962 Wayne Ave, Suite 540  |  Silver Spring, MD 20910  |

301.608.1188

potomac.org

JOB POSTING: DIRECTOR OF TREE AND SEED PROGRAMS

 

Potomac Conservancy is seeking a creative self-starter to lead our expanding tree and seed collection program.

 

Who we are: Founded in 1993, Potomac Conservancy believes the foundation of healthy, vibrant, and resilient communities starts with clean water. As the region’s leading clean water advocate, we shape the broader effort to ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and connected communities. You will be joining a small but growing team who work every day to fight for clean water through building a local inclusive movement of impassioned river advocates.

 

Director of Tree and Seed Programs: The Director is responsible for the expansion of our tree and seed collection program (formally known as Growing Native) using a two-pronged approach: Coalition and Community Building. This new coalition, built by the Director, will focus on convening governmental, non-profit, private and community organizations that are leading currently disparate tree plantings and seed collections efforts across the watershed for greater effectiveness, partnership, attention, and funding opportunities. The community building prong will use our successful volunteer leader model to identify and train neighborhood champions to organize seed collection events in their communities. The Director will set the course for program expansion, including developing new relationships with potential nursery partners to accept the seed donations and seed drop off sites, across the watershed over the next 4-years.

 

Specific Duties

Coalition Building (45%)

  • Based on existing research, recruit government, non-profit, private, and community partners to join a coalition that the Director leads that will connect currently disparate tree planting efforts, especially those that engage communities and volunteers.
  • Design set of concrete goals and objectives for the coalition that built from existing strategy
  • Set agendas, plan, and execute coalition meetings beginning in late winter.
  • With coalition input, manage website building project that connects communities to tree planting opportunities throughout the watershed.
  • Connect community building efforts with coalition goals (for example, develop volunteer led outreach program to serve as marketing arm for county-led tree planting efforts).

Community Building (45%)

  • With Communications Team, participate in the rebranding of our Growing Native program
  • Recruit, train, and retain neighborhood champions who can lead seed collections in their own neighborhoods.
  • Cultivate new and diverse voices for our local clean water movement, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations and historically excluded communities.
  • In the first year, recruit 5 new seed drop off sites in target geographies
  • In the first year, work with our designer to design and produce new seed collection kiosks.
  • Begin process of identifying and recruiting new nursery partners to help propagate native seeds
  • Lead programmatic strategy based on interactions with communities and coalition.

Program and Organization Administration (10%)

  • Serve on one of Potomac Conservancy’s three Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice working groups
  • Track volunteer activities and advocacy engagement in our CRM system, EveryAction.
  • Assist in drafting fundraising pitches for individual, corporate, government, and foundation funders.
  • Draft grant and progress reports.

Experience and Qualifications

  • Demonstrated experience or education in forestry or other related field.
  • 3-years’ experience with volunteers or coalition building, especially between a variety organization types.
  • Experience participating in and preferably running a multi-organization coalition
  • Proven ability to set programmatic strategy and execute on that vision.
  • Proven track record of building trust with people from varying backgrounds and beliefs.
  • Strong belief in the power of collection action and collective liberation to effect change.
  • Interest in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice a must; experience is preferred.
  • Ability to manage multiple deadlines and requests simultaneously; strong project management skills required.
  • Ability to make independent decisions when necessary.
  • Experience making data-driven decisions and understanding the importance of data management to achieve campaign success.
  • Experience with communities and organizations in the Potomac Watershed preferred.
  • Ability to work some evenings and weekends and travel across the watershed as needed.

Location, Schedule, and Travel: Our team is currently working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is creating our guidelines about hybrid remote and office work moving forward. This position will work with communities in the outdoors right away. Reports to the Vice President of Programs and Operations. This position will require some evening and weekend work but will offer flexibility to maintain a healthy work life balance. Significant day time travel around the Potomac watershed is required.

 

Target Start Date: November 15, 2021

 

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position (40 hours per week, inclusive of travel time) with an annual compensation range of $55,000 to $60,000 per year. Benefits include medical and dental coverage; 18 days paid time off and 10 holidays per year; flexible work schedule; 401b matching and flex spending accounts; travel reimbursement; working with bright, fun coworkers; and interacting with a supportive board of directors.

 

How to Apply: Please send a resume and cover letter to Katie Blackman at blackman@potomac.org with Director of Tree and Seed Programs in the subject line. We are looking to hire the best fit for this position as soon as possible.  Interviews and hiring will be conducted on a rolling basis but we will stop accepting resumes on October 8th. Any follow-up on your application may be conducted via email. No phone calls please.

 

We recognize the environmental movement has not been an inclusive one and has a history of excluding historically discriminated communities — including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), people from working class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQ+ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. Because of this, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other communities that have been historically less included in the environmental movement.