POSITION FILLED: Director of Programs

Make a difference for the environment and Oregon’s future by joining the dynamic team at Oregon Environmental Council (OEC)!

Intake for this position has been paused as we evaluate candidates. If you would like to subscribe to notifications should this position reopen, please do so via the form at the bottom of this listing, thank you.

Who We’re Seeking
The ideal candidate for OEC’s Director of Programs is a gifted manager who empowers individuals and fosters a strong sense of purpose for teams. You are a strategic thinker who helps launch new initiatives, think through implementation, and overcome obstacles. You are excited to bring new people into the fold, diversify teams, and be a mentor. You understand coalitions and how to build bridges to get things done. You excel at identifying opportunities for environmental progress and partnerships. You are motivated to reach audiences and communicate the value of our work, including to funders. You value organizational development, strengthening internal communications, and maintaining a strong mission-driven organization. 

Position Summary
The Director of Programs provides leadership, support, and coordination to our highly motivated team of professional program staff, ensuring effective implementation of our strategic plan, work plans, and individual projects. The Director of Programs plays a leadership role, along with other managers, in creating and maintaining a transparent, empowering, and inclusive team culture across the organization. Primary responsibilities include hiring and coaching the staff responsible for advancing our programmatic work; fostering coherence and synergy between our program areas; making sure that program work is coordinated with and mutually supportive of the organization’s fundraising, marketing/communications, and financial goals; and liaising with the Board on programmatic issues. The Director of Programs also assists program staff with their work, such as working with the Executive Director, Legislative Director, and lead program staff to develop and implement OEC’s policy agenda; conducting outreach to potential “grasstops” supporters; strongly supporting program fundraising, foundation relationship building, and reporting; and ensuring program work moves forward during staff absences. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Builds and Supports a Strong Team of Program Staff (~30%)

• Hires, coaches, and manages program staff
• Provides strategic programmatic guidance for program team
• Works to create and meet targets for program staff diversity through the hiring process 
• Provides leadership that fosters high morale and a positive, self-directed, high-performing team
• Works to create a diverse and inclusive team and workplace culture
• Ensures program staff have reasonable workloads
• Manages performance evaluation process for program staff, including goal setting, annual reviews, and continuing professional development
• Develops systems and tools to promote accountability, identifying and addressing barriers to success
• Assists program staff with their work when needed and ensures program work is covered during staff absences and transitions

Coordinates Program and Project Planning and Implementation (~35%)

• Establishes and maintains familiarity and expertise with substantive aspects of OEC’s key program areas
• In consultation with the Executive Director, coordinates process for determining new program directions and defining new projects; works with program staff to develop clear objectives and plans that achieve the organization’s strategic goals and adhere to the organization’s mission, vision, and values
• Ensures that policies and projects are evaluated for equity implications and advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion goals
• Promotes a high level of coordination and synergy among programs and projects and addresses areas of potential conflict; holds monthly meetings of program staff to which additional relevant staff are invited
• Coordinates program work with staffing and funding through effective work planning, budgeting, and other processes
• Ensures that restricted grants are appropriately earned while projects move forward
• Develops and implements systems and tools to help staff problem-solve while projects are being implemented and to evaluate projects when they are completed, encouraging a learning culture

Liaises Across the Organization; Interfaces with All Departments and Board (~25%)

• Facilitates communication between program staff and Executive Director
• Coordinates with relevant staff to ensure that our program work not only supports our strategic goals, but also supports the organization’s fundraising and financial goals
• Participates in marketing/communications team meetings and coordinates with the Communications Director to keep the team informed about our program work and to ensure program work is promoted in a clear, compelling, and accurate way that adheres to the organization’s values and brand; this includes collaboration on major communications pieces
• Works cross-organizationally to help determine what areas of the state we should focus our programmatic, communications, relationship-building, and membership recruitment efforts on to both meet programmatic goals and raise our profile
• Reviews (and sometimes drafts) grant proposals and grant reports; in partnership with development team, meets with foundation representatives and occasionally major donors
• Serves as staff liaison to Board Program Committee; advises on Board agenda items; presents at Board meetings

Advances OEC’s Strategic Goals (~10%)

• Seeks opportunities to increase the organization’s profile and strengthen external connections to OEC’s strategic priorities, e.g., conducts outreach to potential “grasstops” supporters of OEC’s agenda, as well as community partners and stakeholders
• Occasionally represents OEC when a multi-issue policy or programmatic perspective is needed
• Is an idea-generator and implementer for staff retreats and organizational events

Qualifications:
Required Experience or Education

• Minimum five years of professional experience in public policy development and advocacy, public affairs, environmental program development, or other related field
• Two years of management experience with a firm commitment to collaborative, team-oriented management 
• Bachelor’s degree; relevant advanced degree preferred

Required Skills, Abilities & Qualities

• Demonstrated ability to help staff plan, manage, and complete complex projects on time and within budget
• A commitment to expanding cultural awareness and advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within the organization and as part of the position;  A commitment to continued learning and working against institutional and structural racism. 
• A strategic mindset with the ability to conduct long-term visioning and planning
• Good judgment; ability to understand nuance
• Strong emotional intelligence 
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated self-motivation and initiative
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple projects while keeping a “big picture” strategic view
• A deep passion for OEC’s mission and values
• Knowledge of environmental issues and organizations
• Energized to support Oregon Environmental Council’s Values and Beliefs and workplace culture as described in our Team Charter
• Ability to travel statewide and nationally

Preferred experience

• Experience working in a non-profit setting with a mission-driven staff; experience with grant-funded, project-oriented organizations
• Fundraising experience
• Ability to drive (OEC encourages travel by sustainable modes, e.g., walking, bicycling, taking transit, carpooling, but some trips may require driving)

Other Requirements:
Travel: This position requires some travel around the state. OEC encourages travel by sustainable modes, e.g., walking, bicycling, taking transit, and carpooling.

Work Schedule: Our office hours are Monday through Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM, however this role requires the ability to be flexible about one’s schedule and work hours. This role may occasionally require excess hours in order to achieve deliverables.

Physical: This job operates in a professional open-floor office environment with a moderate level of noise associated with personal conversations and office machinery. The employee must be able to see, hear and talk and have the physical ability to move around, lift light objects, and use standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers and filing cabinets.

Benefits and Amenities:
OEC offers a collaborative, team-oriented, flexible, family-friendly workplace. Excellent benefits include:

• Four weeks of paid vacation annually (three the first year)
• Fixed holidays
• Paid personal days
• Paid staff in-service days
• 401k contribution (after the first year)
• Generous and sector-competitive health benefits

OEC endeavors to increase all staff wages annually to account for cost of living as well as to recognize and honor experience gained over time. We review and adjust the organizational pay scale every 2-3 years. Employees can expect to move up in the range for their position’s pay grade as they gain more experience in their roles.

You will learn a lot, laugh a lot, and feel great about helping Oregon communities become better, healthier places to live.

To Apply:
You will be asked for a cover letter & resume, our simple intake form usually takes less than two minutes to complete. Applications are reviewed on a two week rolling basis, and this position will remain open until filled.

ADA Accommodations: If you identify as a person with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation when applying for this job, please email [email protected] or call 503-222-1963 x100 for assistance.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Oregon Environmental Council provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender assignment, gender identity or expression, national origin, (dis)ability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.