Communications Director, Restoration

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days/month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington DC. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

About the Program:

WRI’s Restoration program helps catalyze the restoration of forests, farmland and ecosystems. Our goal is to help restore ecosystem function, economic productivity, livelihoods and hope. The Restoration program is a flagship initiative of the Food, Land and Water program at WRI and works with governments, grassroots community organizations, entrepreneurs and international partners to inspire, enable, and implement restoration on degraded landscapes, returning them to economic and environmental productivity.

Alongside partners, WRI has identified more than two billion hectares of cleared and degraded forest and agricultural lands suitable for restoration – an area roughly twice the size of China. Using this data as a foundation, we work to promote restoration of degraded lands back into natural forests, agroforestry systems, or productive agriculture. Our programmatic work centers on ensuring that restoration practitioners have access to technical assistance, financing, enabling policies and robust monitoring systems. Embracing forest and landscape restoration will allow for a world in which the amount of forest cover grows while the productivity of existing agricultural land increases. Join us in shaping an inspiring, sustainable future across Africa, Brazil, India, and beyond

Job Highlight:

Reporting to Director, Forest Restoration Initiative, you will integrate equity into your work. You will develop and execute strategies that establish WRI as a global leader in landscape restoration. Leading a small communications team, you'll translate complex research and data into compelling content that shows how restoration, conservation, and sustainable production can work together to transform landscapes. You will drive media engagement, cultivate strategic media partnerships, and strengthen our brand identity across platforms and regions.

Working closely with WRI's Restoration Director and a network of 120+ experts, you'll demonstrate restoration's critical role in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and equity challenges worldwide. This role will employ both strategic thinking and hands-on content creation to advance WRI's mission and engage diverse audiences, from local communities to global policy makers.

What will you do:

Strategic Leadership (40%): -

• Develop and implement a global communication strategy that aligns with WRI’s broader restoration objectives and enhances its reputation as a restoration leader
• Design and streamline branding strategies to ensure coherence across WRI’s restoration products and services
• Create a comprehensive digital outreach strategy to disseminate restoration data and insights effectively
• Conduct stakeholder and audience mapping to inform communication strategies
• Collaborate across WRI’s programs, offices, and Core Communications team to integrate restoration into broader narratives on nature-based solutions, carbon offsets, and sustainable landscapes
• Manage communications risks for the Restoration team, especially through media strategy

Communications & Media Engagement (30%): -

• Ensure WRI’s restoration data, research, and insights reach diverse global audiences through strategic comms and media
• Collaborate with researchers and external experts to shape public opinion and influence policy on land restoration and climate adaptation
• Lead media engagement efforts, including crafting strategies, pitching stories, and responding to media inquiries
• Develop partnerships to promote data-driven journalism and elevate reporting on land restoration issues
• Oversee quality and consistency across all communication materials, including social media, blog po