Application Deadline: January 7th

Location: Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, or community within Crown landscape in Montana preferred; other western Montana communities may be considered

General Description

The Crown of the Continent Community Conservation Specialist will coordinate and manage TWS engagement in collaborative, community-based conservation efforts in Montana’s Crown of the Continent landscape under the direction of the Crown of the Continent Landscape Program Director. This position will play a key role in co-creating solutions with partners from communities within the Crown landscape, including Indigenous communities and Sovereign Tribal Nations, that contribute to TWS national goals of protecting 30% of lands and waters within the US by 2030 and all people benefitting equitably from public lands, in addition to other goals outlined in TWS’ 5-year Strategic Plan.

An additional focus of work will be supporting and implementing solutions to the climate and extinction crises in deep partnership with a wide array of partners and stakeholders within the Crown of the Continent. The results of this work will include permanent conservation protections for public lands and a variety of other enduring co-created outcomes such as ecological restoration, sustainable economic and community development, enhanced recreation and public land access, increased participation in land management decisions by underserved communities, and other outcomes to be determined through engagement with community/landscape partners.

In working toward these outcomes, the Community Conservation Specialist will represent TWS within longstanding coalitions of community and conservation partners, build new strategic relationships with individuals and community organizations, advance and build capacity required to advance community-identified priorities, and coordinate with both internal TWS teams and external partners to develop and implement equitable landscape conservation strategies in the Crown of the Continent. The successful candidate will work strategically to improve the resilience of communities, lands, waters, and wildlife to climate change across the Crown through the incorporation of science, Traditional Knowledge, and long-term community partnerships in place-based plans and work. Successful outcomes include advocating for solutions that sustain, value, and protect the lands, cultures, Traditional Knowledge, interests, and concerns of Indigenous peoples and people of color to support the health and well-being of these communities into the future. Over time, this work is intended to serve as an integral first step in the healing of historic relationships to nature and place.

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

Essential duties and responsibilities

· Respectfully and collaboratively engage with existing coalitions of community and conservation partners in the Crown of the Continent, including Indigenous partners and Tribal Sovereign Nations, to co-create and advance collaborative partner agreements for conservation and other community outcomes tied closely to TWS Strategic Plan Results.

· Play various roles within coalitions depending on need, at times leading, facilitating, supporting, or contributing in other ways while demonstrating a belief that no task is too big or too small.

· Build and strengthen relationships with a wide variety of community and landscape partners including rural individuals, organizations, elected officials, sovereign Tribal Nations, federal/ state/ provincial agency staff, businesses, public land user groups (inc. timber, ranching, recreation), and others with intersectional values and interests linked to conservation, community development, and equitable public land access in the Crown.

· Identify and pursue partnership opportunities that expand equitable benefits of- and broaden support for- TWS Strategic Plan priorities in the Crown.

· Coordinate closely with and participate in cross-functional, multi-disciplinary TWS internal teams to develop and implement equitable landscape conservation strategies in the Crown of the Continent that deliver outcomes tied to TWS Strategic Plan Results. Cross-functional teams will include staff with expertise in science, communications, government relations, philanthropy, and conservation.

· In coordination with the TWS Rural Communities Director, engage with an internal TWS team of community-based conservation practitioners located in different geographies across the US to support adaptive learning, joint-strategy development, and a shared community-outreach toolkit based on lessons-learned from direct community engagement in various settings.

· Work collaboratively with TWS Communications staff to organize media opportunities/events that message positive benefits of community-based conservation efforts in the Crown. As appropriate, serve as a TWS media contact for select projects and campaigns in the Crown of the Continent.

· Prepare written and visual materials such as fact sheets, news releases, and action alerts that demonstrate the importance of community-based conservation to the health, economic vitality, and quality of life for the people living in nearby Crown communities.

· Represent TWS in public land management processes relevant to TWS Strategic Plan Results such as US Forest Service Forest Plan Revisions, and other processes as needed.

· Assist with grant proposal writing, grant reporting, and other fundraising efforts as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

· Highly successful track record collaborating with and organizing diverse interests in an inclusive, transparent, and effective manner.

· Outstanding track record of working respectfully, transparently, and successfully in teams representing a rich mix of talent, backgrounds, and perspectives—across race, gender and other identities.

· Must be a humble, respectful and collaborative person – effective at operating with a multitude of audiences and committed to supporting others in accomplishing our conservation goals.

· Demonstrated ability to inclusively and transparently coordinate complex processes involving a wide range of interests including local citizens and stakeholders, organizations, Tribes, federal, state, and/or local agencies.

· Excellent analytical and communication skills, ability to write and speak concisely and persuasively, proficiency in communicating with the public and media professionals.

· Recent experience with relevant climate science, Traditional Knowledge, and adaptation strategies is a plus, as is the ability to translate science for a wide variety of audiences and partners in service of developing actionable conservation and management plans.

· Able to effectively manage multiple demands and deadlines.

· Must be able to manage projects and work effectively in a team environment.

· Solid experience in participating in and coordinating campaigns, in conservation, social justice or other political oriented fields.

· Possess long-term vision for how to effectively move community-led conservation forward including how to build durable, inclusive, diverse, and equitable coalitions.

· Must exhibit integrity, trustworthiness, transparency, tact, and discretion.

· Existing knowledge and relationships with partners (agencies, Indigenous especially) across the Crown and understanding of their work and priorities is desirable.

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, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. 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 the position of Crown of the Continent Conservation Program Manager 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