Manager, Strategic Communications (Content)

Position: Manager, Strategic Communications (Content) Location: Remote; or Los Angeles, CA (hybrid work environment (all candidates should be based in the United States) Employment Type: Full-time, Salaried, Exempt Compensation Range: $75,000/year – $90,000/year DOE Level: Manager I Reports To: VP, Strategic Communications Manages: External partners Supported By: Communications team Education/Experience Preferences: Bachelor's Degree, or equivalent professional experience preferred Start Date: ASAP, open until filled We Are DigDeep The DigDeep Right to Water Project is a WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) organization committed to closing the water access gap for the 2 million + people in the U.S. who still don’t have a tap or a toilet at home. DigDeep believes access to clean water is a human right. We run several nationally recognized programs that empower communities to build their own water and sanitation systems. We won the 2018 US Water Prize for our Navajo Water Project, which has brought clean, running water to hundreds of Native families across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. DigDeep launched the Appalachia Water Project in 2020, in McDowell County, WV. It has since brought clean, sustainable running water to hundreds of families in Southern West Virginia through public - private partnerships with the McDowell County PSD and East Logan PSD in Wyoming County. In addition to clean running water, the project is installing septic systems and connecting households to centralized sewer. The AWP is now expanding into neighboring states of Kentucky and Virginia to continue its quest of clean water for every Appalachian family. Our water projects expanded in 2022 when we launched our Colonias Water Project. This project works to bring clean, running water to the residents living in communities along the Texas-Mexico border. The Texas colonias are largely unincorporated, low-income communities that fall just outside city limits and often lack basic infrastructure. Our work began in Cochran colonia near El Paso. DigDeep partnered with residents, housing nonprofits, and county officials to innovate a new model for public-private-partnership that brings these basic services to families for the first time. Now we're getting the water flowing in 5 more communities. The Opportunity DigDeep is seeking a Manager, Strategic Communications (Content) to join our Communications team at a pivotal moment for the organization. Reporting to the Vice President, Strategic Communications, this role is the creative engine of the team — generating ideas, setting the content direction, and bringing DigDeep’s story to life across channels with taste, rigor, and urgency. This is not a role for someone who needs a lot of direction. The Manager will own the content strategy and ideation process, serve as DigDeep’s primary liaison with external creative partners, lead media and press relations, and manage field production. The ideal candidate brings a background in content strategy, editorial work, or nonprofit communications; has real experience navigating press and media relationships; and is energized by the challenge of telling complex, consequential stories simply and beautifully. Key Responsibilities This is what you’ll do once you join the team: Content Strategy & Creative Direction • Lead content ideation across all channels — generating concepts, pitching directions, and bringing creative energy that elevates the team’s output • Develop and own DigDeep’s content strategy, ensuring a consistent, compelling narrative across campaigns, platforms, and audiences • Serve as the primary creative collaborator with external partners including graphic designers, videographers, copywriters, and social teams — briefing, directing, and maintaining quality standards • Bring a sharp visual sensibility and editorial instinct to all content decisions, from social posts to long-form storytelling to partner-facing materials • Identify emerging storytelling opportunities and bring proactive ideas to the VP and team Media & Press Relations • Own DigDeep’s media and press relationships — managing pitching, responding to inquiries, and building long-term journalist and outlet relationships • Develop press strategy for major organizational moments, including leadership transitions, campaign launches, and impact milestones • Prepare spokespeople for media appearances, including briefing documents, talking points, and interview prep • Monitor and respond to media coverage, flagging risks and opportunities in real time • Manage relationships with PR partners or agencies as applicable Field Production & Community Storytelling • Serve as DigDeep’s lead on field content production — coordinating site visits, managing film crews, and ensuring all community storytelling adheres to DigDeep’s ethical storytelling standards and consent protocols • Travel to DigDeep project sites on the Navajo Nation, in Appalachia, and along the Texas-Mexico border to gather stories, direct content capture, and manage on-the-ground production • Prepare and support program staff and community partners who appear on camera or in print • Build and maintain relationships with community contacts who trust DigDeep to tell their stories with care Campaign & Partner Communications • Support the development and execution of major communications campaigns, bringing content strategy and creative direction from brief to launch • Manage content components of partner and coalition communications, ensuring DigDeep’s brand and voice are represented accurately and compellingly • Collaborate with the Development team on donor-facing content, including impact reports, campaign materials, and major gift communications This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. As the organization continues to evolve, duties or tasks may change without impacting the overall job description. Competencies • Analytical Thinking: Conducts analysis to identify key issues, opportunities, risks, and challenges within the communications function. Identifies probable outcomes based on information collected, takes multiple perspectives into account, and identifies patterns and trends to anticipate challenges. With limited guidance, determines importance and priorities for action and develops mitigation plans. • Change Management: Operates with task and strategy orientation, actively seeking opportunities for team and functional area growth. Anticipates obstacles and forecasts contingencies. Establishes structures and processes to manage the orderly implementation of change. Champions new policies, strategies, and approaches and serves as a focal point for driving adoption within the communications function and across the organization. • Collaborative Working/Teamwork: Consistently fosters collaboration and respect among team members by proactively addressing group dynamics that could impede goals. Works with a wide range of teams and readily shares lessons learned and credit for accomplishments. Enhances others' commitment to work by demonstrating its impact and providing recognition. Remains respectful in all communications where disagreement exists. • Communication: Professional presence with strong written and verbal skills; able to appropriately represent both oneself and the organization in external-facing situations. Tailors communications and presentations for maximum impact with internal and external audiences. Debates opinions, tests understanding, and effectively clarifies ambiguities. Explains the context of multiple interrelated challenges in ways that support understanding, problem-solving, and planning. • Influence: Oversees internal and external relationships within functional area with support from supervisor. Uses industry knowledge to help guide teams outside of the communications function. Synthesizes and triages various project needs to best achieve goals. Challenges directives when appropriate and, with evidence, proposes alternative solutions. • Initiative: Develops improvement plans on own initiative and identifies gaps before being asked. Makes good decisions within scope under guidance and leads timely responses, seeking internal and external input. Sustains progress through uncharted territory and keeps responding to challenges in spite of obstacles and setbacks. • Innovation: Encourages and promotes exploration of new ideas and creative thinking in self and others. Uses understanding and forward thinking to devise responses to future situations. Adapts readily to changes and shifting priorities, and actively seeks opportunities to try new approaches and experiences. • Judgement & Decision-Making: Identifies information needed to clarify situations, seeking input from appropriate resources and using skilled reasoning to make sound decisions. Considers risk when proposing and implementing solutions. Navigates uncertainties with a problem-solving mindset and makes systematic comparisons between options, considering short- and long-term impacts to inform decisions. • Technical Expertise: Wide-ranging experience with communications tools, media platforms, content production, and project management systems. Applies professional knowledge to resolve complex issues in creative and effective ways. Stays current on storytelling trends, the media landscape, platform changes, and sector developments — and brings what is learned back to the team. Basic understanding of data security best practices. Skills and Qualifications We want to hear from you if you have: • Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent professional experience preferred • At least 3 years of applicable professional experience required; experience in communications field preferred • Proficiency in Adobe, Figma, Canva, Slack, Asana, Google Workspace required • Good-standing personal accounts on key social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn — and willingness to establish accounts on emerging platforms as needed — in order to access and manage DigDeep's accounts and organizational business tools • Experience and/or willingness to use platforms such as Hootsuite, Muckrack, MediaValet and more • High computer literacy, and tech savviness required • Able to focus in the face of pressure, deliver against timelines and not be intimidated by tasks/time limitations • Organized, trustworthy, dependable, and detail oriented • Comfortable with autonomy, able to work independently and complete assigned tasks within established time frames required • Experience/Willingness to work across various cultural contexts and communicating across cultural differences • Fluency/strong proficiency in Diné and/or Spanish preferred • Willingness to travel extensively (up to 50%), including, but not limited to: Navajo Nation (AZ/NM/UT), West Virginia, Texas, DigDeep HQ, and additional locations as needed • Ability to drive a car and/or travel by air for extended periods of time, including long drives and multi-leg flights to DigDeep project sites and events • Ability to support event setup and breakdown, including lifting and carrying materials and equipment up to 25 lbs • Understanding of data security best practices preferred