EPIC Recruitment and Member Coordinator

American Conservation Experience (ACE) is a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities that harness the idealism and energy of an emerging labor force to help restore America’s public lands. ACE’s Emerging Professionals in Conservation (EPIC) program has a national reputation for providing young adults and recent graduates with hands-on, professional development individual placement opportunities to work alongside and under the guidance of agency mentors as they apply their knowledge of resource management on their path to becoming the next generation of resource and land managers. ACE EPIC operates in coalition with partners such as the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other conservation focused groups.

Job Title: EPIC Recruitment and Member Coordinator

Location: This position can also work remotely in the continental USA. ACE also has offices in Sacramento, CA; Ridgecrest, CA; Hurricane, UT; Flagstaff, AZ, and Asheville, NC, where space may be available to accommodate hybrid work.

Department/Division:  EPIC (Bureau of Land Management/US Forest Service Division)

Status: Regular Full-Time, Salaried (Exempt)

Reports To: Division Director, EPIC BLM/USF Program

Schedule/Hours: Full-time, 40 hours/week (Monday – Friday, flexible; typical ACE core business hours are 9:00 pm – 5:00 pm Eastern time) with some adjustment expected to accommodate specific projects and program needs. Some evening and weekend hours may be occasionally required.

Travel: Yes, regional/national travel required to various project partner locations, conferences, and meetings, up to 10%

Start Date: Desired start date for this position is May 12, 2024.

Program Summary: The Emerging Professionals in Conservation (EPIC) program places individual members and small teams with land management agencies and organizations in professional paid internships ranging from three to twelve months. These internships are intended to provide a pathway to employment in specific fields, ranging from hydrology, trails, restoration, rangeland management, wildlife, geology, education/interpretation, and more, with position descriptions directly paralleling agency mission and values. The EPIC Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service Team (EPIC BLMFS), manages over 260 Members across the United States in a variety of positions. 

Position Summary: The primary role of the ACE Recruitment and Member Coordinator is ensuring team, member, and partner needs are met through outreach, recruitment, onboarding and ongoing member support for ACE EPIC Positions. The Member Coordinator will collaborate across the BLM/USFS Team, other ACE division recruitment staff, and with the National Director in the performance of this role.

The ACE Member Coordinator facilitates outreach and selection processes throughout a recruitment and onboarding lifecycle, ensuring member and partner needs are met, and engages and supports EPIC members throughout their ACE experience. The Recruitment and Member Coordinator collaborates with the BLM/USFS Team, other ACE division recruitment staff, and with the National Director in the performance of this role while embodying ACE Core Values of Quality, Inclusion, Professional Development, Stewardship, and Partner-Immersed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: With the primary direction and support of the ACE BLM/USFS Division Director, along with team support, the the Recruitment and Member Coordinator will:

• Foster a culture and environment that positions ACE for success and ensures that ACE is the program of choice for partners, members and staff.
• Discuss recruitment needs with agency partners, develop and advertise position announcements, and seek qualified candidates to fill positions.
• Conduct interviews with applicants and make offers to selected candidates.
• Assist with the timely and accurate onboarding of new hires, including initiating and receiving new hire employment paperwork.
• Facilitate the processing of criminal history checks and uniform orders, enrolling members into timesheet, grant, and database tracking systems.
• Collaborate with ACE’s nationwide recruitment, member management, and marketing teams regarding outreach efforts including the development of materials and social media posts.
• ​Directly engage and support agency partners throughout each member’s term; this can include:
  • Confirming logistical information, establishing expectations of project duties and schedule, facilitating communication between ACE Staff, Members, and Partners, and adjusting accordingly with new information.
• Directly engage and support EPIC members throughout their ACE experience with:
  • Biweekly timesheet review and approval, webinar training facilitation, on-call incident response, processing reimbursement requests, conducting feedback and growth discussions (formalized at entry, midterm and exit), contribute to ACE social media recognizing members’ accomplishments, and any additional relevant member engagement or support needs that may arise during a member’s term.
• Monitor member and partner feedback and respond appropriately providing necessary, including facilitating disciplinary action with support from the National Director.
• Track relevant details in databases and spreadsheets, including member performance and feedback, term information, and payroll, accomplishments, and expense data.
• Adhere to ACE safety policies and procedures.
• Foster an environment that is anti-bullying, anti-harassment and anti- discrimination.
• Participate in relevant meetings, events, and trainings; occasionally conduct project site visits.
• Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by ACE.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• A deep and continuing interest in the welfare and professional development of ACE participants.
• Commitment to ACE’s mission of public service through youth development and volunteerism.
• Highly organized, with the ability to maintain coordination of multiple member placements nationwide, utilizing proprietary database tools.
• Effective time management skills, and the ability/desire to concurrently perform multiple deadline-driven tasks.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to effectively work with a diverse range of people.
• The ability to think creatively and proactively.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Must have a strong comfort level speaking on the phone.
• Basic comfort level with public speaking.
• Computer competency with experience and management skills including experience or willingness to learn applicant tracking software and personnel databases, iOS, MS Office, Google Suite, and webinar platforms such as Zoom, or equivalents to these.
• Must be flexible and eager to engage the highly mobile and predominantly remote teams that make up ACE.
• Demonstrate sensitivity, understanding and the ability to effectively interact with individuals (internal and external) from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, ability, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Commitment to helping ACE advance its goals around justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI).
• Knowledge and or understanding of National Service Programs like AmeriCorps is preferred.
• Possess a high school diploma or GED certificate. BA/BS degree from an accredited college/university preferred.
• Ability to prepare and maintain records and reports.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Ability to understand and follow ACE systems and processes.
• Commitment to ACE’s mission of public service through youth development and volunteerism.
• Ability to receive and provide constructive feedback.
• A deep and continuing interest in the welfare and professional development of ACE participants.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

Other Requirements:

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record.
• Proficient in English.
• Ability to pass a federal criminal background check.
• Willing to abide by ACE Policy and Federal Drug Free workplace policies and laws. ACE reserves the right to drug test at any time.

Physical Demands, Work Environmental and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talks and hears. Manual dexterity required for use of computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch (all physical demands are required with or without reasonable accommodations).
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 10 lbs., occasionally moves up to 25 pounds.
• Environmental: Mainly indoor, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good and temperature is controlled.
• Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
• Travel: This position requires domestic travel up to 10%.

Compensation: Annualized $40,000-$43,000  (assuming 40 hours/week 52 weeks/year), depending on experience.

Medical/Health Benefits: ACE offers competitive medical and ancillary plans (health, mental health, dental, vision and other supplemental benefits). ACE Staff members are also eligible to participate in ACE’s 403b retirement plan with a 2% employer contribution.

Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time: As an ACE staff member, you will be eligible to accrue up to 80 hours of paid vacation time annually during your first two years of continuous employment, then it increases to 120 hours annually. ACE observes 13 paid annual holidays (floating holiday flexibility). ACE provides 10 days (or 80 hours) of paid sick time annually.

Additional Benefits: Outdoor Perks – As an ACE staff member, you will be eligible to receive pro deals which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 – 50% off retail prices on 100’s of established outdoor gear brands.

Phone Provided or Reimbursement Option: You have the option to select one of the following options: ACE work phone device/number provided or monthly phone reimbursement for personal device/number use.