Job Description

Job Title: Chapter Director
Department: Utah Chapter
Location: Salt Lake City metro area preferred; flexible within Utah. This position requires working from our Salt Lake City office on a regular basis. This position requires the ability to travel.
Reports To: Deputy Regional Field Director (supervisor) and Utah Chapter Executive Committee
Supervises: Utah Chapter staff

Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to protect and sustain a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope: The Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club is committed to supporting environmental and social justice efforts throughout the state. Our Utah based team of six (three Chapter staff plus three national staff) work cooperatively as a team with our volunteer leaders and grassroots supporters across the state; a diverse array of partners; and other regional and national Sierra Club staff. Together we organize our powerful volunteer base and over 35,000 members and supporters to advance solutions to protect water, air, land, and public health. All aspects of this work are deeply grounded in principles of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice.

The Chapter Director of the Utah Chapter will collaboratively develop Chapter plans; implement priority campaigns and programs adopted by the Utah Chapter Executive Committee; support multiple volunteer teams; manage Chapter staff; manage Chapter finances; oversee fundraising; and support power building. This position requires occasional evening and weekend work.

Job activities include but are not limited to the following:

• Manage chapter staff. Help staff develop annual work plans and conduct regular reviews of progress toward priority outcomes. Meet weekly with each staff member to support progress on specific projects. Review staff time and expense reports weekly for accuracy and required timely submission. Conduct performance appraisals and take personnel actions as appropriate. Provide ongoing coaching and support to staff, and perform other administrative, and supervisory functions as needed. Hire Chapter staff as needed.
• Advise and support the Chapter Executive Committee and volunteer committees in adopting annual strategic, programmatic, and financial goals and priorities, and evaluate progress toward objectives throughout the year. Regularly report to the Chapter Executive Committee, staff supervisor, and regional and national Sierra Club campaign staff on chapter progress toward program and organizational development outcomes, and seek their input and guidance as programs are implemented and evaluated.
• Work with the Chapter Treasurer to develop an annual budget and ensure regular financial tracking and reporting to the Chapter Executive Committee on financial metrics. Coordinate with our national Chapter Finance Department on budget matters.
• Develop, oversee, and help implement a comprehensive chapter fundraising program.  Working with assigned chapter staff and lead volunteers, develop and implement multi-year fundraising plans. Identify and meet with individual donors regularly; implement regular and effective donor communications; identify grant opportunities and develop proposals; and support all other fundraising activities. Coordinate with regional and national staff on joint fundraising opportunities.
• Support staff and volunteer leaders in developing and implementing administrative advocacy, volunteer and leadership development, legislative, electoral, and communications strategies that advance the chapter’s goals and priorities.
• Build organizational power. Working with other staff and volunteer leaders, help achieve Sierra Club Utah’s shared power building plan to increase membership, recruit and engage volunteers, and develop volunteer leaders. Additionally, strengthen existing strategic partnerships, and develop new partnerships so that Sierra Club is contributing to a more powerful statewide movement for environmentalism and justice.
• Coordinate closely with regional and national Sierra Club staff to ensure full integration between the Chapter, regional field structure, communications and digital outreach staff, and national campaign staff. Ensure that chapter strategies comply with Sierra Club policies, guidance, practices, and requirements.
• Represent Sierra Club Utah to the public and in the media, building positive relationships and broadening the audience that receives our messages, to increase the chapter’s visibility, credibility, and power. Interact with decision makers and influential local and state leaders, and support and coach staff and volunteer leaders to become persuasive spokespeople.
• Perform other duties as needed or assigned.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the following skills, experience, and capacities:

• Supervise and Manage Chapter Staff. Provide appropriate organizational structure and accountability for all staff, reflecting campaign needs and individual staff capacities. Recruit, hire, and approve staffing decisions as needed with appropriate consultation with both the Executive Committee and Chapter staff, including managerial positions that report to the Chapter Director. Coordinate staff to carry out objectives and conduct performance evaluations and personnel actions as appropriate. Provide professional expertise, guide and support to staff and volunteers. Ensure the chapter is in compliance with Sierra Club employment policies and practices including the Progressive Workers Union contract.
• Grassroots organizing and movement building. Experience in training and motivating volunteer teams; coalition building and lobbying. Demonstrated ability and effectiveness working collaboratively with volunteers, staff, community and other partner organizations. Committed to building a more powerful movement in Utah by working collaboratively with strategic partners, especially base-building organizations led by the most marginalized communities.
• Fundraising. Prior experience in organizational budget management and fundraising that includes donor relations with major funders, and membership programs to build a broader donor base.
• Communication. You can demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills. You are comfortable speaking in front of large and small groups, and leading group discussions. You are able to clearly and concisely convey information (both written and verbal), and you can point to examples where you persuaded individuals or groups to take action for a cause. You can articulate the components of a comprehensive communication strategy to support an advocacy campaign. Your personal communication style includes active listening and proactive communication with others to establish shared expectations. When miscommunications occur, you address them promptly and directly.
• Committed to evolution: You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. You easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
• Team culture. You view mistakes as opportunities for growth and problems as catalysts for solutions; inspiring others along the journey, and carrying a constructive approach, can-do attitude, sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go. You hold team-mates accountable when they break from team agreements.
• Issue knowledge.  You understand environmental issues and social justice issues that are relevant and important in Utah, including lands and water protection, and energy; and how these issues may affect marginalized communities or groups of people in this state.
• Strong work ethic. You are effective and efficient working independently on your own as well as cooperatively with others to accomplish complex work projects and can point to specific examples of your experience with each.

The strongest candidates will also demonstrate some or all of the following experiences, skills and competencies:

• Exceptional emotional intelligence (self awareness; social awareness; exceptional navigation of interpersonal and team dynamics of power and privilege)
• Experience working with coalitions or with organizations that organize marginalized or underrepresented communities.
• Successful fundraising experience
• Working knowledge of database tools such as Salesforce, NPG VAN, or Hustle
• Familiarity with water, land or energy issues
• Experience with local, state, or federal advocacy

Compensation and Benefits
The salary for this position is $97,200, non negotiable.

The Sierra Club’s competitive salary package includes excellent benefits with medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.

This is a category 2 exempt, non-represented position.

Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. Sierra Club employees are not eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Sierra Club values the expertise and talents of foreign nationals. Sierra Club sponsors both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas when certain criteria are met, based on immigration laws and organizational needs. Such sponsorship is at the discretion of the Department Head and Sierra Club Human Resources in consultation with the employee’s manager. The Sierra Club cannot guarantee the approval of a visa petition. The Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.

How to Apply

To apply, click here to submit an application online.

The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people. Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.

Initial deadline for applications is Wednesday, February 28th, 2024. We may choose to accept applications after this deadline.

Job Categories: Environmental. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 80,000 - 100,000.

Apply for this Job