Media and Communications Manager, Japan | SteelWatch
March 11, 2026

- Key leadership role in recently established climate change NGO
- Work with the global media landscape, establish SteelWatch's voice in Japan
- Tokyo/remote; Native level Japanese & professional English required
The Organisation
SteelWatch is a recently established international climate change non-profit driving corporate accountability in the steel sector with a focus on companies headquartered in Europe and Japan. Internationally the Japanese steel industry is one of the biggest influencers and also one of the largest climate laggards in the global landscape. SteelWatch has a vision that the steel industry will commit to a 1.5 degree warming trajectory this side of 2030.
The global steel industry has the power to make or break our ability to preserve a liveable climate. Despite promises to reduce emissions decades from now, the world’s largest steelmakers are moving far too slowly. The role of SteelWatch is to challenge the complacency of steelmakers and drive urgent action. It does this by scrutinising steel companies, campaigning for changes in corporate behaviour, and building a new narrative that this sector is not hard to abate but essential and urgent to transform.
Benefits & Culture
- Work as part of a diverse, international, and flexible team of ambitious changemakers
- Unlimited growth and development opportunities; fast-growing, progressive start-up NGO
- Results-focused, respectful, and autonomous high-performing team
- Competitive compensation offered
The Role
You are an experienced and dynamic media and strategic communications expert. In this role you will lead the development of the media and communication strategy to deliver industry-wide corporate change with a goal of ending coal-based steelmaking in Japan in the coming decade.
Specifically you will:
- Develop and maintain strong relations with journalists and ensure regular flows of news
- Prepare communications products and media engagement tools, including press releases
- Organise press briefings, media tours and media coverage
- Provide analysis of the Japan landscape including corporate activities, policy, and politics
- Track/analyse media, to identify trends, breaking news, and other influencing narratives
- Provide editorial and translation support to climate partners
- Build capacity of the internal team and ally groups on strategies
- Develop metrics to measure narrative shift impact, produce reports, including for funders
Skills Required
You have a track record of developing and executing media and communications strategies for influencing narratives in Japan. Experience in journalism and climate change is highly desirable but not essential, as are abilities to collaborate with external partners. As a member of the first international climate NGO specialising in steel decarbonisation, you will work with other SteelWatch team members located across the Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Europe.
You have the following experience:
- Solid understanding of Japan’s media landscape (domestic, international, and digital)
- Ability to understand and articulate systemic problems and solutions
- Strong editorial and writing skills in Japanese and in English
- Experience in working in an organisation with global scope
- Experience in handling media relations and developing a pitch
- Skilled with media monitoring and analysis for influencing narratives
- Ability to collaborate effectively with a wide variety of partners, from allies to analysts, to communication experts
- An appetite to work in a start-up
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