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Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation has grown into America's largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than six million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, etc. The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife and people thrive in our rapidly changing world. The National Wildlife Federation believes that in order to save wildlife and ourselves, we need to ensure that all Americans have access to clean air and water, safe communities, easy and equitable access to nature, and protection from the ravages of climate change. These basic needs, equally necessary and urgent for all people, are foundational to bringing the conservation movement and ethos into the 21st century.

The National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center (GLRC) is a leading voice for the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes. We are one of the only Great Lakes organizations that combines policy, legal, communications, educational, and scientific expertise to educate decision makers, inform public policy, and conduct public outreach efforts. We are trusted conveners and collaborators, leveraging the strengths of multiple sectors and organizations to achieve direct results for the Great Lakes, and lead or co-lead coalitions such as the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes coalition, the Great Lakes Business Network, the Changing Seasons coalition, and the Great Lakes Conservation Coalition. We are centering equity and justice throughout our work and partnerships. We recognize that people, plants, and wildlife are part of the same ecosystem and our work in communities is where all these things come together. Healthy habitats and healthy communities go hand in hand. We believe that access to nature for all is a human right.

Team, Program and Job Opportunity

The GRLC’s Community Engagement team is on the frontline of embracing urban communities and addressing environmental injustices. This team is serving thousands in Detroit, Cleveland, Grand Rapids, and Toledo, among other locations. We work with anchor institutions in urban communities – including schools, houses of worship and early childhood centers – to build community, cultivate and support future leaders, expand urban wildlife habitat, and increase access to nature for all. We uphold and center the following core concepts in our work:

• Conservation is intersectional.
• Complex problems demand creative, innovative solutions that center communities.
• Climate change is happening now.
• Working across differences is imperative and the only path to solutions to our greatest challenges.

The primary roles of the Community Engagement Coordinator position are to collaborate with and support the Great Lakes Regional Center’s Community Engagement team to support healthier habitats and communities, promoting access to nature for all and fostering climate resilient communities. The Community Engagement Coordinator will work alongside local partners with anchor institutions (e.g., houses of worship, early childhood centers, K-12 schools) engaging the broader community through workshops, garden tours, and other events focused on dissemination of best managed practices (BMPs) with the aim of extending high-quality natural spaces throughout neighborhoods and communities. Understanding and continuing to trust the iterative process of collaboration and implementation alongside community anchors will lead to the long–term solutions that benefit both habitat and people, particularly Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and frontline communities that are most vulnerable.

This new position will support these endeavors, with a particular focus on working to support and expand our Sacred Grounds work with houses of worship in Cleveland and supporting the continuation and expansion of our Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) work in Detroit and beyond. Central to this work is both building and sustaining authentic relationships and partnerships, and working alongside our partners to help implement programming. The Community Engagement Coordinator will also be tasked with supporting the development of curriculum for workshops for adults and for K-12 aged students (with the support of teachers and school administrators). The Community Engagement Coordinator reports to the Education and Engagement Manager.

Principal Duties (major areas of responsibility):

Working together with the Community Engagement Team, the Education and Engagement Coordinator is responsible for:

• Developing content for and delivering community presentations and workshops in collaboration with NWF staff and local partners
• Supporting existing relationships with Sacred Grounds and ECHO sites and local partners
• Coordinating engagement and building new relationships with houses of worship, K-12 schools, community organizations, and other non-profit organizations
• Supporting training of new cohorts of houses of worship participating in the Sacred Grounds program, including supporting communication among the sites and with local partner organizations
• Coordinating Sacred Grounds and ECHO events, including workshops, garden tours, and networking events
• Collaborating with NWF communications staff to support storytelling through social media, blogs, and other media channels
• Communicating regularly with Sacred Grounds and ECHO sites to facilitate and/or provide any support needed for technical assistance, administrative assistance, and general inquiries
• Working alongside K-12 teachers and/or administrative staff to support the development of curriculum (e.g., around climate change) that supports the needs of teachers and schools and connects to our local and regional work

Qualifications and Experience:

• Experience in developing content, presentations and trainings
• Experience working in urban contexts with diverse communities and stakeholders
• Highly organized self-starter
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Community organizing and outreach experience and/or experience running place-based, community-led programming
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, both in-person and virtually
• Shares the values of the National Wildlife Federation: collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus.

NWF Values

Your actions are expected to reflect the staff values of the National Wildlife Federation: collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus. Your competencies should include:

• Being motivated by values of equity and responsibility to those most marginalized;
• Consistently bringing a high level of empathy and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions;
• Being committed to deepening an environmental justice approach in policy priorities, program development and partner engagement;
• Actively seeks feedback, direction, and guidance from all team members and keeps staff informed of decisions that impact them;
• Being dedicated to advancing NWF’s internal equity transformation and compelling partners and allies to incorporate equity into their work; and
• Passion for and commitment to NWF's mission

Travel Requirements:

This position will involve significant regional travel, with approximately 1-5 days per month on average. All in-person meetings or events required to follow NWF COVID-19 guidelines.

Location and Work Mode:

We have a preference for someone who lives in or near Cleveland, Ohio and would also consider individuals living in or near Gary, Indiana or Detroit, Michigan. This will largely be a remote position requiring work from home most days (although office space is a possibility), with some required time at various events and activities.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $50,000-$55,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits in 2021! We value work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere with flexible scheduling. We want you to be able to integrate work and personal life with attention to your self-care, so that your work schedule is not depleting. We offer benefits so you feel restored and fueled through the day and week.

We offer these supports to help manage your mental, emotional, and physical health:

• Paid time off: Vacation that starts off at three weeks accrual, unlimited wellbeing (this time can be used for physical, spiritual, emotional, cultural, religious or financial wellbeing for yourself, a partner, or family member – including pets), 10 holidays, and 3 floating holidays
• We close down for a paid winter break between December 25 to January 1 to recognize end of-year stress, and time for reflection, rejuvenation, and spending time with family.
• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid Family and Medical Leave
• Low-cost health, dental, and vision insurance options – all outpatient mental health is covered at in-network rates
• Therapist available at no cost
• Pet insurance and discount perk program
• Annual wellbeing allowance

In addition to your salary, we offer the following supports to your personal finances:

• Retirement plan with immediate match and vesting
• Annual year end retirement contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption and Surrogacy assistance
• Pet adoption stipend
• Student Loan management

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s benefits package at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

COVID Consideration:

The National Wildlife Federation closely follows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease and has implemented processes that promote the safety of our employees, candidates, and communities. Because the health of our employees and candidates is a top priority, we conduct our hiring process virtually via phone or video until further notice. We are currently starting our positions as remote, and are continuing to explore what our future of work will be moving forward. Proof of vaccination will be required to join the National Wildlife Federation.

Application:

Applications will be reviewed beginning two weeks after the job posting date. Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume.

We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world. We recruit, employ, train compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at nwf.org/equity.

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job, therefore our job descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.

Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at hrhelp@nwf.org or 703-438-6244.

If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.