Alliance Coordinator

Estimated Started Date: March 5th, 2012

The Alabama Rivers Alliance seeks a full-time Alliance Coordinator to provide leadership to Alabama’s alliance of local watershed protection organizations. The ideal candidate will bring to the position enthusiasm, knowledge and experience in a number of the following areas: state water/environmental policy, issue campaign planning, grassroots organizing and advocacy. Candidates must have excellent people skills and be comfortable relating to a broad range of people. The Alliance Coordinator reports directly to the Executive Director. The position is located in Birmingham, Alabama.

About the Alabama Rivers Alliance
The Alabama Rivers Alliance works to protect and restore state rivers through water quality and quantity policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, citizen engagement in government, and water policy education in order to achieve clean and healthy river ecosystems, healthy people, strong economies, and a functioning democratic system of government in Alabama.

Job Responsibilities
The Alliance Coordinator is responsible for uniting and providing leadership to Alabama’s network of local river and water-focused organizations in order to support and enhance the Alabama Rivers Alliance strategic plan. Major focus areas include:

• Implementing the Alabama Rivers Alliance’s strategic focus on improving protections for rivers, streams and watersheds through empowering citizens and uniting grassroots groups around the Alabama Water Agenda policy initiatives.

• Maintaining relations with Alabama’s existing watershed organizations.

• Leading the planning and implementation of the Alliance’s annual Alabama Water Rally for local water-focused organizations and citizen river advocates.

• Organizing regional or statewide workshops on topics important to Alabama’s river advocates.

• Performing public speaking presentations around the state to citizen groups and other interested groups on key water issues, such as those identified in the Alabama Water Agenda.

• Developing and/or streamlining programs to respond to citizens and grassroots groups’ water-related complaints.

• Producing and/or identifying relevant resources, information and tools for the citizens and watershed groups, and disseminating through the Alliance website, newsletters, email lists and other media.

• Representing the Alabama Rivers Alliance in key statewide coalitions and supporting regional and statewide coalition work that is relevant to the organization’s mission.

• Assisting citizens with the formation of new river and watershed organizations.

• Assisting with other important Alabama Rivers Alliance programs, such as fundraising events and other nonprofit events

The job will require proficiency in:
• Nonprofit advocacy work
• Grassroots organizing and issue-campaign planning and implementation
• Meeting facilitation and group consensus building
• Developing and delivering outreach presentations to a variety of groups across the state.
• Technical topics related to river conservation, including:
• Understanding of issues impacting Alabama’s rivers
• Understanding of approaches to address impacts to Alabama’s rivers
• Federal, state, and local water policies
• Event planning and coordination

Qualifications
• Enthusiasm and passion for protecting and restoring Alabama’s rivers
• Expertise, experience, and skills matching many of the job responsibilities and proficiencies listed above
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively with others
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Superior verbal and written communication skills
• Orientation towards service
• Valid Alabama driver’s license, and ability and willingness to travel extensively around Alabama, providing for your own transportation. Travel expenses are reimbursed. Travel often requires overnight stays.
• Ability and willingness to regularly work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends when necessary
• A bachelor or graduate degree in environmental studies, ecology, political science, natural resources management, public administration, non-profit management or a related field
• Two or more years of on-the-job experience in watershed/river management, environmental advocacy, grassroots organizing, volunteer organizations, or related areas
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, Publisher, Outlook, and Power Point
• Experience in the production and distribution of of e-newsletters, social networking, etc. is a plus
• History of volunteer experience with non-profit organization is a plus

Annual Compensation, Benefits and Leave:
Salary Commensurate with Skills and Experience
Generous Vacation Policy