The Chesapeake Bay Foundation seeks a Chesapeake Oyster Alliance Manager to be based at its Philip Merrill Environmental Center headquarters located in Annapolis, MD.

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION

Established in 1967, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest regional nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to saving the Chesapeake Bay, its rivers and streams, and the wildlife that call it home through education, advocacy, litigation, and restoration. Since 2010, CBF has engaged in a focused effort to defend and implement the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, a binding federal and state collaborative agreement aimed at reducing pollution to the science-based, legally-affirmed levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Blueprint is expected to be fully implemented by 2025. If the states and the federal government achieve Blueprint goals, the Bay will finally—after decades of failed efforts—be removed from the Clean Water Act’s impaired waters list. Successfully implementing the Blueprint depends on a well-informed, engaged, active, and diverse constituency of members, advocates, and volunteers who speak up and take action to save the Bay.

CBF has a staff of approximately 190 employees working in offices in Annapolis, Maryland; Richmond and Virginia Beach, Virginia; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C. as well as 15 field education program locations. Our staff and volunteer corps work throughout the region educating students and adults, advocating for clean water policies, restoring waterways, and litigating when necessary.

CBF’s headquarters office in Annapolis, Maryland is the Philip Merrill Environmental Center, the world’s first U.S. Green Build Council’s LEED platinum building. In 2014, CBF opened the Brock Environmental Center—one of the world’s most energy efficient, environmentally smart buildings—in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

CBF has an annual budget of approximately $26 million and is supported by 300,000 members and e-subscribers. For more information on CBF, please visit cbf.org.

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION

Over five years, CBF’s Making History campaign will provide the impetus for meeting the 2025 Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint goals through three focused milestones: planting 10 million trees as stream buffers, adding 10 billion oysters to the watershed, and galvanizing one million voices to speak and act for the Bay. The Oyster Campaign Manager will help lead the oyster component of the Making History campaign, ensuring the campaign is well coordinated at both the partnership (Chesapeake Oyster Alliance) and CBF organizational levels. (The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance is a growing coalition of roughly 70 non-profits, community organizations, academics, businesses, oyster growers, and others committed to adding 10 billion new oysters in the Bay by 2025). This position reports to the Making History Campaign Director

Salary: Base salary starts at $55,000 but is negotiable.

Essential functions include:
1. Serve as CBF internal point person for all oyster campaign-related activities:
a. Work with other key leaders of the oyster initiative to ensure an up-to-date strategic plan and budget is in place and implemented;
b. Ensure that CBF executives, board, and staff are well informed about oyster initiative progress and needs; prepare materials and presentations for organizational leadership;
c. Coordinate CBF’s internal cross-cutting oyster initiative team, including managing regular team meetings.
d. Serve as point person between the initiative and the state and federal grassroots programs and digital/communications team to ensure the initiative is supported by an effective and compelling advocacy strategy.
e. Serve as initiative point person for Development/fundraising, including helping with proposals and reporting;
f. Work with CBF’s Finance Department, and the Campaign Finance and Administrative Coordinator to ensure effective budgeting and planning;
g. Serve as initiative point person for Communications and Membership programs, ensuring smooth flow of information and coordination with media relations, social media activities, and membership/public communications.

2. Ensure that the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance partnership is well coordinated as it pursues its goals to increase the Bay’s oyster population.
a. Play a lead role in helping the Alliance develop a strategic annual plan.
b. Serve as point person for partners, CBF staff, and the public, including recruiting and coordinating new partners to the Alliance;
c. Help lead strategic annual plan for the partnership, including organizing regular updates and communications;
d. Coordinate logistics of regular coalition meetings, working with Alliance steering committee and sub-groups and other CBF staff as appropriate.
e. Help support oyster restoration or other field activities undertaken by the Alliance which may include traveling to various restoration events taking place throughout Maryland and Virginia and time spent on the water.
f. Work with Alliance and CBF staff scientists to communicate progress for 10 billion by 2025 effort.

3. Other duties as assigned

• Work to ensure that systems, organizational culture, and practices are aligned with CBF’s mission, values and commitments related to DEIJ.
• Develop and refine programs and activities to ensure equitable practices and support the development of a diverse and effective team.
• Ensure an inclusive working environments that supports diverse populations.

 

PREFERRED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Experience using strategic communications and advocacy strategies to support policy issues.
• Experience working in coalitions, preferably in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated presentation, writing, and communications expertise.
• Experience with databases a plus.
• Understanding of marine/Chesapeake Bay issues and oyster science a plus.
• Well organized and responsive.
• Bachelor’s degree required, masters degree preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Ability to receive and give supportive feedback to foster equity and inclusion in working relationships.
• Ability to recognize, nurture, and learn from strengths in co-workers.
• Having flexibility to accomplish job responsibilities in several work environments, whether it be from home, on the road, or in an office.

Please note this is a campaign-funded position that is expected to be funded for multiple years. However, as with any position that is dependent on campaign money, there is the risk of unexpected funding problems and the position can no longer be funded through the campaign. IF that should happen, CBF will review the position at that time to determine if it can then be funded from other sources of income within the organization.

To apply, please send resume and cover letter no later than November 6, 2020.

CBF offers a comprehensive benefits package to include: 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, health, vision, dental, life insurance, and a tax deferred retirement plan.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND JUSTICE

Just as biodiversity is the key to a thriving ecosystem, human diversity is the key to saving the Bay. Success depends on people from widely diverse backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, identities, and races taking collective action. Clean water, clean air, and a safe environment are rights we all share.

To increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will:
· Recruit and retain a staff, board, and membership that reflect the diversity of people living within the Chesapeake Bay region;
· Strengthen and broaden the diversity of our partnerships;
· Celebrate and value the diversity of staff; and
· Fight to ensure that everyone has equal access to clean water, clean air, and a safe environment.

CBF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.