Waterkeepers Chesapeake seeks an enthusiastic convener and self-starter to lead Waterkeepers Chesapeake into its next chapter and serve as its new Director. The Director convenes the member Waterkeepers to collaborate on shared advocacy priorities and to leverage their expertise and talents. We seek a candidate who values environmental protection, demonstrates and values collaboration, and brings the skills and enthusiasm needed to support our Waterkeepers and amplify their collective impact. The Director plays a pivotal role in forging new and important partnerships in the broader community, and securing funding to support its mission through foundation grants and other donations.

We are a hybrid workplace, with most staff working remotely. Your location must be convenient to routine travel to Silver Spring, Maryland and Annapolis, Maryland, and occasional travel to other locations within the Chesapeake watershed.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible.

Who we are:Waterkeepers Chesapeake fights for clean water and a healthy environment by supporting a regional coalition of Waterkeepers throughout the Chesapeake and coastal regions as they protect their communities, rivers, and streams from pollution. Waterkeepers Chesapeake and its Waterkeeper members are members of Waterkeeper Alliance, a global alliance of Waterkeeper programs.

Key Responsibilities:

Advocacy & Member Support(85%)

• Working with the Waterkeeper members, develop, review and update WKCs Strategic Plan and annual work plans.
• Craft, plan and implement advocacy campaigns for and in collaboration with the Waterkeeper members.
• Assist Waterkeeper members in articulating and harnessing their collective power in legislative and policy outreach by developing shared communications and advocacy products.
• Work with coalition members to facilitate collaboration on regional priority issues, campaigns, and legislation in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
• Support member Waterkeepers legal advocacy, including assisting in connecting with legal assistance and resources.
• Manage communications that support Waterkeepers Chesapeake and coalition members, and raises awareness of priority issues.
• Organize regular membership meetings and trainings on issues, technical skills development, and capacity building.
• Organize annual WKC member planning and training retreat.
• Participate in and monitor regional and national networks and coalitions such as Choose Clean Water Coalition Steering Committee, Maryland Community Coalition for the Environment, Virginia Conservation Network, etc.
• Track member support activities and report annually to the individual coalition members.

Operations & Fundraising(15%)

• Responsible for fundraising efforts, primarily writing grant proposals and reports.
• Build partnerships to leverage resources and expertise in support of WKCs mission and work.
• Supervise and manage Program Associate, whose main responsibilities include implementing communications strategies, providing program support, and supporting coalition members.
• Prepare and track the annual budget.
• Ensure WKCs adherence to Waterkeeper Alliances Quality Standards as a licensed Regional Entity.

Key Qualifications:

• Proven campaign leadership abilities, including demonstrated ability to craft and implement multi-part, strategic, and creative campaigns from start to finish in a mission-driven working environment.
• Visionary mindset with a successful track record aligning multiple stakeholders with differing perspectives around a common vision and collaborating on strategies to work together to achieve it.
• Demonstrated passion for the environment and an interest in learning about water quality issues (if not already familiar with them) along with the ability to develop into an effective and persuasive spokesperson to the public on these issues.
• Capacity to understand complex environmental legal issues and the regulatory framework concerning water pollution and waterway protection (but not necessary to be a subject matter expert in these areas).
• Successful grant writing and fundraising experience.
• Demonstrated success in working as a coordinating member of a team and developing effective working relationships with staff, coalition members, and partners.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including researching, writing, public speaking, and excellent listening skills.
• High level of professionalism, self-motivation, and team orientation.
• Strong time-management and organizational skills with an attention to detail, high standards, and ability to multitask with a positive attitude, flexibility, and attention to detail.
• Three years of relevant nonprofit management experience.
• Experience in a coalition or network setting and familiarity with the Waterkeeper movement preferred.
• Experience with the legislative process preferred.

Commitment to Inclusion and Racial Justice

WKC strives to integrate values of equity, fairness, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability into our work, which includes reflecting our commitment to racial justice in our programmatic work and our organizational structure and values. We are seeking candidates who have a commitment to engage in this ongoing process and work with us to create an inclusive work environment and world. Waterkeepers Chesapeake is an equal opportunity employer.

How to apply & job details

We are a hybrid workplace, with most staff working remotely. Your location must be convenient to routine travel to Silver Spring, Annapolis and occasional travel to other locations within the watershed.

Salary range is $75,000 – $90,000 depending on experience. WKC values employee growth and advancement and makes opportunities for these even with our small size. The position includes a benefits package designed for your well-being and a healthy work-life balance including: health insurance, retirement benefit, generous vacation and time off, and flexible work arrangements. The position is available immediately.

Please submit a resume and cover letter indicating your specific interest in this position. In addition, you can submit additional materials such as writing samples. Send to info(at)waterkeeperschesapeake.org with subject line: YOUR LAST NAME: WKC Director application. Resumes without a cover letter will not be considered.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interested individuals are strongly encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible.