Chapter Director
Sierra Club
Bakersfield, CA, USA
Posted on Nov 14, 2024
Title: Chapter Director
Department: Kern-Kaweah Chapter
Location: The Kern-Kaweah Chapter is located in Kern, Tulare, and Kings counties of California. This role will be hybrid in person & remote. Travel will be required.
Reports To: Kern-Kaweah Chapter Executive Committee; Senior Manager, Office of Chapter Support - Western Region
Supervises: N/A
Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.
Scope: The Chapter Director is responsible for the development of plans, priorities, and strategies to further the goals of the Sierra Club in the Kern-Kaweah Chapter in conjunction with the Executive Committee, including goals for conservation, political and legislative programs, assuring equity and inclusion, fundraising, volunteer development and member services, administration, budgeting and financial management, and media relations.The director represents the Kern-Kaweah Chapter and the Sierra Club to government officials, the media, business, community and Tribal partners, donors, allies, other organizations, and the public. Evening and weekend work is required.
Job activities include but are not limited to:
- Facilitates and contributes to development of the Chapter’s short- and long-term strategic, programmatic, and financial goals, in coordination with the Executive Committee and relevant Chapter Committees. Ensures that the Chapter’s work reflects Sierra Club national priorities. Regularly reports to the Executive Committee on progress toward annual goals and budget.
- Responsible for the Chapter’s public communications in coordination with relevant staff and volunteer leaders. This includes regular contacts with the media to maximize the Chapter’s public visibility and credibility. Ensures that an adequate number of knowledgeable and representative spokespersons are available to address the public and the media. Ensures that the Chapter’s digital communications strategy is effective.
- Supports the Executive Committee in recruiting, onboarding and developing volunteer leadership with diversity of age, race, gender and geography.
- Builds strong relationships for ongoing work together with key leaders statewide. This includes Chapter and group leadership, key statewide public officials and their staff, candidates for office, and a diverse range of organizational and frontline community leaders. Represents the Chapter with public officials and community leaders when appropriate.
- Oversees Chapter compliance. Ensures compliance with Sierra Club policies, with legal requirements for use of Sierra Club resources among staff, and with Sierra Club’s employment policies and practices. Supports volunteer leaders in ensuring compliance in the broader Sierra Club program. Ensures compliance with all applicable laws (local, state, and national) pertaining to Chapter operations.
- Responsible for Chapter fundraising including grants, fund appeals, cultivation of major donors and other fundraising activities. Responsible for overseeing the development of an annual fundraising plan and meeting fundraising goals in coordination with development staff and volunteer leaders.
- Regularly attends Chapter Executive Committee meetings. Attends other Chapter and/or Group meetings based on priorities. Is available as needed on weekends and after hours to participate in key meetings with staff, volunteers or others.
- Occasional travel required. Occasional regional/local travel throughout California for advocacy events, team/group meetings, and other events required. Successful candidates must have the ability to transport themselves to events, using lawful transportation, such as with a valid driver's license and private vehicle, or public transportation, or alternative transportation.
The successful candidate must have the following skills and experience:
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships for collaborative goal-focused political work together with other leaders, such as state and federal elected officials, coalition and community leaders, and specifically with volunteer leaders.
- Leading on Equity. Models effective equity analysis and practice and have a track record of operationalizing equity, and have embedded justice and equity throughout team/department policies, structures, culture, and programs. Budget experience. Strong financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision making and reporting.
- Litigation-related experience including ability to build relationships and collaborate with legal teams. Ability to incorporate CEQA and NEPA compliance concerns into the Chapter’s strategic and programmatic goals.
- Demonstrated ability to implement plans, communicate changes effectively, build consensus, monitor transitions, and evaluate results.
- Committed to evolution. You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
- Uplifting and additive. You see mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.
The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following experience, skills and competencies:
- Non-profit management or Board experience.
- Expertise in the practice of cultural competency and sensitivity to the social, economic, and other barriers impacting historically under-represented populations in the state, at the moment of prioritizing and developing short and long term campaign plans/goals.
- Experience in energy, climate, public lands protection, and/or other environmental policy in California.
- Experience with non-profit fundraising processes and relationships, including with funders, partner agencies, high net worth individuals, donors, and/or volunteers.
- Experience and knowledge of state and federal legislative processes; relationships with media, elected officials, lobbyists in California.
- Excellent computer skills and familiarity with online communications and office productivity tools.
- Exceptional curiosity, critical thinking, and clarity.
To Apply
The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.
Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.