Location: Durango, CO or remote in Grand Junction or elsewhere in the San juan mountain region of SW Colorado.

Application Deadline:Please submit resume & cover letter through our online application system by Sunday, May 8th.

General Description

The Wilderness Society is focused on making America’s system of public lands part of the solution to the most pressing conservation challenges of our day: climate change, unprecedented species extinction and inequitable access to nature’s benefits. We work with diverse partners to find common ground around enduring, science-based conservation solutions, combining long term investments in community-led conservation, deep public lands expertise, and commitment to advocacy efforts that share voice, power, and impact.

The Field Representative’s main objective is to grow the movement to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030 and to support TWS’ conservation campaigns in and around Colorado consistent with our community-led approach to conservation. The Representative will also support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and creative new approaches to conserve additional public lands. The Representative will work with the Colorado State Director and cross-functional members of TWS’ team to identify and build strategies and opportunities for landscape conservation efforts across southwestern Colorado’s San Juan Mountains landscape.

This position plays an important role in supporting an inclusive organizational culture that is grounded in trust and accountability to shared goals and outcomes. TWS has made diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic priorities for the organization and the Field Representative will integrate these priorities throughout our conservation work. Across our team, we aspire to be campaign oriented, nimble, collaborative, innovative, transparent, and supportive of staff – our greatest asset.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

· Build community support for the movement to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030 within communities of Western Colorado and elsewhere by 1) coordinating TWS’ work with partners on an equitable 30x30 plan and 2) supporting lands conservation campaigns in and around Colorado consistent with TWS’ approach to community-led conservation.

· Identify and pursue opportunities to cultivate, build, and steward partnerships in communities across the San Juan Mountains landscape.

· Ensure TWS’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is part of all of our work in the landscape, including having equity embedded into the development and implementation of our landscape goals. This includes early and effective engagement with BIPOC partners and, when possible, elevating communities that have been historically marginalized.

· Organize support for the protection of wildlife migration corridors and Wilderness Study Areas.

· Support efforts to improve access to, and equitable benefit from, public lands through initiatives such as Colorado’s outdoor equity grant program.

· Organize support for campaigns to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and to conserve old-growth and mature forests.

· Work effectively with a wide range of individuals and organizations, including elected officials, lawyers, scientists, policy specialists, grassroots activists, ranchers, hunters and anglers, and other public land stakeholders.

· Prepare written and visual materials such as fact sheets, blogs, action alerts, and other materials that demonstrate the importance of community-based conservation to the health, economic vitality, and quality of life for the people living in and around Colorado and across the San Juan Mountains landscape.

· Travel as needed in support of mission-critical activities (expected to be irregular, but up to 3-4 days per month on average) to gain first-hand knowledge of public lands and develop relationships with partners and key stakeholders throughout the region.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience & Competencies

• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in advocacy, public policy, grassroots organizing, or public lands conservation.
• Strong writing and interpersonal communication skills, including ability to develop strategic and organized communications.
• Ability to develop and implement effective strategies and tactics to protect wild lands.
• Successful track record collaborating with and organizing diverse interests in an inclusive, transparent, and effective manner.
• Comfortable communicating with diverse constituencies and coalitions, Tribes, agency staff, local elected officials, and other decision-makers.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of issues related to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, or at least willingness to learn and use this as an opportunity for growth.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills, ability to write and speak concisely and persuasively, proficiency in communicating with the public and media professionals.
• Must be able to manage projects and work effectively in a team environment, with the ability to aptly balance short- and long-term demands.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is not exposed to adverse weather conditions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of this position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of experience, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

The Wilderness Society offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; sick and vacation leave; a sabbatical program; and a retirement plan. TWS is an equal opportunity employer and actively works to ensure fair treatment of our employees and constituents across culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, veteran status or sexual orientation.

As an organization, we aspire to being inclusive in the work that we do, and in the kind of organization we are. Internally this means working as a team that listens to different points of view, recognizes the contributions of every employee and empowers each employee to bring their whole selves to work every day. Externally this means ensuring that public lands are inclusive and welcoming, so that our shared wildlands can help people and nature to thrive. We are committed to equity throughout our work, which we define as our commitment to realizing the promise of our public lands and ensuring that all can share in their universal benefits.

To learn more about our commitment, please see http://wilderness.org/our-commitment-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-wilderness-society

For consideration, please submit your cover letter and resume through our online application system.