Manager, Community Conservation

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation has grown into America's largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state and territorial affiliates and more than seven million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and stripes. The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world. We advance this mission through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, advancing environmental justice, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change.

To support our mission, we are seeking a Community Conservation Manager to join our Mid-Atlantic Regional Center (MARC). The Community Conservation Manager is a member of the MARC’s Education & Engagement team, which implements community-based wildlife habitat projects in urban centers, partners with community organizations, and supports EcoSchools U.S., NWF’s K-12 education program. The Community Conservation Manager will focus on projects and partnerships in Baltimore, MD, while also supporting work in Lancaster, PA; Philadelphia, PA; and Wilmington, DE; as well as projects throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Principle Duties (major areas of responsibility):

• Partner with community-based organizations to design and implement innovative projects that expand urban pollinator habitat and support regional watershed restoration; address community-identified goals related to equitable access to nature, climate resilience, and clean water; and align with NWF’s strategic plan
• Lead the installation and long-term stewardship of native pollinator gardens, green stormwater infrastructure, and other urban habitat restoration projects, including contributing to plant selection, garden design, and plant procurement and coordinating with volunteers and partners as needed
• Collaborate with team members to create and implement an annual Environmental Justice Action Plan for NWF’s Mid-Atlantic Education & Engagement program
• Co-lead fundraising efforts, including preparing grant proposals and exploring new funding opportunities
• Co-create and implement a strategy to build long-term community and organizational capacity to steward urban habitat
• Coordinate environmental education opportunities for community members, partner organizations, and K-12 schools (primarily for teachers and administrators; occasionally for students), including leading workshops, giving presentations, creating resources, and coordinating with both internal and external education providers
• Handle project management tasks, including creating work plans, leading meetings, communicating with partners, planning events, tracking deliverables, preparing grant reports, and delegating tasks as necessary
• Manage NWF’s participation in the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps program, including supervising and mentoring Corps members placed with NWF
• Support the implementation of NWF’s Garden for Wildlife, Certified Wildlife Habitat, Community Wildlife Habitat, Sacred Grounds, Schoolyard Habitats, and EcoSchools U.S. programs in the Mid-Atlantic region, and create connections between these programs and other projects
• Participate in communications and dissemination efforts, including writing blog posts, preparing promotional materials and reports, and attending and presenting at relevant professional conferences.

Qualifications:

• Experience working directly with diverse communities and community members, particularly in urban areas
• Experience developing and leading collaborative projects and partnerships
• Technical knowledge of native pollinators, native plants, ecological garden design, and/or watershed restoration, or related fields
• Hands-on experience with habitat management and/or garden stewardship
• Experience with project management and fundraising/grant writing
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• 7-10 years of experience working in a related field
• Based in proximity to Baltimore, MD; knowledge of Baltimore communities and environmental organizations preferred

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

Physical Requirements of the Job:

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example, using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about the workspace. The position requires mobility, including moving materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet). 

Ability to perform physical labor outside, including squatting or kneeling for extended periods of time to plant and weed gardens, lifting and using short- and long-handled tools such as shovels and hand trowels, maneuvering a wheelbarrow, and lifting other materials and supplies up to 50 pounds.

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note:

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however.  Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Travel Requirements: 

This position requires regular, in-person field work and presence in Baltimore, MD. Occasional travel to Lancaster, PA; Philadelphia, PA; and Wilmington, DE is also required, with the potential for additional travel throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Regional and national travel for conferences and other special events is also a possibility.

Location and Work Mode: 

The National Wildlife Federation is committed to a flexible and empowered work environment with an authentic community of care for all staff. In this position, the employee may work in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center office located in Annapolis, MD, fully remotely, or in a hybrid setting, to be decided jointly with their supervisor in the final stages of the interview process. Field work for this position will largely occur in Baltimore, MD. For more information on Work Modes, please review the benefits section of our careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers 

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $65,000 - $75,000, commensurate with experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits in 2021, and by Forbes as one of America’s best small employers!  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 based on a full-time schedule, 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), and 11 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.

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume.

For more information on our recruiting process, please review our Careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers 

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.