The Wilderness Society (TWS) is seeking an experienced, energetic and creative National Restoration Campaign Director to: (1) direct a multi-departmental team of experienced staff in a focused, interdependent restoration legislative/administrative campaign, and (2) lead coordination of restoration efforts across the organization. The goal of TWS restoration work is to restore ecological integrity and community well-being in and around public lands.  The campaign, more specifically, aims to fundamentally shift the policies, budget and culture of the Forest Service from an historical focus on timber management to a 21st century focus on landscape scale ecological restoration.  Reporting directly to the Vice President for Public Policy, this position is responsible for leading a high-priority national campaign to achieve key legislative, appropriations and administrative changes within the U.S. Forest Service, and to coordinate strategies, activities, learning and information-sharing on restoration throughout The Wilderness Society.

BACKGROUND

TWS is the leading American conservation organization working to protect our nation’s public lands -- the 635 million acres collectively owned by the American people and managed by our government.  For over 70 years TWS has been at the forefront of nationwide efforts to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places.  In addition to our wilderness protection efforts, TWS has long advocated for ecological restoration of our public lands.  By coupling designation with ecological restoration at the landscape scale, we will greatly increase the positive ecological and political benefits of our work within our priority landscapes.

Many designated and potential wilderness areas are surrounded by lands suffering from high road densities, unnatural forest conditions, invasive species, water quality problems and other forms of ecological degradation. While these degraded lands have long been viewed as a threat to the wilderness character of adjacent lands they simultaneously represent an opportunity to develop innovative restoration projects that restore ecological integrity and wildness, create jobs, and appeal to a broad spectrum of political interests.

The Campaign Director will lead an interdependent, interdisciplinary national team in a sustained, focused effort to apply lessons learned in the field to policy, appropriations and administrative targets at the national level.  The Campaign Director will have the opportunity to advance ecological restoration and community well-being at a time when the White House and many in Congress have expressed unprecedented support for these efforts.  By promoting restoration we will achieve significant ecological gains while improving the politics around land management regionally and nationally.  Additionally, the Campaign Director will lead coordination of  our restoration work across the organization, ensuring synergy between various field and policy activities, and ensure that it is integrated with our wildlands designation and climate adaptation work.

The Restoration Campaign Director will direct our efforts to:
• Improve and expand existing restoration-related legislation while exploring opportunities for the enactment of new, restoration-related legislation.
• Advocate for restoration-friendly reforms in the Forest Service budget, performance measures, and priority setting processes.
• Ensure that the Forest Service efforts to right-size the forest road system is fully funded and successful.

The Restoration Campaign Director will lead coordination of our efforts to:
• Establish mechanisms to ensure that TWS work focusing on restoration – in the field and in the realm of policy and agency practices – is coordinated regarding strategies, activities, cross-organizational learning, and information-sharing.

PRIORITY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and manage the work of a large, diverse group of staff to achieve the goals defined in our restoration campaign plan.
•  Ensure the integration and interdependence of staff across multiple disciplines, departments and TWS offices.
•  Lead the development and implementation of legislative, appropriations and administrative efforts to achieve the goals defined in our restoration campaign plan.
•  Play a leadership role in initiating, building, and maintaining collaborative relationships with diverse partners, coalitions and government officials.
•  Represent TWS in meetings with Members of Congress and their staff, agency officials, national, regional and local NGO partners and elected officials as well as members of the business community.
• Create mechanisms to ensure cross-organizational coordination of TWS’s suite of restoration efforts.
• Some travel (as much as monthly) to TWS Regional offices and restoration project locations.

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The ideal candidate should possess the following skills and experience:

• A strong track record in advocacy campaign leadership.
• Significant experience with the legislative and appropriations processes.
• Fluency, including academic training or professional experience, in ecological restoration, public policy and national forest management.
• Strong leadership experience involving interdisciplinary teams of geographically dispersed senior, mid-level and junior staff.
• Proficient and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment; the ability to make the sound decisions based on the best available information. 
• Strong record of working in diverse collaborative groups linking national policy to practical, on-the-ground efforts around the U.S.
• Supervisory experience.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.

INTERPERSONAL QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES

TWS relies on team members to openly communicate with each other cross-functionally and hierarchically in order to achieve the highest results for the organization.  The ideal candidate will have the following attributes:

• Strong sense of teamwork and commitment to working toward the common goal.
• Approaches issues and problems with sense of curiosity.  Willingness to ‘learn as you go’ and participate in feedback loops.
• Demonstrated history of flexibility, and ability to adapt.
• Strong intellect, creativity, drive, and initiative.
• Solid organizational and interpersonal skills; interacts with trust and respect at all levels.
•  A good sense of humor.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in public policy, ecological restoration, natural resource management, political science or related discipline required; advanced degree strongly preferred.

TWS offers a highly competitive salary and benefits package, including health, dental and vision insurance along with a generous retirement plan.

At TWS, we advocate for and protect the rich variety of life, values and experiences that wild places provide; as an organization we are equally committed to honoring diversity in our staff and creating an inclusive work environment.

To apply please send a single email with the following attachments to mailto: staffing@tws.org, a cover letter explaining your qualifications and interest in this position; resume or curriculum vitae;