Writing and Content Specialist

Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative; Canmore; On-site; CAD 63,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading conservation initiative as a Writer and Content Specialist, where your work will impact the Yellowstone to Yukon region. Collaborate with a passionate team to create engaging content across digital and print platforms, enhancing visibility and support for vital conservation efforts.

Benefits

Outstanding benefits package

Qualifications

• Minimum five years' experience in writing and digital communications.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Experience managing communications projects effectively.

Responsibilities

• Write and publish content for various platforms.
• Support communication strategies for events and campaigns.
• Analyze project performance and provide recommendations.

Skills

Writing

Editing

Storytelling

Project Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications

Tools

Wordpress

Buffer

Mailchimp

Job description

Organizational Profile

The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) is a collaborative effort between a U.S. non-profit organization and a Canadian public charity that together connect and protect habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. Yellowstone to Yukon takes a scientific and collaborative approach to conservation, highlighting and focusing on local issues that affect the region. Y2Y has partnered with over 790 scientists, conservation groups, landowners, government agencies, Indigenous governments and communities and businesses to stitch together this landscape.

Without a unified vision for this deeply interconnected landscape, local conservation efforts may be isolated and less effective. Y2Y seeks to ensure conservation efforts are aligned in support of large-scale objectives and therefore become continentally significant. Today, Y2Y is recognized as one of the planet’s leading mountain conservation initiatives.For more information, please visit www.y2y.net

Position Description

As Y2Y’s Writer and Content Specialist you are an integral and valued member of the Marketing & Communications team, with an opportunity to effect real change in one of our planet’s globally significant landscapes - the Yellowstone to Yukon region, the world’s most intact mountain wilderness. As part of a passionate team of communicators and conservationists, your work will have a tangible impact on the Yellowstone to Yukon organization and region.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Communications and Digital Engagement, this role supports Y2Y’s mission, goals and activities by creating a wide variety of content shared by Y2Y with its supporters near and far, across digital and non-digital channels, with the aim to enhance Y2Y’s reach, visibility and reputation. This includes taking a leading role in managing Y2Y’s content strategy, flagship digital newsletter and annual report, and collaborating deeply with internal teams to develop communication strategies and support their communications needs.

Key responsibilities include writing for various communication channels and audiences, supporting campaign, advocacy and media relations needs, tracking and analyzing project performance, and collaborating with internal teams and external stakeholders to create compelling stories for Y2Y’s network of supporters.

Responsibilities

Content creation:

• Write, edit, produce and publish original and revised content for digital and print platforms including new and evergreen website content (using Wordpress CMS), newsletters, fact sheets, donor materials and other organizational publications.
• Plan, write, publish and monitor the performance of Y2Y’s flagship digital newsletter and annual report.
• Contribute to the planning, writing, posting and monitoring of organic and paid social media content.
• Create and/or acquire short-form video, images and graphics as needed.
• Manage external writers, graphic designers, photographers, videographers including the ability to give creative direction and provide constructive creative feedback.

Campaign, Advocacy and Media Relations support:

• Support the creation and implementation of communication strategies for events, donor communications and fundraising, advocacy activities, and organizational projects including but not limited to action alerts, event notices and marketing, and organization progress reports.
• Support media inquiries, and the creation and distribution of media relations materials.

Communications Strategy:

• Provide input into communication and marketing strategies for content, email, social media, website, campaigns, and media relations.
• Create project-based communications briefs as needed.
• Manage the annual process to update and implement the content strategy.

Brand and Reputation Management:

• Act as a brand steward by reviewing communication materials in accordance with the Y2Y style guide and with an eye for brand consistency and with the aim to elevate and enhance Y2Y’s reputation.

Monitoring and Analysis:

• Manage project tracking, performance and reporting, providing regular team updates and recommendations for improvements on content-related projects.
• Analyze email and social media performance and provide recommendations to enhance performance of same.
• Monitor and share digital media trends (e.g., email, social media).

Internal Collaboration:

• Work closely with Marketing & Communications team members to ensure cohesive messaging and integrated communication strategies across projects.
• Collaborate closely with Y2Y team members across all teams to develop and refine communications strategies and key messages on a variety of topics and issues. Support various Y2Y teams (and partners) with communications activities to ensure staff, donors, partners, and supporters receive timely information about Y2Y and its initiatives including exploring opportunities to further promote Y2Y programs and progress to core audiences.
• Directly support the communication needs of the Landscape Protection and Development (fundraising) teams.
• Proactively propose new approaches and processes to streamline communications activities.
• Support various organizational initiatives within tight timeframes, including rapid response communications and Y2Y’s response to emergencies and emerging issues of concern.

As the Communications Specialist, there will be opportunities to take on other duties as required.

Candidate Profile

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Minimum five years' experience in writing, digital communications and/or journalism.
• Demonstrated exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills with the ability to tailor writing style and messages to different audiences and for different communication channels.
• Demonstrated experience project managing and providing feedback to various stakeholder for creative design projects including print newsletters, annual reports and other organizational publications.
• Demonstrated experience managing communications projects in an organized and effective manner.
• Experience with website CMSs (e.g., Wordpress), social media tools (e.g., Buffer), email technologies (e.g., NationBuilder, Mailchimp).
• Ability to work under pressure, collaboratively and with a distributed team, managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.

The following experience is an asset:

• Understanding of cultural sensitivities and protocols when working with Indigenous communities. Familiarity with terminology and issues related to reconciliation and Indigenous-led conservation.
• Experience working in the non-profit/not-for-profit sector.
• Interest in conservation, and environmental issues.
• Basic knowledge of design (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Suite) and/or video editing software.
• Experience in rapid response communications.

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position (37.5 hours/week) with an outstanding benefits package.
• Salary is commensurate with experience, ranging from $63,000 – 73,000 per year.
• Intended start date: Summer 2025
• Location: Canmore office (candidates should be able to work from the Canmore office a minimum of three days/week)

Additional Information

At Y2Y we value diversity — in backgrounds and in experience, and we need people from all backgrounds to help achieve our mission of connecting and protecting habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. Y2Y’s team is empathetic, caring, and supportive. We are intentional about the team and culture that we are building, seeking team members that are not only strong in their own aptitudes but care deeply about supporting each other's growth.

Recognizing that communities thrive when everyone has fair access to opportunities, Y2Y values a broad range of perspectives, fosters a culture of respect and belonging, and upholds principles of fairness, environmental responsibility, and social justice. We oppose actions and policies that undermine these commitments within the projects and work that we do in advancing the Y2Y vision on the ground.

Shortly, preliminary interviews may be held via conference call or Zoom.If you anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application or interview process you may contact, in confidence, Denise Ludlow, HR Consultant at [e-mail]. For general inquiries you may contact, [e-mail].

Application deadline: June 4, 2025.