Audubon North Carolina posts and manages beach-nesting bird colonies on Wrightsville Beach. As a busy, public beach, the area receives a great deal of foot traffic and is both vulnerable to human disturbance and ideal for outreach. The volunteer coordinator will work to recruit, train, and manage volunteer bird stewards on Wrightsville Beach. The volunteers will then act as ambassadors for the birds by educating beachgoers about the birds, answering questions from the public, and using optics to show people the birds. The volunteer coordinator will also ensure beachgoers or their dogs do not enter the posting or disturb nesting birds and interact with Town of Wrightsville Beach staff as needed. The volunteer coordinator will lead field trips at the colony, act a bird steward him- or herself, do light maintenance of the posting, and collect data as/if needed. He or she will report to the coastal biologist and work closely with other Audubon North Carolina staff to ensure the needs of the birds are met throughout the summer.
Please note that this is a part-time seasonal position (15-20 hours/week, March-August), and housing is not provided.
- Recruit and train volunteers to be bird stewards on Wrightsville Beach.
- Coordinate and organize volunteers’ schedules to ensure the greatest possible bird steward presence at the colony and distribute materials and equipment needed for volunteer activities.
- Perform bird steward duties at the colonies as needed.
- Lead regular weekly bird walks at the colony, and organize field trips for groups as requested.
- Support volunteers, collect paperwork, field phone calls and e-mails, and provide logistical support when possible.
- Collect counts of human or dog entry into the posted areas, collect the same from volunteers, and assist with nest censuses in the colony.
- Organize volunteer appreciation event(s).
- Experience with and a high comfort level in both public speaking and interacting with the public on an informal basis is required; experience interacting with local government officials desired.
- Demonstrated interest in protecting coastal wildlife in North Carolina.
- Knowledge of beach-nesting bird biology preferred.
- Willingness to work in harsh conditions outdoors, especially extreme heat, and to provide own transportation to and from the beach.
- Management or HR experience preferred.
- Willingness to work on weekends and holidays; candidate must live in the Wilmington, NC area.
- Excellent oral and written communication and public speaking skills.