POSITION TITLE: Publications Manager

SUPERVISOR: Communications Director

LOCATION: Location flexible (including outside of the US), but US Eastern Time Zone working hours required

SALARY RANGE: $81,000 - $110,000

DEADLINE: Applications will be open on a rolling basis until a solid pool of candidates is identified. Applications submitted on or before October 26 will have priority.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:

CIEL seeks a world where the law reflects the interconnection between humans and the environment, respects the limits of the planet, protects the dignity and equality of each person, and encourages all of earth’s inhabitants to live in balance with each other. To achieve that vision, CIEL raises awareness and educates world leaders, movement partners, and the general public on critical environmental and human rights issues by publishing cutting-edge and authoritative research. CIEL’s knowledge-generating publications and materials have served as the foundation for new global legal strategies, fostered greater intersectionality across movements, and contributed to impactful advocacy wins.

CIEL seeks a Publications Manager to lead and manage CIEL’s publications processes. Responsible for rigorous project management, supervising production timelines, and providing process oversight for timely delivery, the Publications Manager ensures all knowledge products bearing the CIEL logo meet organizational quality standards and share consistent voice, tone, and branding. Working closely with and across program staff, the Publications Manager is responsible for managing the publications process from research inception, to drafting, editing, fact-checking, production, and dissemination – and ensuring relevant actors are aware of progress along each step. This position will promote excellence in CIEL’s research publications, ensure that they align with and advance CIEL’s mission and goals, and that they are fit for purpose to reach key audiences, including policymakers, businesses, multilateral development organizations, etc. Marrying writing and editing with project management, this role is ideal for someone who thinks strategically, is a strong writer and editor, has a strong eye for detail, and has horizontal management skills to shepherd publications through necessary review loops.

The Publications Manager will work with the Communications Director to hold the 3,000 foot view of upcoming publications, and work to ensure alignment between and synergies among them, as appropriate. The Publications Manager will work to accomplish these goals through four primary avenues: strategy development, planning and project management, product review and quality control, and soliciting and incorporating feedback. This position supervises the Graphic Designer, and reports to the Communications Director.

This role requires someone who can collaborate across a range of perspectives and positions with tact, humility, and professionalism, and who brings a strong commitment to fostering trust, clarity, and shared purpose in their work.

RESPONSIBILITIES: (percentages are general estimates)

Project Management (45%):

• Coordinate and administer the entire publication process for reports, issue briefs, fact sheets, and case studies, including:

  • Convening kickoff meetings to establish the purpose, strategy, and vision for each publication;

  • Managing relationships with program staff, communications specialists, coalition partners, and external experts through publication to production and dissemination;

  • Act as a guide and provide early and ongoing feedback to authors on producing rigorous, persuasive, well-substantiated content;

  • Coordinate the review process for draft publications, provide feedback to authors on how to strengthen their research/analysis, and help guide reviewers and authors as needed;

  • Ensuring that procedures are known and followed, deadlines are being met, and remaining flexible but firm in troubleshooting when timelines shift; and

  • Oversee the development of high-quality design layout for print and/or electronic materials.

• Develop and track a holistic calendar of envisioned research/analysis for CIEL’s publications, in coordination with program staff.

• Act as the central point of communication for publication projects, ensuring teams and staff across the organization are aligned and informed about publication statuses, deadlines, processes.

• Mentor and provide support to staff on research design, data interpretation, and analytical issues.

• As relevant, help program staff identify external experts who can effectively peer review the work, and coordinate that review processes.

Content Creation, Copy Editing, and Proof Reading (35%):

• Serve as a substantive editor and copy editor for all CIEL publications that align with CIEL's mission and standards.

• Perform meticulous copyediting, maintaining coherence in arguments and adherence to CIEL’s style and quality across a variety of communications materials.

• Ensure that all publications are technically accurate, well-cited, and demonstrate a coherent logical flow.

• Ensure accessibility of content for a global audience by editing for clarity, especially when working with authors who are non-native English speakers.

• Review CIEL publications and provide sign-off to ensure consistency in voice, tone, and quality.

• Develop and maintain custom editorial style guidelines.

• Support Communications Specialists as they develop aligned and strategic materials that advance campaign goals, including fact sheets, press releases, webinars, videos, and other informational materials.

Management and supervision (15%):

• Provide day-to-day supervision, management, and ongoing feedback for relevant staff and consultants.

• Work with Director and Vice President to develop work plans and budgets in line with both short-term and long-term goals, and participate in fundraising activities as appropriate.

• Work with Director and Managers to provide planning and implementation support to the Comms team as a whole.

• Assist in information flow within the Comms team and with other CIEL programs.

Management and Administration (5%):

• Maintain timesheets contemporaneously and submit them on time.

• Meet periodically as requested, with supervisor and other team members.

• Participate in weekly staff and team meetings and other organizational activities, including an annual staff performance evaluation.

• Meet deadlines, prioritize tasks, maintain an organized file and version control system for publications, and ensure high-quality work product.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in a related field (for example: communications, project management, publishing, investigative journalism), including some familiarity with climate, energy, health, human rights, and/or social justice issues.

• Native English fluency with excellent writing and editing skills.

• Strong sense of pragmatism and skepticism, and the ability to diagnose and articulate weaknesses in research?

• Track record of overseeing high-quality research products that inform policy discussions

• Ability to apply style guides, uphold high-quality standards, give constructive feedback, and clearly explain the reasoning behind decisions.

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with teams of experienced professionals to achieve a common goal and navigate varied team dynamics diplomatically, build trust, and collaborate respectfully with colleagues at all levels and external partners.

• Ability to manage time independently, navigate competing priorities with agility, and demonstrate adaptability in primarily virtual work settings, effectively blending asynchronous tasks with synchronous meetings to ensure seamless collaboration and productivity.

• Comfort admitting what you don’t know and recognizing that seeking and receiving feedback is part of the learning process.

• Awareness of how your words and actions affect others, openness to and respect for others’ perspectives.

• Commitment to incorporating principles of justice, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the work.

Desired Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a non-profit setting, journalism, and/or publishing.

• Experience with a variety of communication technologies and formats, including digital publishing and emerging publishing formats.

• Master’s degree in environment studies/science, agriculture/food systems, international relations/development, economics or related area required.

• Additional languages are a plus.

• Familiarity with legal processes and international institutions is an asset.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS

• Briefly describe three things that are important to consider when identifying a new body of policy - or campaign-relevant research and/or producing a credible publication for advocacy and apply this critique to a publication you worked on recently. Describe the publication. What worked well about those three criteria? What would you adjust based on your experience with this publication? (max 250 words)

• Briefly describe one example of critical editing you have provided. What was the topic being investigated and the central question it sought to answer? What challenge/weakness did you identify in the material and how did you go about addressing it? What was the impact of your editorial intervention? (max 300 words)

• Please submit a writing sample (in English).

How to apply

Please read more and apply on our website