Head of Communications

Role Overview 

Title: Head of Comms

Hours: Full-time

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Manager: Co-founders

Mission – Why we exist and why we need you 

Geothermal energy is the most abundant renewable energy source in the world. There is 2,300 times more energy in geothermal heat in the ground than in oil, gas, coal, and methane combined. However, historically it’s been hard to find and expensive to develop. At Zanskar, we’re using better technology to find and develop new geothermal resources in order to make geothermal a cheap and vital contributor to a carbon-free electrical grid. We are revolutionizing the exploration process, setting new industry standards for discovery rates and finding new prospects at an unprecedented scale.

For our first several years, we put our heads down and focused on building our technology. Now we are ready to expand our public-facing communications to talk about the success of our geothermal exploration work and the benefits of geothermal power, targeting investors, potential hires, customers, regulators, and government officials. We want to better communicate Zanskar’s impact in unlocking a critical clean, firm energy source that has the least environmental impacts of any energy source. We need a Head of Comms to support the co-founders in designing our communication strategy, aiding founder-led communications, managing communication campaigns, and driving narratives that Zanksar is a geothermal energy leader and geothermal is a key energy source for the future.

Outcomes - Problems you’ll solve

The Head of Comms will design and execute our comms strategy, working closely with the co-founders and other team leads to craft and execute a multi-audience communications strategy that is timely, targeted, technical, and sometimes viral. We need someone to utilize modern social media channels, and to manage an external PR firm that connects our work with legacy mainstream and local media channels, depending on targeted audiences. In addition, we need someone who can take our beautiful field work imagery, including photos and videos of geologic data collection, drilling rigs, and an operating power plant, and create engaging and motivating content that inspires excitement internally and externally for Zanskar and for geothermal power.

Success in six months will look like Zanskar being mentioned and/or included in most next-gen geothermal press, including in all press mentioning geothermal discovery, as well as significantly more engagement on its social media channels. It will also look like more inbounds, including more opportunities for public speaking engagements, as well as larger inbound applicant pools for any open positions. Longer-term success will be creating the measurement and reporting framework and metrics that capture the impact of our comms work in driving “share of mind” or success in key business objectives like recruiting, fundraising, and regulatory reform. It may include managing an internal team to support that work down the line, but at a minimum, it will require broad engagement across the company to help tell the many amazing discovery stories we already have and will continue to have in the future. The world should be as excited about geothermal’s future as we are, and you would be critical to making that happen. 

• Proven record of doing engaging comms, which could include viral social media work, behind the scenes work at a startup or a PR shop with startup clients, or other signs that you’re an excellent communicator, that you love comms work, and that you understand modern media
• Proven record of managing internal or external teams that do great comms work, which could include producing photography or video content, or short- or long-form writing
• Not afraid of digesting and communicating complex energy policy, energy systems, geology, statistics, or other scientific principles into simple and impactful comms
• Excited to spend some time in the field with our drill rigs, exploration campaigns, or at our power plant, capturing the work our teams are doing
• Ability to operate proactively in a rapidly growing, technically complex startup environment, and that you’re able and happy to roll with change

• Track record crafting key narratives for team members to deliver impactful and clear narratives in media interviews and public-facing events
• Trustworthy ghost & copywriter - Able to provide 1st passes at copy that generally sets the right tone with limited feedback and able to iterate effectively with key stakeholders on refinement.

• Articulate & thoughtful about what channels & methods matter to best influence different audiences in a dynamic media environment (podcasts, events, print, etc.)  
• Established media relationships in the business, technology, and energy trade verticals (and references) and/or ability to manage PR firms to achieve our media relation outcomes

• The position is based out of our headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is a hybrid position
• Paid Holidays
• 18 days PTO + PTO accrual increase based on tenure
• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
• 401k
• Stock Options
• Growth opportunities at a quickly scaling company with a direct impact in displacing carbon emissions

Equal Opportunity Employer 

Zanskar is an equal-opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practice laws.