Manager, Community Partnerships

Position Summary

Reporting to the Conservation Director of Audubon South Carolina (ASC), the Manager, Community Partnerships is responsible for managing partnership and community-building initiatives that support Audubon’s conservation programs and Flight Plan milestones in South Carolina.

This manager-level role is an ambassador for the organization and will engage with communities in and around the areas we work—and with interested parties, conservation allies, and partner organizations across the state—to cultivate lasting relationships, foster inclusive and equitable partnerships, and forge transformative alliances that benefit birds and people.

A member of ASC’s conservation team, the Community Partnerships Manager will work closely with the Conservation Director to support on-the-ground projects in communities implementing community engagement strategies to meet the conservation goals of the Flight Plan. The Manager will manage and implement outreach strategies, identify partnership and engagement opportunities, support funding requests, and enhance community-building efforts across ASC’s program areas and projects.

The role will also collaborate with Audubon colleagues, chapter members, and volunteers—as well as conservation allies and partner organizations to advance our shared goals and mission.

The ideal candidate is an effective manager with experience building collaborative, diverse partnerships and/or coalitions and proven experience advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in their work ideally in areas related to conservation. They are also a creative thinker and inclusive team player, who approaches their work with a commitment to authenticity, mutual respect, and a desire and willingness to learn as much as to teach.

The standard workweek is 40 hours, Monday through Friday, however, frequent work with community members on nights and weekends is to be expected. This is a remote position based in South Carolina. This Manager may work remotely and/or at one of our offices in Columbia, Charleston, Silver Bluff Sanctuary (Jackson), or Beidler Forest Center and Sanctuary (Harleyville). Frequent travel is expected throughout the state including but not limited to the lowcountry, midlands, and the upstate and around our sanctuaries and project areas.

Compensation:

$60,000 – $70,000 / year

Additional Job Description

Essential Functions

• Build, manage, and/or maintain a diverse set of positive working relationships across South Carolina, collaborating and coordinating with community leaders, grassroots organizers, partner organizations, consultants, and businesses. These relationships should/will translate into opportunities to grow our impact within communities, particularly those where we have identified as priority geographies, own and manage land, and/or we are building conservation projects.
• Develop and oversee a vision and strategy in collaboration with the Conservation Director to strengthen community building efforts in SC, with a focus on building reciprocal and authentic partnerships with organizations led by and working in low-income communities, communities of color, Indigenous communities, the LGBTQ+ community, organizations focused on disability access and other communities that enable birds and people to thrive. Ultimately, our efforts will result in more community-based engagement with our projects and programs and will help us inform and build better conservation programming that meets the needs of both birds and communities.
• Design and oversee evaluation of our existing programs and practices with a community building and EDIB lens to improve partnership opportunities and co-creation of solutions, including at our Center and Sanctuaries.
• Support and advise staff’s efforts to build new partnerships in their program areas and expand who they engage with to strengthen ASC programs and conservation work by connecting them with allied groups and interested community leaders with shared goals using best practices and EDIB Conservation Principles.
• Develop an engagement strategy for working with SC Audubon Chapters, including setting up a process for chapter engagement in SC, connecting ASC staff to chapters, and identifying new chapter opportunities such as at HBCUs, like Claflin University and SC State University.
• Directly engage with community representatives and support staff working on community-based conservation projects as directed by the Conservation Director.
• Serve as a public representative of Audubon which may include presentations, public speaking, meeting participation and/or other interactions with agencies, NGOs, Audubon chapters, and coalitions to both gather and disseminate information, such as the SC Conservation Coalition.
• Develop needs assessments, metrics, and program evaluation methods as well as monitor and track program goals, timelines, and tasks.
• Support the Conservation Director’s efforts to increase funding, capacity, and other resources for our strategies, programs, and partners.
• Coordinate with Audubon Community Building cohorts and staff to provide or share community building training and best management practices with the Conservation Director and the ASC team.
• Partner with the National Conservation EDIB leader and other regional Community Partnerships Managers to identify opportunities to replicate successful initiatives piloted in other regions.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• At least 5 years of experience working with racially and socioeconomically diverse coalitions, communities, and/or partners, which may include:
  • Experience building coalitions and/or developing deep partnerships with racially and socioeconomically diverse groups that vary in capacity.
  • Experience mediating and resolving conflicts between partner groups.
  • Knowledge of issue advocacy, including grassroots organizing and issue campaign strategies.
  • Experience building relationships with Indigenous, Black, Asian Pacific Islander, and/or Latinx community leaders, and preferably leaders who are working on environmental justice, organizing, and/or conservation issues.
  • Emotional intelligence, strong interpersonal skills, humor, humility, compassion, patience, and persistence.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage collaborative, productive, and respectful relationships with leaders and organizations representing grassroots, community-based organizations.
  • A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – a personal approach that values the individual and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstances.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, facilitation, and public speaking skills. Ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely when engaging in person, via video conferencing, and via telephone.
  • A fast and willing learner with strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to follow up and meet deadlines.
  • Cultural competence: demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity and the ability to learn from and build on varying cultural and community norms.
  • Shares Audubon’s commitment to integrating its EDIB Conservation Principles into every aspect of our work and ensuring an inclusive organizational culture.
  • Understanding of structural and institutional inequity and interpersonal power dynamics, and proven ability to analyze situations to engage and address them diplomatically.
  • Ability to manage and implement strategies tailored to varying geographic and political contexts.
  • Proficiency with standard office productivity software and equipment; ability to read, process, and synthesize printed materials on paper or a standard computer screen.
  • Willingness and ability to travel regularly within South Carolina (and occasionally out of state) and to work nights and weekends as needed.

EEO Statement

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

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