Are you a Guardian for Wild Places?

WildEarth Guardians is seeking a full-time advocate in our Wild Places Program to advance a new paradigm of forest management and protection based on the emerging ‘forest wisdom’ science that shows forests are intelligent, adaptive systems capable of self healing. The Advocate will not only be responsible for advancing new policies and protections for southwestern national forests but also for activating citizens in defense of wild forests. Communicating this vision, as well as advocating for its implementation in federal forest policies and practices in the Southwest, will be a critical component of the position.

In this role you will advocate for improved ecological integrity, and the protection and restoration of important fish & wildlife habitat, habitat connectivity, and climate change refugia on U.S. Forest Service (FS) lands in Region 3 (AZ and NM), as well as in Southern Colorado as needed. The Advocate will also help lead our work in the southwest region coordinating with partners, engaging federal land agencies, and advocating for protection of the Mexican spotted owl. You will work to incorporate the concepts of Forest Wisdom and Proforestation in a manner that ensures ecosystems will be respected and managed responsibly and sustainably; that the natural and human environment is restored to the benefit of all people and living things; and that frontline communities do not bear disproportionate risks of environmental harm.

The position is supervised by the ReWilding Manager

Salary Range: $52,000 – $60,000
Location: AZ or NM (Tucson or Santa Fe preferable)
Deadline for Applications: January 31, 2022

POSITION SUMMARY

The SW ReWilding Advocate works closely with the ReWilding Manager to:

• Assist the ReWilding Manager in developing and advocating for policy changes necessary to advance a new forest management paradigm that incorporates concepts of Forest Wisdom and Proforestation into Forest Service culture and practices.
• Identify, review, track and comment on Forest Service projects and plans to ensure they meet applicable laws and advance our overall ReWilding Initiative mission and goals.
• Lead Guardians’ advocacy and policy recommendations in support of the long-term conservation of priority wildlife species, particularly ensuring the Forest Service adequately protects habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl and old growth forests overall.
• Communicate the ‘forest wisdom’ vision and its foundational scientific principles in compelling ways to Guardians’ members, the public, the media, and targeted agency personnel, decision-makers and funders will be a critical component of the work.
• Support the implementation of Guardians Environmental Justice Principles.

PRINCIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Project and Forest Plan Advocacy (30%)
• Policy Advocacy (20%)
• Mexican Spotted Owl / Priority Species Engagement (15 %)
• Communication (25%)
• Administration & Organizational Support (10%)

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Strong background and familiarity with environmental and public land laws and policies.
• At least 2 years of experience with technical writing.
• Strong written and verbal communication, with experience in media and/or public outreach and digital advocacy.
• Strong relational skills (including ability to connect with and build coalitions with diverse stakeholders) and knowledge and understanding of communities and cultures in the US Southwest; in particular AZ and NM.
• Creative, self-starter with proven ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Commitment to creating a new paradigm for forest management, combating climate change, and restoring ecological processes and habitat for imperiled wildlife.
• Strong moral compass and ability to stand against the tide.

Additional preferred skills include, but are not limited to:

• Knowledge of and experience with Forest Service planning processes and project engagement.
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to succeed in a fast-paced environment with a full workload where it is necessary to balance multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Passion for protecting and restoring wild places and wildlife habitat of the American Southwest.
• Interest and experience in bolstering issues of equity while confronting environmental injustice.
• Integrity, kindness, sense of humor, and a healthy sense of outrage.
• Bilingual (Spanish and/or Native Languages)

TO APPLY

Please apply for the SW Advocate position by providing a cover letter and resume through the web portal. Please have references available upon request. Cover letters should communicate the applicant’s heartfelt commitment to protect and restore wild places, and nature’s inherent right to exist and thrive. Applicants are encouraged to tell us who they are, why they care about this work, and why they are interested in this position.

Please submit applications by January 31st, 2022

Please respect our anonymous hiring process, and apply through the web portal rather than contacting Guardians staff directly. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.

ABOUT WILDEARTH GUARDIANS

WildEarth Guardians is a west-wide nonprofit environmental advocacy organization headquartered in Santa Fe, NM with offices in Denver, CO, Missoula, MT, Boise, ID, Seattle, WA, Tucson, AZ, and Portland, OR. With a 30-year history of bold environmental action, the organization wages innovative legal, political, and grassroots campaigns to protect and restore wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and community health in the American West.

WildEarth Guardians is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, family/marital status, religion or other protected classes. We especially encourage applications from persons of color, women and LGBTQ+ candidates.

JEDI VISION STATEMENT

WildEarth Guardians recognizes that numerous communities continue to be underrepresented in the environmental movement. Lack of access, lack of opportunity, and disparity of power in decisions affecting our shared planet is an injustice. This document represents our commitment to change that state of affairs by changing the culture of our own organization.

As advocates for the health of the natural world, WildEarth Guardians affirms biodiversity, ecological unity, and the interdependence of all life. We believe that diversity, whether of ecosystems, cultures, or peoples, is a strength. We affirm the right to a clean, safe, and healthy environment. We affirm the right to live free from the threat of ecosystem collapse. We recognize this right is not equally realized among all.

We work to ensure that the American West’s landscapes, wildlife, rivers, and climate will be protected so that future generations of people, plants, and animals can thrive in and be nourished by the natural world. We work to ensure that ecosystems will be respected and managed responsibly and sustainably; that the natural and human environment is restored to the benefit of all people and living things; and that no community should bear disproportionate risks of environmental harm due to demographic characteristics or economic conditions.

Power to manage lands and waters is being seized and consolidated by special interests. We must reverse this trend that threatens lands, waters, and Western communities.

WildEarth Guardians commits to becoming a more equitable, just, and inclusive organization. As we engage in this ongoing process, we commit to celebrating diversity, buoying inclusivity, and striving towards equity. We commit to integrity and accountability by continuing to seek out new training opportunities and in nurturing equity and inclusion throughout our organizational practices. We adopt Environmental Justice principles to guide our advocacy and outreach. We strive to confront injustice by welcoming a wide variety of voices as we defend the vulnerable from the powerful. We embrace opportunities to bring together as many people as we can to create a more just, beautiful, and equitable world. We are learning how to better bolster issues of equity while confronting environmental injustice, and we make this solemn promise that our actions will become consistent with our words.