Overview
The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. We work throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon’s state, regional, national, and international programs, nature centers, and chapters have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. As a sentinel species, we recognize that the fate of birds is inextricably tied to the fate of us all.
Audubon has more than 700 staff working across the United States and seven countries in 17 state and regional offices, 41 nature centers, and 23 wildlife sanctuaries. Together as one Audubon, we aspire to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss.
Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where our talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged, with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon will bring new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.
Position Summary
The Bird-Friendly Communities (BFC) Senior Coordinator will be the lead for our Long Island BFC program. The goal of this position is to expand our efforts to promote the use of native plants in landscaping on Long Island and beyond. The BFC Senior Coordinator will create the framework for the Ecoscaper Landscape Professional Endorsement program. This includes writing the curriculum for six lessons focused on bird-friendly landscaping practices, creating PowerPoints and accompanying materials to pilot the series of lessons, and advertising and coordinating the pilot lessons for a group of Long Island landscape professionals. Once the program pilot is complete, the BFC Senior Coordinator will continue to host Ecoscaper trainings in collaboration with local partners, chapters, and businesses to engage the professional audiences.
Program participants will be required to complete an in-person review of the application of these skills. This endorsement program will be replicated in other regions of NY, as well as CT. The Senior Coordinator will need to be extremely organized to maintain the endorsement roster, recertification dates, as well as completion of the program. Through this Landscaper Endorsement Program, we can respond to the needs of birds and the preferences of local communities by restoring native plants to our landscapes, conserving water, encouraging biodiversity, and protecting the water quality of LI Sound. This role is hybrid.
Compensation:
$48,000 - $52,000 / year
Essential Functions
The BFC Senior Coordinator will also take the lead on our already developed native habitat work including:
- Overseeing the Habitat Team of volunteers, to ensure our extensive native demonstration gardens and grounds are not only maintained, but also used as a teaching tool for the community. Work with volunteers and partners for an inclusive process and a strong maintenance plan.
- Managing volunteer groups to eradicate invasives and lead projects.
- Create, revise, and instruct Bird-Friendly Gardening programs; give presentations on bird-friendly gardening and bird-safe buildings to community and other groups. Coordinate Zoom workshops for landscape professionals, including coordinating continuing education credits with appropriate agencies
- Collaborating with communities to position Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center (TRSAC) to increase ecologically balanced spaces for birds and beneficial insects.
- Working with city officials to advance bird-friendly policies and help implement practices that reduce bird fatalities from collisions with glass windows.
- Planning and designing community garden projects, as well as our schoolyard habitat garden projects.
- Must have expertise in New York/northeast native plants and design considerations for gardens in urban spaces.
- Leading minimum of four native plant sales, includes planning, budgets, orders, advertising, and day of implementation of plant sales, with support from all TRSAC staff.
- Seeking to engage traditionally under-resourced communities in BFC activities, the Senior Coordinator will seek to identify opportunities for collaboration, sharing best practice, and learning. This may also involve coordination with additional members of the Center’s team as well as Audubon CT-NY conservation and policy staff.
- Creation and implementation of the Ecoscaper Landscape Professional Endorsement Program that engage new and diverse audiences and improve habitat for birds.
- Manage the Ecoscaper Landscape Professional Endorsement Program, pilot lessons, promote program, assess participants, maintain accurate records, continue to host suite of lessons several times a year.
- Collaborate with staff from other Audubon Centers in CT and NY to help expand this program in future years.
- Seek opportunities to secure Proclamations, Resolutions, or Ordinances for Plants for Birds.
- Serve as an ambassador for the Center and National Audubon Society throughout the community, including at conferences, meetings, advisory boards, festivals, and other events.
- Participate in staff meetings, discussions, and trainings related to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; seek to implement best practices in the office and during programs.
- Participate in fundraising, new initiatives, and overall growth of Audubon’s profile on Long Island.
- Contribute to grant proposals and reports to support Center programming, track program data, and interface with donors and foundation representatives.
- Other job-related duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology, biology, environmental science, or related field; or equivalent experience.
- Minimum three years’ experience in conservation, environmental education, and/or community organizing.
- Expertise in New York/northeast native plants, species for birds and insects, and Long Island ecology.
- Experience with program development, project management, garden design and monitoring, and data tracking and evaluation. Knowledge of Bird-Safe Buildings issues, best practices to reduce collisions.
- Experience working with diverse constituencies, including bipartisan coalitions and communities of color. Ability to develop positive partnerships with communities, politicians, organizations, and other stakeholders.
- Working knowledge of ArcGIS software, a plus.
- Attention to detail, excellent time management and project management skills, sound judgment under pressure.
- Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills. Comfort presenting and engaging others in public speaking events and group management skills.
- A self-starter, who is motivated, able to work with minimal supervision, and juggle multiple projects simultaneously.
- Capacity to work easily and effectively with a wide range of people, build relationships, be diplomatic and exhibit sensitivity to and understanding of the dynamics of a complex organization.
- Commitment to bird conservation and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
- Able to accompany/lead/supervise students on field trips with varied terrain, demonstrate/participate in activities such as bird watching/traversing park trails, with or without accommodation.
- Able to load/unload/haul equipment over moderate distances, with or without accommodation.
- Ability to carry program materials up and down steps and load into/out of the Audubon vehicle or garden cart is essential, with or without accommodation.
- Must be available for occasional weekend and evening work.
- Valid U.S. driver’s license for operating Audubon vehicle. Occasional out-of-state travel required.
- Proficiency in MS Office applications; working with digital photos and video; email, internet, social media.
This position is a union eligible position and is represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
EEO Statement
The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.
Accessibility Statement
The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
COVID Policy
All new hires must be fully vaccinated prior to their start of employment unless they are pre-qualified by HR for exemption.