new ways of spreading our media reach for our for storylines: ocean, rivers, and recycled catch. 

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor or master’s degree in communications, creative writing, journalism, or a similar field
  • At least 7 years experience in communications and PR, either in-house or in an agency environment. Previous experience as a journalist or working for a company with a strong brand image is recommended
  • Fluent English-language skills
  • Can coordinate and manage a team, both on a project and long-term basis
  • Experience working with agencies and the media 
  • Experience working in a global environment (including the impact of working in other time zones)

PERSONAL QUALITIES

  • Strategic thinker, yet able to quickly execute when needed
  • Self-starter; independent worker
  • Curious as a journalist. Always on the lookout for answers and find out more, loves to hunt down the necessary information to tell the story
  • Able to prioritize when managing many stakeholders’ top priority
  • Enjoys working with media – understands how ‘news’ works
  • Knows when to push when necessary, but also to back down when exchanging ideas, strategizing, and executing with earnest stakeholders
  • Comfortable to “sell the story” to a multitude of high- and low-stakes contacts

A case assignment may be part of the hiring process. 

Please note: because we are a non-profit, our salaries reflect that of an organization fully reliant on donations rather than that of a commercial entity

Conducting a pre-employment check is part of our recruitment process.

Starting from:
ASAP
Work permit needed:
European Union