Communication Director

Biomimicry 3.8 is the global leader in biomimicry innovation consulting, professional training, and educational program and curricula development. Its mission is to train, equip, and connect scientists, engineers, architects, educators, and other innovators to sustainably emulate nature’s 3.8 billion years of brilliant designs and strategies.

Our modus operandi is to “ask nature” but first we want to ask … do you:

Have at least seven years of experience directing the development of branding, marketing and PR communications
Feel right at home in a rapidly growing small- to medium-sized business
Understand and embrace the concept of a social enterprise with a triple bottom line
Consider yourself resourceful to the Nth (and can prove it in a Gantt chart)
Put strategic thoughts to “paper” quickly, clearly, and compellingly
Stand tall in the face of adversity (and not just from outside your inner circle)
Skillfully collaborate both face-to-face and digitally from a distance
Have a strong and demonstrable understanding of or background in graphic design
Know your social media stuff, including the storytelling power of short-form video
Readily promote and protect our brand as if it were your own name and likeness?
If so – preferably resoundingly so – we are off to a good start here; read on. Back to us…

Over the past 14 years, and operating as both a for-profit corporation and non-profit institute, our organization has helped more than 250 clients redesign sneakers, carpets, furniture, manufacturing processes, airplanes, and even entire cities, all in nature’s sustainable image. Co-founders Janine Benyus and Dr. Dayna Baumeister, in concert with staff and partners worldwide, have also reached millions through talks and trained hundreds who now practice biomimicry in their professions.

Our non-profit Biomimicry 3.8 Institute (founded in 2006) focuses on university and K-12/youth education as well as informal environments such as museums, zoos, nature trails, and other public spaces. Additionally, our evolving offering of online educational courses and research tools includes AskNature.org, the award-winning online library of nature’s strategies and solutions.

To borrow a phrase from our colleagues at RMI, we hire people more for aptitudes and attributes than disciplines and experiences. Your job is to leverage what we bullet-pointed above on a daily basis to help us all sing on-key (e.g., on-brand) from the same songbook, and get the message out to attract and engage the individuals, companies and institutions who we will educate, train, equip and join arms with to integrate nature’s genius into innovation across the board.

This position will be instrumental in setting and executing upon the communications strategies and objectives of this fast-growing organization. In that some of our functional areas and processes are still relatively young, it is important that you are nimble, flexible, able to pivot on a dime when necessary. In fact, a big part of your job will be to help your team members and other peers more effectively plan ahead and avoid last-minute needs.

As director of the department, you will be a member of the management team and will have a team of three to five staff reporting to you, primarily graphic designers, writers, and digital developers. This relatively new department will take shape with your direction. You will help us maximize their potential and, importantly, also help them get the most out of their jobs.

Compensation package includes base salary, bonuses, employer-paid health insurance, Health Savings Account (HSA), flextime, and 401K. Starting salary is commensurate with experience, and has high potential with company growth.

While our headquarters are in Missoula, Montana, it is not critical that you call our backyard your home. We are “open” to a highly qualified candidate operating out of a West Coast office or home office (TBD). You will, however, be required to begin with a two-to-six month immersion in Montana if your eventual base remains elsewhere. If the notion of that conjures a sigh, sorry to say but it might be an indication we are not right for each other.

You will have an awesome – in the true definition of the word – boss to report to: nature. That’s not with a nudge and a wink. If it were not for nature, we would not be posting this or any job opening. Week-to-week, however, you will report to our COO, Neal Forsthoefel. If you really think this one is for you, send him a cover letter, résumé, and three references to neal.forsthoefel(at)biomimicry.net. We like to follow “simple rules,” and one of them for job applicants is no phone calls, please. We are, however, eager to receive your email.

Biomimicry 3.8 is an equal opportunity employer. In order to ensure equal employment opportunity for every applicant, all hiring decisions will be made without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran status, or disability. Biomimicry 3.8 is firmly committed to a policy and practice of non-discrimination in all areas of employment, and will fully comply with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes pertaining to employment.

Apply directly through Innovate Montana!