JOIN US!
Come join a growing team of conservation professionals at the Xerces Society who are dedicated to protecting some of the world’s most important animals. We are seeking a skilled and collaborative Director of Conservation Policy. This is an exciting new position at the Xerces Society that will be responsible for crafting and executing broad and impactful strategies to conserve invertebrate diversity. As a member of the organization’s senior leadership team, this position will report to the Executive Director and lead our conservation policy efforts. The Director of Conservation Policy will work with the Executive Director and other director level positions (Directors of Pesticide Reduction Program, Endangered Species Program, Pollinator and Agricultural Biodiversity Program) and the communications and outreach teams to positively impact laws and other conservation policies at the federal, state and local level that support invertebrate conservation.
At Xerces, we harness the knowledge of scientists and the enthusiasm of the public to implement conservation programs. We take action by helping farms and public agencies develop conservation plans for pollinators and beneficial insects, producing ground-breaking publications on insect conservation, promoting policies that protect and conserve invertebrates, training thousands of farmers and land managers to protect and manage habitat for beneficial insects, protecting endangered species and their habitat, and engaging the public to raise awareness about invertebrates found in farms, forests, prairies, deserts, streams, wetlands, towns and cities. Our methods focus on habitat conservation planning, education, scientific analysis, policy, advocacy, and applied research to conserve invertebrates, such as bees, butterflies, mollusks, and fireflies.
WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING:
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Conservation Policy will craft and implement impactful strategies and coordinate efforts across programs to promote policies that help invertebrates. This position will work closely with other Xerces staff and Xerces partners. Core issues include 1) Managing our “Insects are Wildlife Campaign†by engaging with wildlife agencies, conservation partners and state legislators to update state laws so that all state wildlife agencies have authority to manage and conserve insects and other invertebrates. The initial focus will be on Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon and Pennsylvania, 2) Establishing criteria and processes for tracking and evaluating policy priorities and working with Xerces senior conservation staff to determine Xerces Society’s official position on emerging policy issues, 3) Providing guidance and support in efforts to pass local, state and federal legislation to meet Xerces’ pesticide use reduction goals, and 4) Supporting other changes to federal and state laws, policies and regulations to better conserve invertebrates. This position will be based in a home office, and work closely via video, phone and in-person meetings with the Executive Director, other Xerces’ conservation directors, and Xerces’ Operations Director. To be successful, the person who fills this position will also work with local, regional and national NGO partners, legislators and others.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Director of Conservation Policy will:
Conduct legislative and policy research.
Plan, develop and implement strategic policy initiatives that conserve invertebrates and their habitat, working with the executive director and senior conservation, outreach and communications staff.
Build and leverage relationships with key stakeholders such as Xerces members and supporters, scientists, elected officials, community leaders, and other non-profit organizations in states and localities where we are focusing on change.
Identify, build, and lead partnerships and coalitions to strengthen Xerces Society policy efforts.
Write and produce position letters, public comments, research briefs, toolkits, and other assets for campaigns.
Work closely with the Communications and Outreach and Education teams to produce outreach and education materials including brief fact sheets for legislative concepts as well as action alerts for regulatory and legislative efforts.
Serve as the Xerces’ main point of contact on invertebrate conservation policy issues with external interests, coalitions, and decision makers.
Establish criteria and process for evaluating policy priorities and determining Xerces Society’s official position on emerging policy issues.
Identify and monitor legislative developments and relevant agency actions and provide timely updates and strategic and tactical recommendations related to this activity.
Track lobbying hours and expenditures for yourself and other staff working on policy issues, be responsible for lobbying compliance and filings, and coordinate all lobbying efforts across programs.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE:
REQUIRED
Experience with relationship building skills across an organization and among partners such as nonprofit organizations, businesses, public agencies, tribes, donors, and/or volunteers.
Specific knowledge of and experience interpreting state and/or federal environmental laws, regulations or policies
Demonstrated track record of effectively advocating for policy changes.
Excellent team player with experience working in multi-disciplinary groups, using influence and interpersonal skills, listening, diplomacy and tact to build strong relationships with governments, businesses, partners, donors, volunteers, and all levels of staff.
Strong organizational skills including ability to manage complex or multiple projects under deadline, while delivering quality results. Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ability and willingness to work with diverse teams and constituents in a respectful, equitable, and inclusive fashion.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including the ability to write clear emails. Ability to deliver effective presentations virtually and in person.
Experience in strategy development and implementation.
Experience negotiating complex high profile or sensitive agreements.
Working knowledge of common software applications (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web browsers).
PREFERRED
Experience working for a state legislative office, federal legislative office, and/or lobbying state and federal lawmakers.
Knowledge of federal agencies (e.g. EPA and FWS) and the acts they enforce (e.g. FIFRA and ESA) and/or strong knowledge of / experience with Farm Bill policy
Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experiences.
Experience with current and evolving political, legislative and conservation trends and issues.
Experience preparing and presenting proposals to, as well as communicating and negotiating with federal, state, local and/or tribal government, community, and interest group representatives.
Experience building consensus with multiple stakeholders.
Knowledge of environmental or natural resource topics such as pollinator conservation, climate change, water policy, forest management, and coastal resilience.
Experience with Federal and State lobbying disclosure rules, and compliance procedures.
Experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
Supervisory experience.
