Greater Gila Campaigner | Grant County Wildlife Campaign Organizer

Greater Gila Campaigner

Work Level: Full-time Exempt

Location: Santa Fe preferred, southwestern New Mexico possible

Position Summary: WildEarth Guardians’ Greater Gila Campaign is working to transform the Greater Gila Bioregion into the next great protected landscape. We are seeking a passionate and nimble Greater Gila Campaigner to work with the Greater Gila communities to secure this vision. The Greater Gila Campaigner uses organizing, advocacy, and strategic communication skills to inspire and support communities to build power. The Greater Gila Campaigner is someone with a commitment to protecting wild places and biodiversity, knowledge and comfort with the complex cultural landscape of rural New Mexico and Arizona, and strong ties to the Greater Gila and/or New Mexico and Arizona. Reports to: Greater Gila Guardian.

History: WildEarth Guardians is a leading environmental advocacy organization working to protect and restore the wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and health of the American West. We’re lawyers, scientists, advocates, and organizers. We speak for the wildlife, places, and waters that have been historically degraded and abused to serve the interests of a greedy few. Since 1989, we have worked to restore the balance. We are now, as always, A Force for Nature.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have experience with community and/or political organizing; working with indigenous communities; designing and implementing strategic communication plans; building and facilitating coalitions that include traditional and non-traditional allies; and working with businesses, organizations and/or economic development entities. Spanish language skills desired. The Greater Gila Campaigner will travel throughout Arizona and New Mexico and should expect flexible work hours, including some weekend and evening hours.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Work closely with the Greater Gila Guardian and Campaign partners to build and engage a diverse community that supports landscape-scale protection in the Gila.
• Engage businesses, business associations, the conservation community, tribes and community organizations in NM and AZ to develop the Greater Gila Economic Coalition.  
• Work with the Greater Gila Guardian and Communications Director to develop a strategic communication plan to elevate the profile of Greater Gila regionally and nationally.
• Amplify and elevate Guardians’ and the Greater Gila Campaign’s core values, vision, and work to our members, the public, the media, and targeted agency personnel, decision-makers, and funders. 
• Support fundraising efforts of the Wild Places Program and the Greater Gila Campaign.
• The position is partially funded by the Wyss Foundation and the Greater Gila Campaigner will be required to attend annual Wyss Fellow trainings.

Compensation and Benefits: Guardians offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including full health and dental insurance, retirement benefits, paid vacation, health and family leave, a sabbatical policy, paid holidays, disability insurance, and a fabulous work environment that accommodates a flexible work schedule. Salary is in the $40,000-$50,000 range, based on experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity: As an advocate for the health of the natural world, WildEarth Guardians affirms biodiversity, ecological unity, and the interdependence of all life. We highly value diverse perspectives and experiences. We are committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, both within our organization and externally. WildEarth Guardians is an equal opportunity employer and actively strives to ensure fair and equal treatment of its employees and constituents regardless of differences based on culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, or sexual orientation.

To Apply: Please submit applications electronically to: apply@wildearthguardians.org with “Application for Greater Gila Campaigner” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning on Monday, October 28th, 2019 and the position will remain open until filled. No phone calls or in-person visits, please. Applications should include, in a single pdf, the following: cover letter, resume, writing sample (no more than 5 pages), and three professional references (with contact and relationship information).

Grant County Wildlife Campaign Organizer

Work Level: Contract

Location: Flexible within Grant County

Position Summary:

The Grant County Wildlife Campaign Organizer is a 10-15 hour/month contract position with WildEarth Guardians. The position will work to support our two priority wildlife campaigns in New Mexico: 1) banning cruel and dangerous traps from public lands, and 2) reforming the rogue federal USDA Wildlife Services program’s indiscriminate poisoning, trapping, and aerial gunning of our native wildlife. The Organizer will coordinate and implement grassroots tactics in Grant County as part of a well-refined strategic framework for reforming how county, state, and federal governments treat native wildlife.

The Organizer will leverage public support for wildlife and wild places to grow grassroots and political power supporting an ethic of coexistence with the wildlife of southern New Mexico. The Organizer will use communications, relationship-building, critical thinking, and organizing skills to implement a successful campaign by meeting key metrics around list-building and volunteer engagement/empowerment. Creativity, a rock-solid work ethic, resilience, desire to learn, commitment to advocating for the natural world, a healthy sense of outrage, and the will to win are essential.

The Organizer will engage, educate, and empower the public, community leaders, and elected officials as means to reforming wildlife governance and protecting native wildlife and ecosystems from the threat of traps, poisons, and other unethical, unscientific methods of “wildlife control.”

The position reports directly to Guardians’ Southern Rockies Wildlife Advocate. The Organizer will work with the Advocate to implement county- and regional-level strategies to build and mobilize grassroots support for native wildlife. The Organizer will engage with volunteers and e-activists.

By working for this campaign, you will have an unprecedented opportunity to be bold, dedicated, and supported as you put in motion strategies to combat unjust, unethical, and outdated practices that kill our native wildlife and endanger the public and companion animals. You will play a key role in fighting for government accountability and transparency while defending the vulnerable and giving a voice to the voiceless. We hope you will join us.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work with the Southern Rockies Wildlife Advocate and Wildlife Program Director to refine and implement Guardians’ TrapFree New Mexico and End the War on Wildlife campaigns;

• Build and leverage alliances with local activists and allied organizations working to confront native wildlife killing in communities throughout New Mexico;

• Build and maintain relationships with city, county, and state elected officials, their staff, volunteers, citizen activists, partner organizations, and the media to protect native wildlife;

• Refine a variety of written materials, including social media content, related to native wildlife protection;

• Identify, recruit, and manage volunteers;

• Help identify and implement the best ways to engage, empower, and mobilize people to reform wildlife governance in select communities across New Mexico;

• Track and measure the effectiveness of tactics with bi-monthly reporting to the Advocate;

• Measure success based on key metrics to ensure progress toward achieving Guardians’ vision for coexistence with native wildlife.

Essential Qualifications Include:

• Excellent communication, time-management and organizational skills;

• Enjoys working with people and thrives on engaging with the public;

• Creative problem-solving and troubleshooting skills;

• Experience in running successful grassroots campaigns online and offline;

• Proven ability to work both independently and in close coordination with a team;

• Ease in working with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and composure when interacting with diverse stakeholders;

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion;

• Passion for wildlife conservation and animal welfare;

• A healthy sense of outrage and a sense of humor.

Additional Desirable Qualifications Include:

• Spanish language skills (highly desired);

• Experience managing volunteers, with preference given to those with organizing management experience;

• Experience with event and activity logistics and planning;

• Comfort with and enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, contentious campaigning environment;

• Knowledge of New Mexico state politics;

• Formal organizing training and a minimum of one year of organizing experience;

• Campaign planning and execution experience;

• Strong connections within the Dona Ana County communities, particularly within local government

• Intermediate or advanced social media skills: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

Special Job Requirements

As a contractor, you will largely make your own hours, but expect to be flexible and work some weekend and evening hours. You must supply your own necessary equipment (e.g. work space, laptop with applicable software, vehicle, insurance) to perform the work as defined by the contract agreement. Travel costs will be covered when pre-approved. Some travel around southern New Mexico will be required.

Compensation and Benefits:

Compensation is based on qualifications and experience. Pay range is $20-25/hour. Initial contract will be for four months with renewal likely, based on performance and campaign needs. No additional benefits are offered for this contract position.

To Apply:

Send applications addressed to Chris Smith to apply@wildearthguardians.org with subject line “Grant Contract Organizer.” Applications will be considered on rolling basis starting on August 16, 2018 and should include in one document (PDF preferred):

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Two references

No phone calls please. Due to the volume of applicants and other workload, only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. WildEarth Guardians is an equal opportunity employer.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity As an advocate for the natural world, WildEarth Guardians affirms biodiversity, ecological unity, and the interdependence of all life. We highly value diverse perspectives and experiences. We are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both within our organization and externally. We acknowledge the intersections between social, racial, and economic injustice and the inequities that are driving the climate crisis and harming wild nature. Applicants with experience in these areas are encouraged to apply. WildEarth Guardians is an equal opportunity employer and actively strives to ensure fair and equal treatment of its employees and constituents regardless of differences based on culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender identity, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, or sexual orientation.