Gulf Coast Restoration Corps Development Director- New Orleans, LA

Organization: The Corps Network

Position Title: Gulf Coast Restoration Corps Development Director (New Orleans, LA) 

Location: New Orleans, LA

Main Office: 1100 G Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, District of Columbia, 20005, United States

Hours and Compensation: full-time, $55,000-$65,000

Application Deadline: open until filled

Organization Overview

TCN is the voice of the nation’s 127 Service and Conservation Corps, which operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Through advocacy, training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, and national grants, TCN promotes and supports the growth and quality of its member Corps which, in turn, provide services and opportunities to nearly 27,000 Corps members each year.

Service and Conservation Corps, modeled after the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, engage diverse and often disadvantaged young people between the ages of 16 and 25 in variety of service projects designed to address important community and environmental needs.  Service projects include creating urban parks and community gardens, building trails and campgrounds, removing invasive species and restoring natural habitat, fighting fires and responding to disasters, installing energy saving measure in low-income homes, and much more.  In exchange for their service, Corps members receive education, work-readiness, job skills, supportive services, a modest wage or stipend, and an education award or scholarship.

Gulf Coast Restoration Corps Vision:

The Corps Network is proposing the development and implementation of a large-scale Conservation Corps initiative – resulting in at least three permanent Conservation Corps programs in the Gulf region – to help repair and revitalize the Gulf Coast’s ecosystem, provide training to local young people, create jobs, and stimulate economic development in response to the Deep-water Horizon oil spill.

Over a five-year period, the Gulf Coast Restoration Corps initiative envisions the engagement and training of hundreds of Gulf Coast region youth and young adults working on critical coastal restoration projects with assistance and expertise from Service and Conservation Corps across the country. The initiative will lead to the establishment of at least three new Conservation Corps programs in the region.

The success of this proposal and initiative depends on the buy in and support of local stakeholders and funders.

Description

The GCRC Development Director will be required to research and identify potential partners and funders; to cultivate relationships with these individuals, organizations, and coalitions; and to promote the GCRC proposal.  The GCRC Development Director will also be responsible for identifying and securing commitments for coastal restoration projects for the Corpsmembers to work on.  Additionally, the GCRC Development Director will help develop the program model, including the education, workforce development, and evaluation components.  Finally, the GCRC Development Director will be intimately involved in drafting a comprehensive GCRC implementation plan.

Ideally, this position will start on Nov 1, 2013, be based in New Orleans, and share office space with a local Conservation Corps.  However, this position will require extensive travel (approximately 50%) across the Gulf Coast region and occasionally to Washington, DC.  This grant-funded position is a year in length, but may be extended dependent on funding.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment for the region, outlining the specific needs identified by key stakeholders and community leaders, the potential challenges or barriers, and the resources for addressing such needs and challenges.
• Collect and synthesize information and proposals from the various regional response plans (such as plans published by the Restore Council, the State of Louisiana, Oxfam and the Ocean Conservancy) to determine at what intersections Corps can play a role in these plans.
• Develop a communications strategy, outreach plan, and materials that promote the GCRC Initiative and the use of Conservation Corps and deliver to potential stakeholders, partners, and project sponsors.
• Identify, contact, and develop relationships with all federal, state, and local land and water management agencies involved in Gulf Coast restoration efforts.  Formalize relationships through cooperative agreements and/or MOUs as necessary.
• Identify, contact, and develop relationships with other potential partners (educators, trainers, service providers, community-based organizations, funders, etc…).  Formalize relationships through cooperative agreements and/or MOUs as necessary.
• Working with TCN staff, survey existing Corps to collect and review various models and best practices to develop a menu of successful program models for implementation as part of the GCRC initiative. Develop a guide or manual for Gulf Coast operations.
• Begin to develop, with input from issue area experts, a training module and workforce credential program for Corps to implement Gulf Coast Restoration projects.
• Begin a proposal for an evaluation plan, including a data collection and reporting system, for Corps engagement in the gulf region.  Search for potential outside evaluators to assist effort.
• Working with TCN staff, draft a comprehensive 5-year GCRC Implementation plan that results in the engagement of hundreds of local youth and at least three permanent local Corps.

Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree required, focus on environmental studies or ecology a plus
• Knowledge of, and experience working within, the Gulf Coast Region
• Record of successful resource and partnership development
• Experience with coalitions, community development and strategic planning
• Experience with program development and evaluation
• Understanding of the basic principles of youth development and service learning
• Understanding of the Workforce Development system – particularly related to youth
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including writing, public speaking, and delivering presentations
• Ability to interpret and synthesize detailed information and apply to program development activities
• Ability to work independently (be proactive, prioritize, multi-task) without direct supervision
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Access or equivalent software
• Able to create compelling and informative marketing materials and presentations
• Valid Driver’s License

Preference for candidates with:

• Knowledge of and/or experience with Service and Conservation Corps
• Experience with Federal or State land and/or water management agencies
• Experience with coastal ecosystem restoration
• Experience with remote work station environments a plus

How to Apply

Send cover letter and resume to Nicole Aiken ([email protected]) 1100 G Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005

Subject Line: Gulf Coast Restoration Corps Development Director

Deadline: Open until filled.