JOB OPPORTUNITY
New York Outreach Coordinator
Alliance for the Great Lakes
The Alliance for the Great Lakes is hiring a New York Outreach Coordinator (Coordinator) to support the oldest independent Great Lakes citizens’ organization in North America. The Coordinator will work primarily in western New York to organize volunteers and educate key constituencies to achieve conservation and preservation of Great Lakes resources.
Formed in 1970 as the Lake Michigan Federation, the Alliance is the oldest citizens’ Great Lakes organization in North America. Its mission is to conserve and restore the world's largest freshwater resource using policy, education and local efforts, ensuring a healthy Great Lakes and clean water for generations of people and wildlife. For more information about the Alliance’s programs and work, please visit us online at www.greatlakes.org.
Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of the Coordinator will be to build the Alliance’s institutional presence in Western New York by working with volunteers, organizations and individuals through the Adopt-a-Beach™ monitoring and action planning effort and other outreach and education opportunities. The work will build on the Alliance’s established presence in Great Lakes coastal communities.
- Build partnerships, recruit constituents and implement the Adopt-a-Beach program at target beaches in Erie, Monroe and Chautauqua Counties, with an emphasis on the Buffalo region and the Rochester Area of Concern. Communicate with and train schools, volunteers, beach health officials and a variety of community-based organizations using face-to-face meetings and electronic media.
- Identify opportunities to link Adopt-a-Beach effort with the Alliance’s Great Lakes in My World school curriculum and coordinate this linkage with Alliance education staff.
- Identify strategic opportunities to address local issues, build partnerships with New York organizations and create capacity to improve Great Lakes health.
- Conduct general information presentations about the Alliance program to community-based organizations, beach health officials and educational institutions.
Knowledge/Skills
- Extraordinary “people” skills, including the ability to motivate a wide variety of ages from diverse communities including: schools, civic groups, garden clubs, and community-based environmental organizations. Working with volunteers requires patience and a positive disposition.
- Excellent listening, writing, and speaking skills. Job will require public speaking in a clear, effective manner, newsletter and website article writing, other communication abilities and a willingness to share your enthusiasm for the Great Lakes.
- Attraction to mission-driven public interest work, often with resource limitations that require resourcefulness in leveraging assistance from pro bono experts and volunteers.
- Ability to work independently and to encourage integration and teamwork among staff and volunteers of varying expertise and located in different offices.
- Undergraduate degree, plus three years of professional experience in natural resource-related organizing or education is preferred. Understanding of Great Lakes issues is essential.
Application Process
Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, references, and writing sample to:
Janet Taylor, Administrative Assistant
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Deadline for Applications: February 28, 2011 or until position is filled.
Materials should be compatible with Microsoft Word. Applicants will receive confirmation of receipt of their materials and further guidance and updates about the hiring process by e-mail, with interviews provided for finalists. No phone inquiries please.
