Community Outreach Manager

Are you passionate about building and activating intentional communities, building pipelines into conservation careers, and advocating for open space and parks? Do you love meeting new and diverse people and fostering deeper connections with nature and the outdoors? Sonoma Land Trust seeks a multitalented community organizer and volunteer manager to support the organization’s mission to partner with local communities to protect the open, natural, and working lands and waters of Sonoma County to secure healthy and thriving futures for all.

Sonoma Land Trust’s community engagement programs serve a diverse audience with broad cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, and orientations. We encourage applications from candidates who reflect and value the audiences and populations we serve.

Overview

The Community Outreach Manager is responsible for the development and implementation of inclusive outreach, community organizing, and volunteer and internship opportunities that serve all areas of Sonoma Land Trust’s mission. Under the direction of the Community Engagement and Education Director, this role works closely with staff in all departments to develop, support and empower volunteers, interns, and community members to help advance conservation throughout the county. The Community Outreach Manager will lead the creation and administration of inclusive volunteer and internship opportunities, build programmatic systems to track and support volunteers and interns, lead public outreach activities, and organize diverse communities to advocate for and engage with conservation projects like parks and preserves.

You’re encouraged to apply if you:

• Have at least 3+ years of experience building communities around mission driven strategies and 2+ years managing and supervising volunteers and/or interns.
• Are people-oriented with exceptional relationship development and management skills.
• Understand how to create multicultural spaces that are welcoming, growth oriented, and sensitive to differing identities. The position includes a 3-4% pay differential for Spanish/English bilingual proficiency.
• Have flexibility to work outside of normal business hours on evenings and weekends when our audiences are available.

Primary Responsibilities

Volunteer and Internship Program Management (70%)

• Create, develop, and maintain volunteer programs and internships that advance conservation, protection, and restoration of open space and parks.
• Collaborate with departments to identify, scope, and implement volunteer projects and internships.
• Lead recruitment, solicitation, onboarding, training and administration of all volunteers and interns with particular focus on reaching BIPOC and young people.
• Respond to all individual volunteer and internship inquiries.
• Collaboratively create position descriptions for volunteer and internship roles and projects.
• Maintain volunteer and intern records and statistics in the database.
• Create, develop and implement volunteer training and educational opportunities.
• Develop and implement formal and informal volunteer/intern appreciation programs.
• Manage institutional contracts and partnerships to facilitate internship and volunteer opportunities.
• Monitor program satisfaction and evaluate impacts of programs.
• Interview and place volunteers, matching their skills and interest with the specific needs of the organization.
• Plan and actively participate (as needed) in volunteer workdays with individuals, groups, and youth.
• Co-develop learning objectives and performance reviews for interns with staff.

Community Organizing and Outreach (30%)

• Conduct outreach, base building, training, education, and leadership development for communities in support of land conservation and open space.
• Implementing programs designed to empower members of the community to act on local issues such as park access or climate impacts.
• Organize and host community listening sessions, outreach to marginalized communities, and conduct issue-based research to refine project approaches, strategies, context, and direction.
• Lead community organizing to bolster and build strong community input into park development and design.
• Manage volunteer engagement efforts in support of local policy and ballot initiatives such as the expected reauthorization of Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District.
• Manage and coordinate outreach activities with cross-departmental planning team for public audiences (not including donor or board activities).
• Participate and support departmental programming and events as needed, including with youth.
• Conduct regular outreach, including on weekends, to build awareness and increase community participation in Southeast Greenway, Sonoma Developmental Center, and other organizational initiatives.

Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; desirable majors and experiences include environmental studies, community development, public administration, or communications.
• 3+ years’ experience building communities around mission driven strategies.
• 2+ years of experience in volunteer supervisorial or management role.
• Exceptional relationship building and interpersonal skills, outgoing, energetic and people oriented.
• Professional written and verbal communication skills in English with ability write policies, grants, and promotional materials.
• Nuanced understanding and experience creating cross-cultural and culturally sensitive programs and events.
• Professionally represent the Sonoma Land Trust in a variety of settings and situations.
• Close attention to detail, accuracy, excellent organizational skills, and ability to multi-task and prioritize.
• Ability to see big picture concepts and details to accomplish project goals.
• Proficiency with common computer operations, including Windows OS, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel).
• A valid driver’s license.
• Ability to work frequently on weekends and in the evenings.

Preferred Skills and Experience  

• Experience developing and maintaining volunteer databases for tracking and organizing.
• Written and verbal communication skills in Spanish.
• Authentic passion for land conservation and enthusiasm for connecting people to the land.

Mandated Reporter

This is mandated reporter designated position. Sonoma Land Trust employees whose duties include direct contact and supervision of children are deemed mandated reporters under California Law.  Mandated reporters have certain specific reporting obligations in the event that they know of, observe or reasonably suspect that a child has been the victim of child abuse or neglect. Sonoma Land Trust provides mandated reporters with training of their rights and obligations under the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.

Schedule, Salary & Benefits
This is a regular, full-time, 40 hour per week (exempt status) position.

Salary starting at $81,000 (or $84,000 for English/Spanish bilingual proficiency) annually, commensurate with experience. Benefits include generous employer contributions to medical, dental and vision insurance plans. Employer contribution to retirement plan after 1 year of employment. Paid time off includes 15 paid holidays, paid vacation based on tenure and personal and parental leave in accordance with organizational policies and procedures.

This position is located at the Sonoma Land Trust office in Santa Rosa, California. Staff are working a hybrid model which allows them to work from their home off and SLT’s office or in the field. Some fieldwork required as well as evenings and weekend hours.

About Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust works in alliance with nature to conserve and restore the integrity of the land, with a focus on climate resiliency. The organization is also committed to ensuring more equitable access to the outdoors. Since 1976, the non-profit Land Trust has protected over 57,000 acres of scenic, natural, agricultural, and open land for future generations. Sonoma Land Trust is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and was the recipient of the 2019 Land Trust Alliance Award of Excellence. For more information, please visit the Sonoma Land Trust website.

We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment that is representative of the communities we serve. We know that having varied perspectives leads to better outcomes to solve the complex problems of conservation, climate change, and environmental justice in Sonoma County. And to best serve the people of our community, we are taking the actions outlined in our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan.

Sonoma Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We strive to create a diverse and inclusive organization and encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, national or regional origins, sexes, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military or veteran status or other status protected by law.