Audubon’s chapter members, online advocates, and community activists are the key to our ability to influence decision makers on the biggest conservation challenges of today. Audubon’s two new Conservation Organizers in Southeast Florida will be tasked with strengthening and broadening our political power in this region, recruiting new advocates, and identifying members who can effectively participate in more active policy advocacy campaigns on Everglades Restoration and Climate Change. These positions will report to the Director of Everglades Policy and coordinate with the Director of Legislative Affairs. The Conservation Organizers are highly energetic, adaptable, relationship-oriented, and results-driven team players who effectively engages volunteers, partners and nontraditional allies to achieve Climate Change Solutions and Everglades policy outcomes. They will be responsible for a number of activities, to include volunteer trainings, lobbying days, field trips, sign-on letters, opinion media, gathering signatures, regular statewide travel, and more.
These two positions may be located in the following Florida counties: Orange, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, or Monroe, and organizers outside of Miami-Dade will work from a home office.
Recruiting New Advocates based on the campaign plan that may include but is not limited to:
- Engage with Audubon chapters within South Florida;
- Enlist students from local universities;
- Engage with local civic and religious organizations;
- Engage and identify partnerships with business leaders in the community, including local Chambers of Commerce, corporations, and other nontraditional allies around Everglades Restoration and Climate Change issues;
- Cultivate coverage in traditional and new media;
- Participate in Audubon Florida’s Regional Conservation Committees;
- Represent Audubon Florida in outreach events and functions.
Cultivating Advocate Skills and Affinity for Audubon
- Regular communications with network via email and in person;
- Conducting training workshops and field trips on relevant issues and skills;
- Identifying and implementing relevant projects in which network may engage;
- Engage advocates as volunteer leaders in their communities about Climate and Everglades issues;
- Continuously look for ways to expand the organization’s community of Everglades and Climate Change supporters, volunteers, and partners through recruitment and partnership-building aligned with program’s long-term goals;
- Responsible for tracking campaign activity and outcomes on a weekly basis.
Engaging the Network on Everglades Restoration and Climate
- Develop campaign materials to assist engagement of Audubon chapters and new partners in Climate Change and Everglades Restoration issues – fact sheets, presentations, talking points, among others;
- Coordinate with Director of Everglades Policy and Director of Legislative Affairs to organize in-district meetings and events between advocates and elected officials;
- Enlist local grassroots to “adopt” South Florida Water Management District Governing Board members and build relationships with them;
- Enlist local grassroots to “adopt” one or more Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects to become more knowledgeable about them and advocate for their progress;
- Coordinate and attend birding field trips with Audubon Chapters to Everglades Restoration sites and use them as opportunity to train/enlist/educate advocates on Everglades issues;
- Develop toolkit of local government actions on climate change and Everglades Restoration and organize grassroots to advocate for these actions;
- Participate in the Southeast Florida Climate Compact process and other local government climate initiatives in the region;
- Mobilize grassroots on opportunities identified by Director of Everglades Policy and Director of Legislative Affairs.
- 2-3 years issue organizing experience, including volunteer management, leading community events and training required;
- Excellent leadership, conflict-resolution, and interpersonal skills; ability to motivate volunteers and partners essential;
- Experience working with diverse constituencies, including bipartisan coalitions and communities of color;
- A self-starter, one who is motivated, able to work in a decentralized work environment with minimal supervision, and juggle multiple projects simultaneously;
- Excellent time management skills, with a proven track record of meeting deadlines and goals;
- Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment;
- Strong problem solving skills, including ability to respond quickly and effectively to unforeseen challenges.
- Effective listening, probing, and assessment skills;
- Tech-savvy, with proficiency in social media and MS Office applications;
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills and the ability to build consensus among a wide range of individuals. Comfort with presenting and engaging in public speaking events necessary;
- Willingness to travel across state, as well as working evenings and weekends as the job responsibilities demand;
- Strong commitment to conservation, climate solutions and to the mission of the National Audubon Society.