Southeast Regional Manager

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL MANAGER

ABOUT US:

The Surfrider Foundation is the world’s largest grassroots coastal conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. We have achieved many important victories by persuading state, federal, and local decision makers to protect vital coastal and ocean resources. These accomplishments demonstrate the important role of recreational users in advancing coastal and ocean stewardship. Since 1984, Surfrider’s appeal is not only our strong reputation and track record of success, but also the lifestyle and values we embody. 

By joining the Surfrider Foundation, you will be welcomed into an open and inclusive network of incredibly supportive and collaborative people who work hard and play hard. You will have the opportunity to work with dedicated people who are also passionate coastal users with their feet in the sand and toes in the water. You help bring together diverse voices and perspectives to provide our community with the leadership and tools necessary to make a difference at their beach and in coastal communities across the United States. At Surfrider, we build leaders and we are problem solvers; our culture sets us apart and influences everything we do. Coastal recreation is fun and working at Surfrider is too.

OPPORTUNITY:

The objective for this position is to cultivate, steward, and increase the mission-driven impact of Surfrider Foundation chapters in the Southeast region through grassroots organizing, training, strategic outreach, and engagement on environmental campaigns and programs leading to an increase in capacity and policy victories.  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Grow the capacity and coordinate the local and statewide campaign and program efforts of chapters within the Southeast region, spanning Virginia to Georgia, including the following chapters: Virginia Beach, Charlotte, Outer Banks, Bogue Banks, Cape Fear, Grand Strand, Charleston, and Georgia.
• Supply and develop chapter support resources such as toolkits, trainings, templates, and guides to support core chapter functions including team building and management; fundraising; volunteer recruitment and retention; marketing and communications; advocacy; issue campaign and program planning and implementation; membership; and implementation of Surfrider’s justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion principles.
• Facilitate and train chapter volunteers in grassroots organizing techniques including, but not limited to: issue campaign planning, recruitment, retention, strategy, tactics, and program implementation. Identify and incorporate intersectional issues of environmental justice.
• Assist the chapter network in developing, implementing, and strengthening chapter programs including Beach Cleanups, Ocean Friendly Gardens, Ocean Friendly Restaurants, Blue Water Task Force, Rise Above Plastics, Climate Action Program, and student network outreach.
• In collaboration with the East Coast Regional Director, Southeast chapters, and Climate Action Program Manager scope, plan, and execute appropriate nature-based climate solutions in the Southeast.
• In collaboration with the East Coast Regional Director and Southeast chapters, identify and coordinate statewide policy issues and campaigns that advance our mission and priority campaign efforts for the Southeast chapter network.
• Represent Surfrider Foundation at local, regional, and state administrative hearings, public events, and in the media.
• In conjunction with the East Coast Regional Director, develop a Southeast regional strategic plan for strategically advancing issue campaigns, programmatic work, and capacity-building in the Southeast.
• In conjunction with the East Coast Regional Director, develop and maintain positive relations with the regional funding community, including through timely reporting on grant deliverables and grant proposal development.
• Work with the Sr. Director of Network Strategy and East Coast Regional Director to develop and facilitate training conferences for the Southeast chapter network.
• Work with the Sr. Director of Network Strategy and East Coast Regional Director to identify and support opportunities for network growth and establishing new chapters in the region.
• Facilitate the growth of chapters’ supporter base, including contacts, followers, paid members, active volunteers, and chapter leaders, through implementation of in-person and online outreach, cultivation, and training. 
• Administrative Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: writing newsletter articles; communicating regular updates to chapters; supporting web content development; social media outreach;  financial reporting; limited lobbying reporting; and maintaining Salesforce and/or other programs’ chapter contact information.
• Facilitate chapter governance and oversight, including but not limited to: chapter annual planning, budgeting, and reporting; chapter leader onboarding; regular communications with chapter leadership;  and compliance with Chapter Bylaws and Chapter Guidelines.
• Maintain the campaign and coastal victory sections of the www.surfrider.org website for Southeast chapters and maintain the Southeast regional website.
• Participate in departmental and interdepartmental meetings.

Reports to: East Coast Regional Director

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• 4+ years experience in grassroots organizing, direct action issue campaigning, community outreach, and coalition building. Experience should include working with diverse communities.
• 4+ years managing direct reports (volunteers and/or employees).
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and inclusiveness
• Experience managing multiple projects, meeting deadlines, and achieving project objectives.
• Experience volunteering and working with volunteers.
• Familiarity with state, regional, and national coastal & ocean environmental issues
• Understanding of decision-making processes at various levels of government and governmental agencies.
• Demonstrated facilitation skills with adeptness at creating inclusive spaces and centering the voices of people with marginalized identities.
• Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, with elected officials, agency staff, industry representatives and coastal stakeholders
• Experience in speaking publicly in front of a large number of people in diverse situations
• Ability or willingness to learn how to use tech tools, platforms, and apps such as Salesforce, Hubspot, Golden, Google Drive and Basecamp
• Candidates must reside within the Southeast region (Virginia to Georgia), or be willing to relocate. 
• Ability to travel extensively throughout the region on a regular basis
• Ability to work flexible hours (including some weekends and evenings), as needed, within the full-time weekly schedule
• Ability to work effectively from a home office
• Ability to work in a remote team setting
• Must possess a valid driver’s license 
• Spanish language skills preferred but not required

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Salary Range Transparency:
Category Level: Manager (Regional Manager – Organizing)
Salary Range: $60,000 Minimum – $83,000 MaximumHow Does the Surfrider Foundation Establish Salary Ranges? 

The Surfrider Foundation researches, evaluates, and compares like-sized non-profit organizations to establish ranges for each position level to ensure that employees are justly compensated. The intent is to compensate employees well within a median pay range philosophy. What does a “median pay range philosophy” mean? It means that if the range for a position is $50,000- $70,000 the median pay for that position would be $60,000. The established range takes multiple factors into account; experience, educational background, scope and complexity of work, special skills, added value to the organization, geographic cost-of-living, inflation/current market demand, equity, and more. The Surfrider Foundation prides itself on a high rate of retention, with 32% of staff having been employed with the organization for 10+ years. Please keep in mind that the maximum end of our ranges also account for longevity and tenure within the role.  

Benefits: Benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage monthly premiums compensated 100% by Surfrider Foundation, Long-Term Disability insurance, Employee Assistance program (EAP), Section 125 Flexible Spending Account (FSA), 401(k) plan offering a match of .50¢ of every dollar contributed by the employee up to a maximum of 4% of earnings (in other terms, a 2% employer match). Surfrider also provides paid holidays, vacation and sick time. We also provide 6 weeks of paid parental leave following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care.

JEDI COMMITMENT:

The Surfrider Foundation is committed to fostering a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization for all people who protect and enjoy the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches. Our success and impact depend on learning from our community, standing in solidarity with our allies and working towards a more just future, both for our organization and the environmental movement as a whole.

The Surfrider Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. Together we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other protected class.

To learn more about our Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments, please visit: https://www.surfrider.org/pages/diversity-equity-inclusion