Job Opportunity: Wyss Conservation Fellow at California Native Plant Society

[Andre Clemente]

Wyss Conservation Fellow
California Native Plant Society
Job Announcement

About CNPS
The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide non-profit conservation organization (www.cnps.org) founded in 1965, with more than 12,500 members in 36 chapters across California and Baja California Mexico. The mission of CNPS is to protect California’s native plants and their natural habitats, today and into the future, through science, education, stewardship, gardening, and advocacy.

Job Summary
The CNPS Wyss Conservation Fellow is a full-time, non-exempt position directly supervised by the Conservation Program Director. The Wyss Fellow shall be employed for a period of two years. As a member of the Conservation Program team, the Wyss Fellow works in support of California’s national monument campaigns with the goal of increasing CNPS’s capacity to advance the conservation of California wildlands and the species and natural communities they support, while training as an early career professional expected to make ongoing contributions toward the conservation of California plants and places.

What You’ll Do
The Wyss Fellow’s primary role will be to provide capacity level support for the Conservation team’s work on California’s national monuments campaign. The fellow will assist the Conservation Program Director in coordinating campaign activities and priorities, including assisting Conservation Program staff in coordinating site visits and stakeholder field trips to proposed monuments sites. The fellow will attend campaign coalition meetings, assisting with the coordination of CNPS Conservation follow-up activities and related research. In addition to monuments work, the fellow will collaborate with Conservation and Communications colleagues on other strategic campaign priorities and actions, such as preparing comment letters, blog posts, and presentations, making calls, and engaging in other forms of advocacy. The Fellow’s other general responsibilities include providing logistical and communications support for the Conservation Program. Projects and tasks assigned will vary as priorities change and needs arise.

National Monuments Projects – 80%
• Build public and community support to ensure national monument campaign success. Generate items for “support books” through direct outreach, communication with our members, and the circulation of petitions to document support for campaigns.
• Attend coalition meetings and coordinate public meetings, tours, and events in collaboration with partners. Mobilize the community, including chapter members, to advocate for campaigns.
• Develop and deliver campaign messaging (e.g., public-facing articles, blog posts, presentations, petitions), in coordination with Communications and Conservation Program staff.
• Analyze and synthesize expert information on botanical resources for objects of interest reports to substantiate requests for permanent protection.
• Research and synthesize news and information related to the environmental and social impacts of monuments designations, identifying common policy issues.
• Help develop recommendations for national monument management plans by reviewing current management, identifying needs for improved management or monitoring, and researching resources of concern to inform the management plans using the best available science.

Program Support – 20%
• Attend CNPS Conservation team meetings and provide updates on status of work assignments.
• Support CNPS staff on advocacy (e.g. writing comment letters, preparing oral testimony, reviewing policy and environmental review documents) on key conservation issues with an emphasis on projects and policies that affect California’s public lands.
• Attend trainings, workshops, conferences to ensure effective work and support career development.
• Help craft communications related to projects in coordination with Conservation Program and Communications Program staff.
• Assist in communications with CNPS chapter conservation volunteers and provide support to the conservation efforts of CNPS chapter members.

Who You Are
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Ecology, Public Policy, Botany, Biology, Political Science, Communications, or a related area of study.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work well with people of different backgrounds.
• Familiarity with Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, e.g. ESRI ArcMap, ArcGIS Online. Training will be provided, if needed.
• Ability to maintain calm under pressure and under changing conditions.
• Strong organizational skills including the ability to prioritize time sensitive tasks across multiple ongoing projects.
• Demonstrated ability to complete detail-oriented work with high level of accuracy working independently or with a team.
• Strong grounding in the value of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice; understanding of how those values intersect with conservation.

Nice To Have’s
• While CNPS recognizes that not every individual will exhibit all of these characteristics, the successful candidate will possess at least one – and ideally more than one – of the following:
• Knowledge of CNPS, familiarity with native plants and plant communities throughout California.
• A commitment to habitat conservation, environmental justice, and public participation in decision making processes.
• Experience working with California’s indigenous communities to advance conservation objectives that are inclusive of Tribal knowledge.
• Fluency in Spanish or other languages spoken by Californians.

Physical Requirements
This job requires prolonged sitting and computer use. It may require participation in field trips with walking on uneven trails with variable grades. These requirements are representative, and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Additional Job Information
• Work time is generally Monday through Friday 8:00 to 5:00. Flexible work schedules are possible, with prior approval from the Program Director.
• This is a hybrid position based in the Sacramento area. With one meeting day in the office and four days remote. Periodic travel to locations throughout California will be required.
• Travel is expected to account for 5-10% of annual duties.
• A valid California driver’s license and proof of car insurance are required.

What You’ll Get
• Hourly rate of $22.91 – $24.69.
• 100% of employee premiums for Kaiser or Anthem Blue Cross health, life, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401 (k) retirement plan with up to 6% matching contributions, eligible immediately.
• Annual paid leave benefits include 13 holidays, 12 sick/wellness days, and 10 paid vacation days.
• CNPS-issued laptop, $750 home office stipend, and $60/month telework stipend.
• Paid parental leave.

Equal Opportunity Policy
• CNPS affords equal employment opportunity to all persons, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. CNPS is committed to recruiting a diverse and talented workforce and creating an inclusive environment that values different perspectives and fosters belonging.
• To better understand the demographic profile of applicants, CNPS requests candidates to fill out the volunteer questionnaire that is part of the application form. Your responses will remain confidential, anonymized, and not shared with the hiring committee.

To Apply
Submit a cover letter and resume here.
The deadline to apply is November 2, 2023.
Please include any pertinent information, including professional and personal experience, that is relevant to the position.
CNPS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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