Achieving environmental justice requires robust collaboration and communication with tribal leaders across the environmental community. WCA’s approach to engagement with Tribal Nations is centered on upholding tribal sovereignty, respecting and promoting traditional ecological knowledge, and elevating tribal priorities. We aim to better understand the landscape of tribal activity in Washington, deepen existing relationships with tribal natural resource managers, and develop new relationships with tribal nations.

The Tribal Nations Senior Manager is responsible for leading and supporting Washington Conservation Action’s work and partnership with tribal nations in the forestry and climate space, focused on wildfire, climate-smart wood, and the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). This position will be responsible for building strong statewide relationships with tribal nations, tribal citizens and tribal organizations and coalitions in coordination with the Forest Program and Climate Program. The scope of work will start with wildfire and climate-smart wood supply chains, based in the Forest Program, as well as air quality – in collaboration with both the Forest and Climate Programs. This role will be based in the Tribal Nations Program and reports to the Tribal Government Liaison.

Washington Conservation Action is a statewide environmental advocacy organization that advances environmental policies and pushes for actions that equitably address climate pollution, restore Puget Sound, sustain our state’s forests, and protect our democracy. For Washington to remain a national leader on environmental issues, we need environmental champions in elected office and to hold our leaders accountable. To keep our environment protected, healthy, and vibrant, we are committed to supporting Native candidates, candidates of color, and environmental leaders seeking election.

In January, Washington Conservation Voters and Washington Conservation ActionWashington Environmental Council unified under a shared brand—. This evolution as an organization builds on our 50 years of work and history of bringing people together to solve Washington’s most critical environmental issues. We develop, advocate, and defend policies that ensure environmental progress and justice by centering and amplifying the voices of the most impacted communities. Washington Conservation Action is a 501(c4) organization. Washington Conservation Action Education Fund is our 501(c3) partner organization. Together, we advance a shared vision for a Washington state where nature and people live in balance for the flourishing of all.

Washington Conservation Action is based in a LEED-certified building in downtown Seattle with a view of Elliott Bay. Our team of nearly 40 works in a flexible hybrid model, with staff in the office two days a week for collaboration and celebration. All staff members have access to tools and systems to support hybrid work. We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and the opportunity to make a difference. We are committed to a diverse, socially just, and welcoming work environment. People of color, people with varying abilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are especially encouraged to apply. We continue to advance the application of a racial equity lens to our work and are led by a CEO who is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes Warm Springs, Oregon.

Responsibilities

The Tribal Nations Senior Manager will work to establish and deepen authentic relationships with sovereign Tribes and foster opportunities for collaboration, capacity building, and shape solutions using a community centered approach.

Internal

• Ensuring that WCA/WCAEF understand priorities across and by different Tribal Nations and identify opportunities to advance a policy agenda and/or supporting or advocating for allocation of state funds in support of these priorities.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity as well as actively participating in WCA’s racial equity plan and goals.
• Work with Forest Program, Climate Program, and partners to elevate and advance priorities that align with input from tribal nations. Integrate respect for tribal sovereignty and aligns with input from tribal nations (listen and align).
• Coordinate with and support Forest Program and Climate Program engagement with tribes on other program priorities as needed.
• Coordinate with WCA’s policy and political programs to identify synergies and opportunities between programs and offer expertise in support of campaigns.
• Work with WCA’s Communications team to communicate the Tribal Nations and related policy program work in an effective and compelling way.
• Work with WCA’s Development team to support fundraising efforts.
• Assists with fundraising and other organizational events as needed, including recruitment of attendees, and providing live support.

External

• Develop and/or deepen relationships between Tribal Nations and WCA Tribal Nations program as a core element of work to advance programmatic work within the Forest and Climate Programs.
• Collaborate with tribal nations to understand their priorities and challenges related to ecological and community resilience to wildfire, and partner on shared priorities.
• Connecting tribal nations and partners with funding opportunities in connection with forest management and CCA implementation.
• Build partnerships and collaboration with tribal nations with land in or adjacent to Pierce County, as part of a new program of work to promote ecological forest management and climate-smart wood supply chains.
• Connecting tribal nations and partners with funding opportunities in connection with forest management and CCA implementation.

Required Skills

• Demonstrated significant, first-hand knowledge of appropriate protocols and engagement
• practices with Tribal Nations.
• Commitment to environmental protection, and principles of racial, social, and economic justice.
• Strong organizational skills that reflect an ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks at once and with attention to detail.
• Experience in creating and implementing new complex campaigns, programs, or projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable coordinating and consistently providing updates across teams.
• Strong interpersonal skills and social intelligence and a demonstrated ability to work well in a team-based environment.
• Reliable analytical skills to decipher policy or technical information and accurately translate that
• information for a broader audience.
• Self-awareness about communication styles, experience with conflict resolution and navigating differences of opinion.
• Confident decisionmaker and creative thinker to shape a new area of work.
• Flexible and adaptive to successfully navigate different personalities, situations, and priorities while moving important work forward.
• A forward thinker who anticipates issues and proposes solutions.

Desirable Skills

• Experience working in public policy, law, or related field.
• Understanding of political campaigns and lobbying.
• Proficiency in technology tools such as Slack, Asana (project management software), and Salesforce.
• Expertise or experience with forest management and/or wildfire.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full time, exempt position with a salary range of $64K-$70K depending on experience. We also offer a generous benefits package including medical and dental insurance, 401k plan and organizational match of up to 3% of your annual salary, a flexible spending account, paid vacation and sick leave, twelve paid holidays per year, four wellness days, an unlimited ORCA transit pass, professional development and if you work for seven consecutive years you are eligible for a two-month paid sabbatical. We welcome new and diverse people to a great team who together shape environmental protection in Washington.

Location Information

This position is hybrid (minimum of 40% in the Seattle office) but we will consider an option for being fully remote for those located within Washington State, but outside of mass transit options to our Seattle office. We anticipate this job will involve occasional travel to in-person meetings and staff gatherings at the discretion of the supervisor.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands
This job requires frequent sitting. Must be able to conduct business in English, though fluency in other languages is not required. For remote work, employees must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work during scheduled work hours. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with different abilities to perform functions essential to the duties of the position.

COVID-19

The organization follows all requirements of local health authorities. We are currently working in hybrid remote work model with staff working from home in addition to in-office time for collaboration and celebration. We maintain strict safety protocols while in our office. All staff who come to the office must be fully immunized against COVID-19.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter and a resume to URL on WCAEF or WCA website. No phone calls or mailed applications please. This position is open until filled. Washington Conservation Action and Washington Conservation Action Education Fund is a unionized employer represented by Communications Workers of America Local 7800. This is a represented position.

WCAEF and WCA are equal opportunity employers committed to dismantling structural racism and creating a welcoming work environment. WCA/WCAEF does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. People of color, people with disabilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are especially encouraged to apply.