Director – Communications, Recycling Outreach

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Lead the statewide recycling education and outreach initiatives in California, collaborating with national teams to drive strategies, implementation, and performance that foster behavior change and achieve program objectives.

• Oversee public education campaigns delivered both statewide and locally, ensuring they align with the CAA brand, messaging, and strategic priorities through coordination with national teams and agencies.

• Direct outreach and technical assistance efforts focused on commercial, multifamily, and educational sectors, as well as priority populations, ensuring alignment with statewide goals and national frameworks.

• Manage California's communications strategy, including planning and execution, media engagement, and communications with stakeholders.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive messaging frameworks that support program implementation at all stages—from early market signaling to issue response—ensuring consistency with national positioning while adapting to California’s regulatory and political context.

• Anticipate emerging issues and create both proactive and reactive messaging strategies, identifying risks and opportunities early, shaping narratives, and advising leadership responses in collaboration with national communications leadership.

• Monitor the external environment for policy developments, regulatory signals, media narratives, and stakeholder sentiment to inform communications strategy proactively and position the organization ahead of emerging issues.

• Direct large-scale program delivery, encompassing planning, vendor management, and campaign execution.

• Collaborate with national communications leadership to manage an annual budget exceeding $100 million, allocating resources effectively to maximize impact and efficiency.

• Utilize CAA’s measurement and evaluation frameworks to track program performance, generate actionable insights, and promote continuous improvement.

• Synthesize insights at the state level to enhance and inform national strategy.

• Facilitate the organization’s direct engagement with local jurisdictions, tribes, service providers, end markets, producers, trade associations, and community organizations across California.

• Support program implementation through clear, consistent, and coordinated outreach and communications, ensuring messaging aligns with stakeholder dynamics and external landscape considerations.

• Lead and cultivate a multidisciplinary team involved in communications and recycling outreach functions.

• Establish priorities, set operational rhythms, and ensure effective execution across a complex program.

• Other duties as assigned.

⛳️ Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in communications, education & outreach, public engagement, or related fields, including leadership positions.

• Bachelor's Degree or higher in a relevant field.

• Strong knowledge of the recycling and solid waste management systems, including the role of education & outreach within municipal service delivery; direct experience in California’s regulatory and program landscape is highly preferred.

• Proven experience in developing proactive communications strategies and managing issues in complex, highly visible, or regulated environments, with a demonstrated ability to anticipate risks and shape narratives.

• Familiarity with public policy, regulatory processes, and stakeholder dynamics, with the capability to operate effectively at the intersection of communications and public affairs.

• Experience in managing teams, complex initiatives, and large budgets.

• Ability to translate complex policy and technical requirements into clear and actionable public guidance.

• Proven success in working effectively in a multi-interest stakeholder environment.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.

• Opportunities for professional development and training.

• Supportive and collaborative work environment.

• Flexible work arrangements.