HECHO Arizona Field Coordinator

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

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) was created in 2013 to help fulfill our duty to conserve and protect our public lands for future generations. In 2017, HECHO joined forces with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) through a unique and mutually beneficial partnership built upon values of inclusion and equity and a commitment to elevating underrepresented perspectives as part of our collective conservation missions.

HECHO provides a platform for Hispanics to contribute knowledge and perspectives about public lands conservation issues, enhance the leadership capacity of Hispanic leaders, and promote Hispanic cultural heritage and connections to nature. While our focus is on the conservation of public lands in the American Southwest, our work has a national policy scope and impact. To achieve our mission of empowering Hispanic leaders to engage their communities in the conservation of our nation’s public lands, we are seeking an Arizona Field Coordinator to lead efforts to build and expand HECHO’s visibility, influence, outreach and advocacy activities in Arizona.

Initially reporting to the HECHO Executive Director, the Field Coordinator will be responsible for deepening and cultivating authentic partnerships, and developing targeted outreach strategies, tactics, tools, and trainings that advance HECHO’s policy and strategic priorities in Arizona. This position will require a willingness to travel by vehicle throughout Arizona to meet with leaders individually, organize meetings and events, and to build relationships on behalf of HECHO. This is a full-time, position for candidates based in Phoenix or the surrounding suburbs (due to COVID-19 all employees are working remotely until we make return to work decisions).

Key responsibilities:

• Represent HECHO and build working relationships with members of the HECHO Advisory Board, HECHO’s Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council (HCLC), partner non-profits, the media, the donor community, and governmental entities at the local, state, and federal levels to increase HECHO’s conservation impact, level of support, and visibility throughout Arizona.
• Cultivate authentic, mutually beneficial relationships with Hispanic local and state elected and community leaders to build and nurture the HCLC and Digital Advocacy Network.
• Mobilize Hispanic leader support for federal, state, and local conservation policies, including combating climate change, protecting public lands and water resources, restoring wildlife habitat connectivity, and advancing environmental justice goals.
• Communicate effectively with the Advisory Board and HCLC leaders – providing all information necessary to function properly and to inspire their active engagement and support of local and national activities.
• Develop field workplans and organizing tactics (i.e. cafecitos, roundtables, field trips, days of action) that are aligned with HECHO priorities.
• Work with HECHO staff to create targeted outreach materials (i.e. press releases, letters to the editor, blogs, factsheets, petitions, digital content) to help generate local media, mobilize grasstops leaders and grassroots activists, and engage with and influence elected and appointed officials on our policy priorities.
• Identify emerging issues and seek opportunities for additional funding and capacity-building for HECHO.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated commitment to community-building and movement-building for social change
• A working knowledge of Arizona’s land and water issues, traditional land/water use and Hispano communities, conservation community, government, and regulatory agencies.
• Proven ability to implement core tactics of organizing, which may include: grasstops mobilization, policy-maker engagement, earned/opinion media generation, phone banking, and coalition-building.
• Excels working in diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic professional environments.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an effective communication style.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners.
• Flexible, innovative, and self-motivated to identify priorities and complete work independently and as an integral member of the team.
• Familiarity of and demonstrated commitment to Hispanic heritage, in particular cultural and historical connections to the land, air, and water, and ability to share knowledge in a culturally responsive way.
• Excellent communication skills including writing and public speaking.
• An ability and willingness to travel as required and to work flexible hours outside a 9-5 schedule.
• Conversational Spanish language skills preferred.

Experience:

• Relevant/related professional experience, including grasstops leader mobilization, issue or policy advocacy, strategic campaign planning and management, virtual organizing, digital advocacy, public speaking, and/or media relations.
• Demonstrated experience working with rural, under-served communities, or environmental justice communities.
• Experience with interfacing with and effectively engaging diverse groups (staff, volunteers, stakeholders, politicians, agency partners, etc.)
• Relevant experience incorporating the perspectives of frontline communities or communities of color in the impact and outcomes of decision-making.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to establish priorities and manage activities independently.

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

Salary Range and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $45,000-$50,000 annually, dependent upon qualifications and experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits in 2021!  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, 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), 10 holidays, and 3 floating 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.

COVID Consideration:

The National Wildlife Federation closely follows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease and has implemented processes that promote the safety of our employees, candidates, and communities.  Because the health of our employees and candidates is a top priority, we conduct our hiring process virtually via phone or video until further notice.  We are currently starting our positions as remote, but will transition to onsite work when our offices re-open, expected to be in 2022.  Proof of vaccination will be required as a condition to join the National Wildlife Federation.

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please submit a resume and cover letter that helps us understand your knowledge about public lands and water issues, as well as your experience with grasstops mobilization.

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.

www.nwf.org