National Coordinator

SIERRA YOUTH COALITION is looking for a new National Coordinator!

Do you want to change the world? Meet amazing people from across North America? Have the opportunity to do some travelling? Help empower youth across Canada to engage in social and environmental transformation? Establish yourself in the environmental community? Show your complete dedication to environmental issues?

Are you a hard worker? Do you have diverse skills? Are you a multi-tasker? Do you have what it takes to manage a non-profit organization? Do you know about FUNDRAISING and Project Management? Are you focused and can you get the job done?

Well if you answered yes to these questions, then do we have a job for you!

Introduction:

Sierra Youth Coalition (SYC) is a national, youth driven, and diverse non-profit (organization) working in Canada. Through grassroots action, SYC aims to address globalisation, consumption, and climate change through a solutions based approach of promoting education for sustainability, bioregionalism, sustainable communities, and lifestyle simplicity. Since its inception in 1996, SYC has acted as a networking and resource center for youth between the ages of 15-25, concerned about environmental and social justice issues. The SYC’s two staff, and 12 volunteer Executive Committee members activate the membership of approximately 1,600 youth by involving them in projects, internships, workshops and conferences which are all aimed at educating youth about the environment, and training them to become active citizens. Over the years SYC has been involved in assisting groups at the local, regional and national level to become actively involved in major environmental issues that directly affect their lives, and those around them. SYC believes change can only come from within, and therefore strives to empower youth to become the voice of the next generation.

The Sustainable Campuses project is currently one of SYC’s main focus areas. The project seeks to inspire, inform, train, and support Canadian students in the pursuit of social and environmental change through their campus. The projects main focus is to support students in the development and implementation of sustainable policies and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) for their educational institutions. The Sustainable Campuses project aims to promote a systematic approach to change in campus practices. It promotes students’ efforts to work within the systems of their educational institutions in order to create permanent, institutionalized mechanisms to ensure sustainability. To date over 200 students from 42 different educational institutions have participated in the project.

Job Classification: Contract - 13 months – May 6 2002 - June 1, 2003
(with option for renewal)

Position Title: National Coordinator

Reports to: Sierra Youth Coalition - Executive Committee (SYC - ExComm)
Sierra Club of Canada Board of Directors (SCC - BoD)

Pay: Depending on skill level, minimum $24,000/year

Closing date: April 20, 2002

Position Concept:

The National Coordinator is responsible to help conceptualize, plan, implement, and monitor all operations within the Sierra Youth Coalition (SYC). This is the primary staff person who runs the SYC and is responsible for leading fundraising and finances the management of human resources, including managing national programs and projects, and communications. The National Coordinator works directly with the ExComm, volunteers, members and the Sierra Club of Canada. The NC receives direction from the SYC ExComm and is responsible to the SYC ExComm and the SCC BoD.

Responsibilities (in order of priority):

1. Fundraise (through foundations, government entities, corporations, citizen donors, and events), financial reporting, and developing and maintaining funder relations.

2. Followi the SYC fundraising strategy and revising fundraising plan while further developing fundraising strategy.

3. Report to funders (foundations, government, donors).

4. Organize the SYC ExComm election and training.

5. Report to SYC ExComm monthly and SCC Board of Directors biannually.

6. Participate in SYC ExComm meetings.

7. Hire, trainand manage Staff, Interns and Volunteers.

8. Manage national programs and projects.

9. Coordinate bilingual communication with members and groups on a regular basis (through mail-outs, email and website).

10. Support a continual visioning process for SYC overall and individual projects.

11. Coordinate outreach and networking.

12. Oversee maintenance SYC National Office.

13. Communicate with the Sierra Club of Canada National Office and Chapters.

14. Act as primary contact person for the Sierra Youth Coalition.

15. For the one year after termination of position - acting as an advisor to SYC.

There are also opportunities to (but not the main priority of the position):

• Provide skills building workshops to youth groups

• Speak at events

• Travel throughout Canada

• Help organize conferences and events

• Guide others in the planning of workshops, conferences, training sessions, and speaking events

• Representing SYC at conferences, consultations, and events

Required Qualifications:

Experience in:

• Fundraising

• Financial Administration (writing and following budgets, maintaining books)

• Project Management

• Management of Human Resources

• Excellent technical writing skills

• Outstanding time management skills

• Understanding of the Youth Environmental Movement

• Good understanding of Windows Operating Systems and Microsoft software

• Prepared for working while travelling and living flexible life-style including odd hours of work/flexible hours to accommodate work-load

• Know about and be experienced in public presentation skills

• Energetic, well-organized, self-motivated, creative, hard working, and positive personality

• Work well under pressure and good at multitasking

Preferred Qualifications:
• Extensive experience in Project Management such as: developing an idea with a team

• Proven ability to function bilingually

• Ability to Establish goals, an action plan, set timeline, secure funding for the project, and manage the implementation of the project

• Understand equal opportunity hiring processes, and consensus decision making

• Have actively participated in a National NGO

• Have lead or actively participated in a local grassroots organization

• Excellent communication skills

• Has passion and commitment to improving our environment and making the world a better place

• Understand issues the social justice and environmental movement faces such as issues of race, class, and gender

• Creative and analytical abilities: eg. be innovative and flexible in problem solving

Experience in:

• Management of staff, youth interns and volunteers.

• Campaigning and Networking.

• Organizing events.

IT IS PREFERRED THAT CANDIDATES SEND THEIR CV AND COVER LETTER ELECTRONICALLY! (to help save paper)
Put National Coordinator CV in the subject area.

Sierra Youth Coalition
Suite 412 - 1 Nicholas Street,
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7B7
Canada

FAX: (613) 241-2292