Are you passionate about Montana’s rivers, clean water, and community engagement? Do you have the leadership skills to drive impactful change? Upper Missouri Waterkeeper (UMW) is looking for a dynamic and experienced Deputy Director to develop broader outreach to our communities, membership, and decision-makers, and to increase our capacity to take on new projects and important water resource issues. This position reports to the Executive Director.
Job Description: The Deputy Director will work with our full-time staff, Board of Directors, members, stakeholders, and partners to manage ongoing and emerging local and regional strategies for water resources protection, and to develop and implement grassroots and decision-maker education and engagement strategies. These strategies typically dovetail with many of Upper Missouri Waterkeeper’s signature strategies – including policy, legal action, targeted communications, civic engagement and field organizing – into one cohesive package of tactics designed to achieve our mission. Key foci of the Deputy Director position are advocating for sound solutions to a range of environmental threats, and developing and maintaining relationships with members, grassroots and grasstops leaders, and decision-makers. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to environmental protection and community organizing experience in developing policy and direct-action at the local and state levels.
About Us: Upper Missouri Waterkeeper (UMW) is a 501(c)3 water justice organization working across the 25,000 sq. miles of Montana’s Upper Missouri River Basin for fishable, swimmable, drinkable water and community health, including the communities of Great Falls, Helena, Bozeman, and Dillon. We protect water, wildlife, and community health across this headwaters basin through a combination of bold legal action, strong science, and creative, grassroots engagement to further justice, government accountability, and environmental progress.
Our Values: Recognizing the complexities of our river basin, the challenges we face to protect water resources, and the importance of being responsive to the needs of the communities we serve, our work is guided and informed by these values:
- Bold Action: Have hard conversations, disrupt dysfunctional systems, create new frameworks, bring together unconventional allies, and move data and resources into action;
- Justice & Equality: Call out and act to undo inequalities, and hold decision-makers and polluters accountable;
- Connectivity: Collaborate across disciplines and create multiple ways to engage concerned citizens, the public, and decision-makers in protecting the diverse values of clean water and healthy rivers.
Key Responsibilities
- Collaborate with community members, UMW staff, and external consultants to understand key water-resource issues across the Basin and to develop positions and strategies that support UMW’s mission and values.
- Elevate public awareness of environmental threats and solutions in Montana.
- Serve as a point-of-contact within the organization for concerned citizens, elected officials, and agency representatives, and meet with each to discuss environmental concerns, organizational positions, and recommendations and solutions.
- Assist in the identification and tracking of local and state government and agency decision-making proposals that affect water resources and community health.
- Assist Executive Director by providing policy and technical support for advocacy actions.
- As part of a team, interpret scientific and policy information for consumption by target audiences through media work and crafting fact sheets, reports, white papers, testimony and other strategic communications.
- Develop and implement community organizing and stakeholder education and engagement strategies, including 1-2 events per quarter, and support community members in – and deliver – public comments and testimony to officials and agencies, including press interviews and webinars, etc.
- Assist the Executive Director in strategic planning & organizational management, including private funder proposals.
Qualifications and Skills
Highly competitive candidates will have some combination of the following:
- Strong commitment to Upper Missouri Waterkeeper’s mission and to advancing environmental protection with vision and results.
- At least five-years of campaign experience. This may include experience advocating to government decisionmakers, community-organizing, or teaching. Additional work experience beyond the five years is recommended, and formal or informal education or training focused on management, policy, law, science or environmental health is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and implement programming centered on environmental, community health, or public-policy issues.
- Experience organizing and working alongside diverse stakeholders.
- Working knowledge and/or experience with Montana’s geography, history, and communities.
- Strong people and project management abilities, including excellent public speaking and communication, time management, and conflict resolution skills.
- Experience working in a team and with partners to develop and implement campaigns.
- Ability to travel and maintain a flexible work schedule; willingness to work occasional evenings and/or weekends.
Research shows that women and minorities are more hesitant to apply for a job because they may not meet all the qualifications listed, therefore we encourage these candidates to consider applying. The candidate UMW ultimately hires may not precisely meet all of the qualifications above but will likely show the desire and capacity to grow into the role and fit within our close-knit team. If you feel passionate about UMW’s efforts and believe you have the skills to contribute to the growth of our organization, we want to hear from you!
Schedule/Location:
We allow for flexible remote-work schedules so staff can be responsive to programming needs while balancing work and personal responsibilities and interests. Our standard week is 40 hours. UMW has a physical office in Bozeman with teammates located in Wise River, Ennis, and Helena. Occasionally, something other than a regular week, including evenings and weekends, will be necessary. The Deputy Director position entails some periodic regional travel. Our staff meet virtually during the work week and, when necessary or beneficial, staff may be expected to meet with partners or attend other events in-person. Given the place-based, community-centered nature of this position, the Dep. Director must live within the Upper Missouri River Basin.
Compensation:
$75,000 to $90,000 salary, depending on qualifications and experience. Our benefits include paid sick leave, paid holidays, and paid parental leave; a health-care subsidy; a retirement plan contribution; and a flexible work week. This is a full-time, at-will, exempt position.
Application Instructions:
Please send a resume/CV and a letter of interest not exceeding three pages detailing why you should be Upper Missouri Waterkeeper’s next Deputy Director, to “Quincey[at]uppermissouriwaterkeeper.org” with the subject line “Deputy Director Application”. The position will remain open until filled with priority given to applications received by December 20, 2024. Please, no unsolicited calls or visits.
Our values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are given equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.
