Storyteller and Copywriter – Conservation Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

At Conservation Minnesota, we are committed to building an inclusive workplace and environmental movement. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome individuals with a variety of experiences, perspectives, and abilities. Applicants from non-traditional backgrounds, underrepresented groups, or historically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

  • Our preferred candidate will have a proven history of creating story-based content to shape public opinion
  • Full-time, with co-defined flexible scheduling available
  • Reports to Conservation Minnesota’s Communications Director
  • Paid Time Off (PTO) available
  • 401k Savings Plan with 4% company match
  • Medical, dental, disability, and health and dependent care savings account available
  • $53,000 annual salary
  • Our office is located near the light rail and Gold Medal Park in Downtown Minneapolis
  • Remote office hours during COVID-19 pandemic conditions
  • Other benefits include: transportation/parking stipend for in-office work, remote office set up and support, and technology stipend

Why this job is important

In Minnesota, our 10,000 lakes, natural resources, and four distinct seasons define our lives. The Great Outdoors is where many of our most cherished memories with family and friends are created. Passing our experiences and traditions to the next generation and being good stewards of our lakes and land are values we all share. At Conservation Minnesota, we protect the Minnesota you love by solving our state’s most important conservation problems.

By understanding and sharing the unique interests of individual Minnesotans, we can have a greater impact. By showing Minnesotans that other seemingly unrelated conservation priorities connect naturally to their concerns and provide new opportunities to make a difference. This unique approach to public engagement allows us to work with diverse groups from across the state.

We’re looking for a natural storyteller, someone who will find and effectively tell the stories necessary to shape public opinion and win campaigns. As the storyteller and copywriter, you will be an important member of the communications team, working collaboratively to create meaningful content for special projects as well as the daily copywriting needs of the organization. This position will tell the stories of Minnesota’s people and communities that are crucial to building an inclusive environmental movement that protects our natural resources to the benefit of us all.

How You Will Be Spending Your Time

  • You will be the primary creator of website, newsletter, email, and action alert content. This work will be moderately predictable and guided by the communications calendar and the organization’s legislative agenda.
  • You will play an important role in building narratives and telling the stories necessary to advance special projects, legislative priorities, and shape public opinion. You will identify and interview people in communities across the state and then elevate their unique perspectives.
  • You will be responsible for working with Conservation Minnesota staff to identify geographically diverse storytellers to create a library of stories connecting Minnesotans to the Great Outdoors.
  • In election years you will do work for our political organization to elect climate champions.
  • You will assist other staff in understanding story gathering best practices and together explore a new and compelling set of storytellers.
  • You will create other written content as necessary.

What You’re Good At

Listening First & Building Trust

  • You start your relationships by trying to understand the goals and concerns of team members and external partners.
  • By both listening and reflecting what you learn in your actions, you build trusting relationships that power long term and successful partnerships with all those you work with, both internally and externally, and particularly with those who may not identify as part of the traditional environmental community.

Common Ground

  • You actively work to bring people and processes together to find equitable solutions and build community across diverse populations.
  • You are an optimistic and effective communicator, open to sharing ideas to bridge differences.

Collaborative Innovation

  • You are in a constant state of creativity, experimentation, challenging assumptions, learning, and growth.
  • You are nimble, highly effective, and open to change.
  • You are a self-starting, able to manage tight deadlines and long-term projects simultaneously.

Equity & Democracy in Action

  • You are committed to equity and you have passion for using the tools of democracy to make lasting and systemic change to improve people’s lives.
  • You understand the principles of ethical storytelling.

Lifelong Leadership

  • You know leadership can come from any position in the organization and are committed to sharing both leadership and credit with others.
  • You seek to ignite and cultivate that spark of leadership, first in yourself, and then in Minnesotans of every age, ethnicity and community through a shared love for the people and places that define our home state.

What you have done

The best candidate for this position is someone who has progressive experience such as:

  • A proven track record of creating impactful story-based content that tells authentic and culturally competent stories through relationship building
  • Coursework or other training in journalism or communications
  • Experience working with and ability to write stories that resonate with diverse communities, including gender, race, geography, and/or ethnicity
  • Balance time between short deadlines and long-term projects
  • Ability to gather background information and research to familiarize yourself with a multitude of topics
  • Willingness to learn or existing knowledge of Minnesota legislative process
  • Ability to write in brand voice and copy edit
  • Access to reliable transportation and willingness to occasionally travel throughout the state
  • Preferred (but not required) bilingual fluency in English and Spanish, Hmong, Somali, or Ojibwe

A Little More About You

The Conservation Minnesota team is small but mighty, working collaboratively and energetically to advance multiple priorities simultaneously. The best fit for Conservation Minnesota is someone who might describe themself as:

  • Passionate, hardworking, and self-motivated
  • Easygoing, always taking the mission more seriously than themself
  • Interested in making state level environmental and natural resource policies better for all Minnesotans
  • Focused, thriving on deadline-driven work in a relaxed environment
  • Flexible, comfortable navigating uncertainty and adapting to change
  • Strategic, identifying and balancing short- and long-term risks and benefits
  • Risk tolerant, open to trying new ideas, able to learn from mistakes, and continuously improving your work
  • Confident, yet humble, comfortable inspiring others and leading a team, as you are presenting to large audiences and influential leaders
  • Curious, never satisfied until you have explored numerous possibilities and perspectives

Applying For This Job

To apply for this job, email a digital file of your resume, an introductory letter, and one writing sample to Anne Saffert, Director of Finance & Operations, at: [email protected].

Applications will be reviewed beginning on a rolling basis starting on May 3rd, 2021, and applications will no longer be accepted after May 21st, 2021. Your introduction letter should be no longer than two pages and should address the following questions:

  • Why are you passionate about Conservation Minnesota’s mission to protect the Minnesota you love?
  • How does your background and experience influence how you approach your work?
  • Where have you seen storytelling shape public opinion and how does it inspire you?

You may email questions to [email protected] if necessary.