Chapter Director

Job Title: Toiyabe Chapter Director
Department: Toiyabe Chapter
Location: Reno, NV – flexible in-office and remote
Reports To: Chapter Chair and designated supervisor
Supervises: Communications Coordinator

 

Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of togetherness. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice–a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel inequity, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our democracy. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it.

Sierra Club is comprised of staff across the country and a network of volunteer leaders and local chapters that support our grassroots engagement. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with two labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

 

Scope: The Toiyabe Chapter includes roughly 40,000 activists across Nevada, the Lake Tahoe Basin, and the eastern Sierra in California. We advocate for protection of our public lands, we engage with elected environmental champions for legislative progress, and we work to pursue 100% renewable energy, community solar, and better electric vehicle infrastructure. We collaborate on numerous coalitions including the Nevada Justice coalition; we started the Nevada Rail Coalition in 2020 to promote rail development; and we work with the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada. Our chapter includes 4 regional groups, and numerous teams that work on specific advocacy issues.

The director carries out the policies, priorities, and objectives of the Executive Committee for the assigned areas of chapter programs and operations. These assigned areas include but are not limited to: conservation and legislative programs, fundraising, volunteer development and member services, budgeting and financial management, and media relations. The director manages other chapter staff. The director represents the Toiyabe Chapter and the Sierra Club to government officials, the media, business and community leaders, donors, allies, other organizations, and the public. Evening and weekend work is required. There is the possibility of occasional travel throughout Nevada, the Lake Tahoe Basin, and in Inyo and Mono counties in California for advocacy events, team/group meetings, legislative work, and other as needed/requested. A valid driver’s license, satisfactory driving record, and proof of insurance are required.

Job activities include but are not limited to:

Management:

• Fosters positive working relationships within the chapter among teams, groups, and volunteers.
• Coordinates with national Sierra Club headquarters and campaign staff to ensure cohesion between the chapter and national staff; that chapter strategies and policy positions are in compliance with national requirements; and that national campaign staff understand the impacts of their decisions on the chapter’s region/area of influence.
• Periodically attends chapter team and group meetings, keeps up to date on progress within the chapter, and attends events on behalf of the chapter.
• Manages chapter staff including writing and conducting performance evaluations, taking personnel actions as appropriate, ensuring the chapter is in compliance with Sierra Club employment policies and practices including the Progressive Workers Union contract, and reviewing staff time reports to ensure the reporting of this information is accurate and timely in accordance with Sierra Club policies.

Strategic Planning:

• Collaborates with the Executive Committee and chapter teams to develop short and long term strategic, programmatic, and financial goals and objectives.
• Based on identified issues, recommends action, policies, or guidelines for review by the Executive Committee.
• Prepares and presents reports to inform the Executive Committee and other leaders of major programmatic decisions and the status of finances and programs.
• Develops and maintains procedures to monitor the effectiveness of programs.
• Conducts routine research on specific issues related to Sierra Club positions and advocacy work.

External Engagement:

• Builds/maintains strong relationships with partner groups, elected officials, governmental agencies.
• Plans, develops, and implements the chapter’s budget and development strategy to meet the funding needs of the chapter by identifying new donor and membership markets, collaboration with the chapter treasurer, directing/guiding the grant.

Other miscellaneous duties as necessary or assigned. May vary year-to-year depending on the needs and priorities of the Chapter.
The successful candidate must have the following skills and experience:

• Extensive background and understanding of specific issue areas of environmental conservation related to chapter programs and campaigns.
• Significant experience in grassroots organizing, training, and motivating volunteers, coalition building, and lobbying.
• Strong, demonstrated written and oral communication skills as well as experience with public speaking.
• Leading on Equity. You model effective equity analysis and practice and have a track record of operationalizing equity, and have embedded justice and equity throughout team/department policies, structures, culture, and programs.
• Demonstrated capability and effectiveness working with volunteers and partner groups.
• Demonstrated experience of successful fundraising and donor engagement.

The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following experience, skills and competencies:

• Knowledge and experience with elements of Environmental Studies, Political Science, and related fields.
• Knowledge of Nevada environmental conservation efforts, groups, and legislation and policies is preferred.
• Experience and knowledge of state and federal legislative processes; relationships with media, elected officials, lobbyists.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $70,000-$76,000 commensurate with experience.

The Sierra Club offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.

This is a Category 4 exempt non-represented, supervisory position.

Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. Sierra Club employees are not eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Sierra Club values the expertise and talents of foreign nationals. Sierra Club sponsors both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas when certain criteria are met, based on immigration laws and organizational needs. Such sponsorship is at the discretion of the Department Head and Sierra Club Human Resources in consultation with the employee’s manager. The Sierra Club cannot guarantee the approval of a visa petition. The Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.

 

To Apply: Click Here

This position does not have an undergraduate education requirement. If you choose to include your education history, please remove your schools from your resume. You may leave your degree (e.g., “B.A. Philosophy”), but please remove any undergraduate and graduate school names.

This anonymous process is aimed at opening this opportunity to more candidates, reviewing applicants on performance assessments and mitigating bias in the decision making process.

Lastly, we intentionally do not ask for a cover letter, so please do not include one with your application.

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.