Coordinator, Communities & Conservation

Organizational Profile

About the Organization

The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) is a collaborative effort between a U.S. non-profit organization and a Canadian public charity that together connect and protect habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. Yellowstone to Yukon takes a scientific and collaborative approach to conservation and highlights and focuses on local issues that affect the region. Y2Y has partnered with over 700 scientists, conservation groups, landowners, government agencies, Indigenous governments and communities and businesses to stitch together this landscape. 

Without a unified vision for this deeply interconnected landscape, local conservation efforts may be isolated and less effective. Y2Y seeks to ensure conservation efforts are aligned in support of largescale objectives, and therefore become continentally significant. Today, Y2Y is recognized as one of the planet’s leading mountain conservation initiatives. 

For more information, please visit y2y.net.

Position Description

Yellowstone to Yukon is seeking a Coordinator to join the Communities and Conservation program. This position will support Y2Y’s work to increase human-wildlife coexistence in communities and at-scale across Y2Y, with a focus on sensitive species like grizzly bears and wolverine. This position will support our work to promote well-planned and managed outdoor recreation and responsible recreation across user groups. The position is multi-faceted and includes community engagement, communications, research, information management, and actively contributing to dynamic campaigns to support thriving communities and the conservation of wildlife. As a key member of the Communities and Conservation team, the Coordinator will work closely with a highly collaborative staff in a results-driven environment. This position reports to the Director of Communities and Conservation.

The successful candidate will have a passion for human-wildlife coexistence, outdoor recreation, and thriving rural communities. They will be highly collaborative, have strong community engagement and communications skills, as well as research, writing, and project management abilities. The candidate must be comfortable and competent at professionally engaging with a diversity of people and partners. Experience with public policy and policy analysis is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Work with landowners, local governments, and community organizations to increase and improve on-the-ground human-wildlife coexistence efforts.
• Track human-wildlife coexistence initiatives in communities across Y2Y, encouraging and supporting best practices through communications and engagement.
• Support human-wildlife coexistence policy development in British Columbia and Alberta.
• Track actions and initiatives within the outdoor recreation sector that improve conditions for sensitive wildlife, including government management actions and initiatives lead by recreation organizations and the outdoor recreation industry.
• Communicate responsible recreation messaging and engage with outdoor recreation organizations and businesses.
• Coordinate online and in-person meetings and events to support Y2Y’s human-wildlife coexistence and responsible recreation campaigns.
• Build positive working relationships with government, community leaders, business, landowners, Indigenous communities, outdoor industry representatives, and other non-profits to achieve shared goals.
• Contribute to strategic planning, grant and report writing, for the Communities and Conservation program.
• Contribute to Y2Y’s conservation initiatives integrating across policy, science, landscape protection, landscape connection, and marketing and communications teams.
• Advocate for Y2Y’s strategic priorities and represent the organization in a professional manner.
• Take an active role in ensuring equitable experiences, strengthening inclusion, knowledge and promoting a culture of inclusivity and belonging that embraces the contributions of all team members.
• Travel within the Y2Y region as required to deepen partnerships and advance initiatives.

Candidate Profile

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• A clear commitment to Y2Y’s vision and mission.
• A passion for wildlife, outdoor recreation, and thriving rural communities.
• At least 3-5 years experience in conservation, human-wildlife coexistence, community engagement, public policy, or a related field.
• Strong critical and creative thinking skills.
• Exemplary skills in written, online, and oral communication, including public speaking and meeting facilitation.
• Strong research, knowledge management, and project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team.
• Experience advocating for conservation outcomes.
• Working knowledge of human-wildlife coexistence, responsible recreation, and/or background/education in social science and motivation for behaviour change.
• Flexibility and ability to pivot and be responsive to emerging needs in a fast-paced, highly collaborative and complex work environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modelling inclusive behaviours, and proactively managing bias.

Terms of Employment

• The position offers flexible location within the Y2Y landscape with the option to work from Y2Y’s Canmore, Alberta office.
• Full-time position (37.5 hours/week) with an excellent benefits package.
• Salary is commensurate with experience, ranging from $55,000 – $65,

Additional Information 

At Y2Y we value diversity — in backgrounds and in experience, and we need people from all backgrounds to help achieve our mission of connecting and protecting habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. Y2Y’s team is empathetic, caring, and supportive. We are intentional about the team and culture that we are building, seeking team members that are not only strong in their own aptitudes but care deeply about supporting each other’s growth.

Y2Y is an equal opportunity employer and committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplace and in science, conservation, and society. We strongly encourage applications from members of groups that are underrepresented and/or excluded from these sectors, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, and people of colour, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. All of our employees’ points of view are key to our success, and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility.

Short, preliminary interviews may be held via conference call or Zoom. If you anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application or interview process you may contact, in confidence, Robyn Barton, HR Consultant at robyn@y2y.net