OVERVIEW

Are you passionate about conservation and public lands engagement projects and making a positive impact on the environment? Do you thrive in collaborative work environments and value diverse and unique learning opportunities? Are you eager to connect your personal interests to a mission-driven organization that supports professional growth? NEEF has an excellent opportunity for a Program Director, Conservation to join our team.

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is a national leader in building public environmental literacy. Congressionally chartered in 1990 as a 501c3 nonprofit to complement the work of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NEEF is a non-partisan, non-advocacy organization working to make the environment more accessible, relatable, relevant, and connected to the daily lives of all

Americans. NEEF collaborates with respected organizations, from both the public and private sector, to develop programs and trainings, organize events, and fund projects that empower people to positively impact our environment. NEEF’s major partners include Toyota, 3M, and International Paper as well as multiple federal government agencies. Through its network, NEEF aims to inspire the public to learn about their relationship to the environment and increase their environmental involvement.

MAJOR DUTIES

We are seeking an energetic, creative, self-starter to serve as the subject matter expert and lead programs and initiatives related to conservation and public lands. Under the guidance of the Vice President, Programs, the Program Director, Conservation will strengthen and expand NEEF’s conservation and public lands engagement portfolio, including National Public Lands Day (NPLD). The Program Director will align the conservation focus area with organizational and programmatic priorities, including developing short- and long-term goals and objectives related to year-round public lands engagement. They will develop and manage a portfolio of organizational initiatives and internal and external relationships and collaborate with other departments and focus areas as appropriate.

Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Program Design, Management, and Evaluation

• Develop, execute, and assess a year-round conservation and public lands engagement strategy that is aligned with NEEF’s organizational priorities and mission.
• Lead NEEF’s flagship event, National Public Lands Day (NPLD), with the goal of increasing the reach and impact of NPLD nationwide.
• Collaborate with the Director, Grants Administration to conceptualize, implement, and evaluate grants that support conservation, education, engagement, and volunteerism on public lands.
• Lead program management activities and event logistics, including managing recruitment and registration processes for NPLD, coordinating and implementing events, drafting budgets, creating project plans/timelines, and writing reports.
• Design and implement strategies that engage historically marginalized and underrepresented communities in NPLD, grants, and other conservation initiatives.
• Collaborate with the research directors and federal and local partners to evaluate the success and impact of NEEF’s conservation initiatives, and apply data, research, and evaluation findings to ensure continuous improvement and effectiveness.
• Maintain relevant program data in Salesforce and produce reports that evaluate and support the impact of NEEF’s conservation initiatives.
• Research and analyze emerging trends in conservation, public lands, and community/volunteer engagement, and provide insights that will inform and improve NEEF’s initiatives.

Partnerships

• Build relationships and manage a portfolio of strategic, diverse stakeholder relationships necessary to achieve NEEF’s overall goals and mission, including federal, state, and local public lands agencies, Friends Groups and other nonprofits, DEI partners, and affinity groups.
• Support stewardship of corporate relationships, including coordinating internal and external stakeholders to achieve partnership objectives.
• Increase the reach and impact of NEEF’s conservation initiatives through a variety of methods including, but not limited to: creatively engaging stakeholders with broad public lands knowledge, expertise, and perspectives; and leading regional and local outreach efforts for traditional and nontraditional partners.
• Assist with fundraising efforts, including but not limited to building/managing relationships and developing pitches and grant proposals, budgets, and reports.

Content Development and Communications

• Lead the conception and development of resources related to conservation, event and volunteer management, and community and employee engagement.
• Collaborate with NEEF’s Marketing & Communications staff to develop content for stakeholders and the public related to NPLD, conservation, public lands engagement, and grants.
• Provide technical assistance and resources for stakeholders and participants.
• Manage the content for conservation and NPLD web pages and make updates as necessary, with oversight from the Marketing & Communications team.

Quality Assurance, Financials, and Compliance

• Prepare program reports for federal and corporate sponsors/stakeholders.
• Oversee and ensure compliance with all existing and new funding initiatives provided by federal, foundation, and corporate partners.

Skills, Knowledge, and Expertise

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of project management experience, preferably in a non-profit setting. Proven ability to manage projects from beginning to end, including creating detailed timelines and coordinating staff roles/responsibilities across multiple departments.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to manage stakeholders from the public and private sectors. Experience partnering and collaborating with federal land management agencies.
• Strong event management skills.
• Strong organizational skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and frequent deadlines.
• Experience engaging and working with historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills; excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with fundraising.
• Some travel required.

Salary/Benefits: The salary range for this position $70,000-80,000 and is commensurate with experience. NEEF offers excellent benefits, a collaborative and learning environment, flexible work schedules, and values work-life balance. We are looking for someone who is passionate about making a long-term impact at a growing organization. The office is located in Washington, D.C. and is metro accessible, but allows permanent telework for qualified candidates in the US. Our team is currently teleworking due to the pandemic.

To apply: https://www.neefusa.org/about-neef/careers

At NEEF, diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity applies to both our workforce and the communities we serve.

EOE/AA/M/F/D/V

NEEF is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. NEEF is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment.