Partnerships Specialist

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has grown into America's largest and most trusted environmental conservation organization with more than six million members and supporters and 53 state and territorial affiliates (autonomous, nonprofit organizations that take the lead in state and local conservation efforts and collaborate with NWF to conduct advocacy activities on national issues). The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world. To save wildlife and ourselves, the National Wildlife Federation believes that we need to ensure that everyone in the United States of America has clean air and water, safe communities, easy, safe, and equitable access to the daily benefits of nature, and protection from the ravages of climate change. These basic needs, equally necessary and urgent for all people, are foundational to bringing the conservation movement and ethos into the 21st century.

Principal Duties:

In this role, you will serve as a convener and collaborator across the organization, our affiliates and partners to identify strategies and opportunities to grow the conservation movement – that is, the number of individuals and organizations that actively support NWF’s mission. These duties include:

Partnerships Strategy - Working with the Senior Advisor for Strategy and Leadership, develop a framework for expanding the Big Tent while also deepening Impact.

• Support the development and Implementation of the Partnerships Transcendent Principles.
• Regularly engage with NWF policy and program staff to ensure partner engagement opportunities are transformational, respectful of partner capacity, and maximize partner strengths and relationships.
• Facilitate deep engage of the existing partner network in NWF’s policy and program work across departments and programs.
• Serve as a liaison between the Partnerships Team and program and policy teams to share information and make recommendations on effective partnership in programs, policy, and advocacy efforts.
• Support the development of efforts that connect community-based and led work with Conservation and Education Team priorities work across the Federation including affiliates.

Partnerships Research & Analytics - Develop tools and use technologies that allow for capturing and analyzing partnership relationships and NWF effectiveness across the federation.

• Build a partnerships database to conduct ongoing analysis and evaluation of NWF's Partnership trends in addition to assessing effectiveness of NWFs community, state, regional, and nation partnerships.
• Work with conservation teams like the education and science teams in addition to the Action Fund, campaigns and digital teams to strengthen activist cultivation pipeline and target new and expanded activist audiences.

Partner Engagement

• Support the development of planning and convening models to engage place-based and community partners in the development and execution of conservation and education programs.
• Assist in integration of new partners and organizations into expanded “Big Tent”.
• Support the development of a framework for partner leadership development.
• Work with relevant NWF board members and committees to facilitate conservation movement building opportunities.

Qualifications:

Strong candidates for this position will have demonstrated proficiency in building and maintaining authentic partnerships with a diversity of individuals and organizations. Additionally, candidates are required to have:

• a strong foundation in environmental, sustainability, environmental justice, and/or conservation principles and practices through their educational background and/or professional experience in conservation, science, public policy or a related field;
• experience working with nonprofit organizations and depth of understanding of nonprofit governance, operations, and fundraising principles;
• well-developed strategic thinking and prioritization skills and ability to balance multiple projects simultaneously and autonomously;
• strong analytical skills, proficiency in data analysis tools;
• ability to interpret complex data, and an understanding of statistical methods;
• experience with state and federal policy, strategic understanding of political contexts and the development of advocacy campaigns;
• experience with digital advocacy, audience targeting and cultivation, and social media engagement;
• excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

These proficiencies are typically consistent with at least three years of professional experience.

 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.

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s required equity competencies at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

 Travel Requirements:

Once safe travel resumes, periodic travel throughout the country amounting to 1-2 days per month,12-20 days per year.

Location and Work Mode:

This position will be based out of our Headquarters in Reston, VA. The National Wildlife Federation is committed to a flexible and empowered work environment with an authentic community of care for all staff. In this position, the employee may work in the office, hybrid, or fully remote to be decided jointly with their supervisor in the final stages of the interview process. For more information on Work Modes, please review the benefits section of our careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

Physical Requirements of the Job:

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example, using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about the workspace. The position requires mobility, including moving materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet).

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note:

This job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $62,000 - $68,000/year, commensurate with experience.

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits, and by Forbes as one of America’s best small employers! 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 based on a full-time schedule, 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), and 11 holidays.
• We close 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

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume.

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. To be eligible for this role you must be a U.S. citizen or have valid work authorization to work in the U.S.

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.