Conservation Organizer

Hours: 40 hours per week, hybrid
Status: Non-exempt
Location: Hood River, OR; Washougal, WA; or elsewhere in the Columbia Gorge
Supervisor: Conservation Director

Friends of the Columbia Gorge was founded in 1980, with members in Oregon, Washington, and beyond dedicated to preserving, protecting, and stewarding the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. With offices in Portland and Hood River, Oregon and Washougal, Washington, the organization uses an array of tools (advocacy, litigation, land acquisition, and public education) to ensure the Columbia Gorge remains a wondrous and vibrant place. In 2005, Friends launched the Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust, a 509(a)(3) supporting organization to acquire spectacular landscapes within the Columbia Gorge

Summary of position

Friends of the Columbia Gorge is looking for a passionate, dedicated organizer who will help protect and enhance one of the true wonders of the world, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Friends is the only nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the protection of the Columbia Gorge.

The conservation organizer is responsible for building, developing, and implementing grassroots and grass-top power to maintain the Columbia Gorge as an amazing place to live, work, and play. They help develop organizational strategies and campaigns to advance Friends’ mission as well as specific campaign goals. The conservation organizer works with Friends’ staff, partners, and community members to provide input on community organizing strategies and also develops organizing materials and assists in developing lobbying strategies and efforts.

The conservation organizer also implements community organizing, education, and outreach strategies to advance Friends’ campaigns and deepen community engagement. This includes: meeting campaign plan deadlines and deliverables and public comment period deadlines; development and launching of Action Alerts; and communications with members, activists, and partners. The Conservation Organizer will work primarily in the following areas:

Build Grassroots Support

The Conservation Organizer seeks ways to grow Friends’ supporter and volunteer base by:

• Recruiting new activists through outreach
• Hosting and attending events and tabling
• Recruiting and training activists to testify at public hearings, write comment letters, and letters to the editor
• Training and developing activist leaders
• Creating a leadership network to assist in organizing activities
• Communicating with members, activists, and community leaders regularly via phone, email, text, and in-person communications
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with Friends’ allies
• Striving to increase the diversity of Friends membership, allies, partners, and support network

Monitor Local Government Actions for Potential Conservation Impacts

The Conservation Organizer monitors county and city actions to ensure those actions don’t harm Gorge resources, including:

• Tracking Local Government Actions: Regularly monitoring city and county government meetings, including planning commissions and county commissions, to identify potential threats to conservation and public land access.
• Building Relationships with Local Leaders: Meeting with elected officials, planning staff, and key decision-makers to educate them on Friends’ conservation priorities and advocate for strong land-use protections.
• Recruiting and Supporting Advocates: Identifying and engaging community members who can serve as advocates in their local jurisdictions, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to speak out for conservation.
• Coordinating Friends’ Participation: Ensuring that Friends is present at important local government meetings, either by attending directly or by mobilizing staff, volunteers, and community partners.
• Providing Public Comment and Advocacy: Drafting testimony, action alerts, and public comments in response to policies and proposals that could impact Gorge resources.

Implement Education and Outreach Strategies

The Conservation Organizer supports Friends’ climate change and land-use protection campaigns. This includes:

• Presenting to school groups, community groups, and participating in planning and implementing community engagement events.
• Developing communications for Friends’ various channels (fact sheets, magazine, action alerts, etc.)
• Representing Friends in its local coalition efforts
• Other assigned duties

Communicate with the Public, Members, Partners, and the Media

Occasionally, with prior authorization, this position represents Friends in the media. The conservation organizer may also:

• Conduct outreach to diverse communities, businesses, civic groups, students, and nonprofit organizations
• Hold periodic meetings to update activists on conservation efforts
• Other assigned duties

Preferred Qualifications

• College degree or equivalent experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite
• Experience with CRM, Advocacy Software, and Communications tools

Here is a link to the full position description.