Great Lakes Regional Manager

OLD-GROWTH FOREST NETWORK
GREAT LAKES REGIONAL MANAGER POSITION

A part-time, work from home position for residents of southern Lower Michigan, northern Ohio, or northeast Indiana.

The Old Growth Forest Network (OGFN) is a 501c3 non-profit organization established in 2011, whose mission is to connect people with nature by creating a national network of publicly-accessible and protected old-growth forests. Our primary goal is to identify and help protect forests in each county of the US where forests can grow and educate the public about where those protected forests are located (see www.OldGrowthForest.net). OGFN’s ideal candidate for the Regional Manager position will care deeply about forests and want to make a difference in the world. This is a unique opportunity to help a small non-profit develop a strong national presence. The Regional Manager position can grow with your passion and experience. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Regional Manager will work with all members of the Old-Growth Forest Network team under the supervision of the Network Manager. The Regional Manager’s main objective is to grow and enhance our national network of forests and people who care about them, focusing on forests in the southern portion of the Great Lakes watershed, with a small portion of the work in the greater region of the Midwestern States (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio). 
 
The expansion of the Old-Growth Forest Network depends on volunteer County Coordinators who identify candidate forests in their area for possible Network inclusion. The Regional Manager will recruit, activate, and interface with County Coordinators, forest management personnel, OGFN staff, and others to dedicate forests into the Network. The Regional Manager will vet candidate forests based on descriptions, photos, interviews, and/or in-person visits for their suitability. The Regional Manager will coordinate forest recognition events, including planning, logistics, publicity, and representing OGFN at many of the dedications. Additional specific responsibilities are described below.

The Regional Manager position is a 20 hour per week work-from-home part-time position with opportunities for growth. The Old-Growth Forest Network is a virtual organization based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Regional Manager must live in southern Lower Michigan, northern Ohio, or northeast Indiana. This position requires significant travel throughout that region. Compensation will be $23 per hour. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Network building – Identify eligible forests and manage their incorporation into the Old-Growth Forest Network. Maintain ongoing relationships and communications with forest owners/managers and volunteer County Coordinators.

Volunteer outreach and management – Recruit, activate, and manage our community of volunteers to effectively motivate them and keep them energized about OGFN’s mission; work with existing County Coordinators to promote ongoing community engagement with Network forests.

Event planning and management – Plan, publicize, and attend forest recognition events across the designated region as forests are added to the Network. Help plan, publicize, and attend educational lectures hosted by OGFN.

Record keeping – Maintain information in the constituent database, the archive of organizational documents, the forest information database, and partner organization information.

Fundraising support – Work with Development Director and Executive Director to cultivate donor and funder relationships via Network building events. Invite, greet, and thank donors or funders who attend OGFN events as OGFN’s representative. Assist with grant proposals and reporting by providing ideas, data, and feedback regarding program work.

Communication – Communicate closely with OGFN team members about project work, events, priorities, planning, and progress. Work with other team members to coordinate outgoing communications. Communicate directly with supporters and volunteers to inspire action on behalf of forests. Contribute to social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Communicate with media contacts to promote OGFN events, including writing and disseminating press releases. Report to and take direction from the Network Manager to ascertain priorities and consult on strategies.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Excellent communications skills (written and verbal)
• A deep enthusiasm for forest preservation and advocacy; ability to inspire others to take action on behalf of the forests
• Knowledge of forest ecology, management, or natural resource policy (degree in ecology, environmental studies, environmental science, conservation biology or forestry is a plus)
• Willingness to travel within the designated region
• Comfortable in a forest environment and physically capable of hiking in rough terrain at least five miles in a day
• Ability to work independently but maintain close relationships with other staff members
• Technological literacy (experience or willingness to learn each of the following: Salesforce, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, event management tools, electronic media such as video creation/editing tools)
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred
• Experience in environmental nonprofit organizations, environmental government agencies, or academic institutions; significant outreach and/or advocacy experience preferred. Volunteer experience counts.