Journalism, Communications,
Mission-driven storytelling

Job Title: Editorial and Communications Coordinator
Project: Alberta Water Stories
Location: remote within Alberta strongly preferred

• Type: Contractor preferred to start, with possibility of part-time staff arrangement
• Term: Initial 3- to 6-month incubation period
• Compensation: ($3000 - $6000/month) To be determined based on experience and scope

About Alberta Water Stories

Alberta Water Stories is an emerging non-partisan public education and storytelling initiative focused on watershed security, water governance, water scarcity, regional threats, and local solutions across Alberta. Its purpose is to help Albertans better understand what is happening to water in this province by curating and amplifying stories, science, frontline observations, and community-based responses.

The initiative is being incubated in an early-stage format with the potential to grow into a longer-term project, either as a standalone organization or in partnership with a broader network. The brand is grounded in a strong public-interest voice that combines credible evidence, emotional resonance, and accessible storytelling. Its mission is to raise awareness about water as a public resource by curating stories, science, and grassroots voices that reveal the urgent challenges facing Alberta’s watersheds.

Position summary

We are seeking a highly capable and self-directed Editorial and Communications Coordinator to help launch and incubate Alberta Water Stories during its first 3 to 6 months.

This person will help manage the day-to-day editorial and communications operations of the initiative, including social media publishing, newsletter development, story intake, content planning, and editorial workflow. A key part of the role will be helping translate story leads, regional updates, and movement intelligence into compelling public-facing content.

Because Alberta Water Stories is being developed in relationship with a broader network of water organizations and advisors, the role also requires someone who can work thoughtfully with contributors, gather story ideas from collaborative spaces, prepare editorial shortlists, and support a light advisory review process.

Core responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day communications and publishing for Alberta Water Stories across social, newsletter, and web channels
• Build and maintain a practical editorial calendar aligned with biweekly or monthly publishing rhythms
• Gather and organize story leads from meetings, partner updates, submissions, interviews, and issue tracking
• Listen for recurring themes, emerging threats, strong local stories, and under-told developments across Alberta
• Prepare editorial shortlists and draft story concepts for review with the founding lead and advisory contributors
• Turn raw notes, regional updates, policy developments, and story leads into strong drafts for newsletters, social posts, blog posts, and short scripts
• Support the development of a regular Alberta Water Stories newsletter or digest
• Coordinate light editorial review processes with partners, advisors, or allied organizations where appropriate
• Work with the founding lead to maintain a consistent communications rhythm built around:
  • the threat
  • the vision
  • the ask
• Draft and schedule social media content across core platforms
• Maintain organized editorial systems, folders, templates, and publishing workflows
• Support light audience engagement and incoming story coordination
• Help ensure content remains non-partisan, credible, accessible, and aligned with brand standards
• Coordinate with early amplifiers, partner groups, and contributors to strengthen reach and relevance

Preferred qualifications

• Experience in journalism, editing, digital communications, campaign communications, social media management, or mission-driven storytelling
• Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to turn complex information into clear public language
• Experience developing newsletters, story-based content, or editorial calendars
• Ability to identify compelling stories from conversations, updates, and issue briefings
• Good judgment in collaborative spaces, including the ability to listen carefully, handle nuance, and work with sensitive or emerging information
• Familiarity with Alberta environmental, water, watershed, or public policy issues is a strong asset
• Comfortable working in an early-stage, evolving project environment
• Able to work independently while also collaborating with a distributed network of contributors and advisors
• Experience with Canva, scheduling tools, newsletters, and shared digital workspaces
• Audio, interview, or light web publishing experience is an asset

Ideal candidate profile

The ideal candidate is not only a capable social media manager, but also a strong editorial thinker and systems builder. They are able to listen across a network, identify what matters, and shape that material into credible, compelling public stories.

They should be organized, calm, editorially sharp, and comfortable working in a collaborative movement environment. They should understand how to balance urgency with care, and how to build trust while still naming serious risks to Alberta’s water future.

This role is well suited to someone who can combine:

• editorial judgment
• strong writing and story instincts
• content operations discipline
• movement literacy
• respectful relationship management

Early deliverables during the first 6 to 8 weeks

• finalize and populate social media channels
• build a shared editorial calendar and asset system
• prepare launch and seed content, including origin story and foundational explainers
• establish a repeatable biweekly or monthly newsletter workflow
• create a simple story intake and editorial shortlist process
• support a pilot rhythm for harvesting story leads from partner and network meetings
• prepare draft content for advisory or editorial review as needed
• establish a consistent weekly publishing rhythm across social channels
• help recruit and coordinate early contributors, amplifiers, or regional story scouts
• support audience growth and early engagement tracking

Reporting and collaboration

This role will work closely with the founding project lead and will likely collaborate with a small circle of advisors, partner organizations, and early amplifiers. Because the initiative is in incubation, the role requires flexibility, initiative, and a willingness to help shape both communications and operating systems in real time.

To apply

Please send:
• a short note explaining your interest
• a resume or summary of relevant experience
• 2 to 3 writing or social media samples (optional)
• any relevant examples of issue-based, campaign, journalistic, or mission-driven communications work

In your note, please also tell us:
• why Alberta water issues matter to you
• what makes for effective public-interest storytelling
• whether you prefer contractor or part-time staff arrangements

Please send interest to:
info@albertawaterstories.ca

Please mention you saw this at rcen.ca or goodwork.ca.