Chapter Director

Sierra Club; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 106,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sierra Club Oregon Chapter seeks a Chapter Director in Portland (or remote within Oregon). You will lead fundraising, staff management, and strategic initiatives, partnering with a volunteer Executive Committee and staff to drive conservation, equity, and outreach. Evening/weekend work may be required.

You will collaborate on budgeting, media relations, and organizational growth, while advancing policy goals and building coalitions to protect the planet.

Qualifications

• Fundraising experience with donor relations and major gifts.
• Budget development and financial management experience.
• Strong communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Strategic planning and assessment ability.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion and understanding of systems of oppression.
• Experience in grassroots organizing and coalition building.
• Valid driver’s license, driving record and insurance required.

Responsibilities

• Fundraising: lead Chapter fundraising with support from volunteers and staff, develop goals and track progress.
• Staff and volunteer recruitment and management: lead staff and building volunteer teams, ensure compliance with policies.
• Strategic Planning and Assessment: help develop short- and long-term goals with leadership.
• Oversee media and public relations: guide digital strategies with staff and volunteers.
• Outreach and coalition-building: engage with other organizations and community leaders.
• Attend Chapter meetings and regional coordination meetings; oversee Chapter committees.
• Budgeting: develop and track the Chapter budget.
• Organizational Compliance: ensure policy and legal compliance across operations.

Skills

Fundraising

Budgeting

Communication

Strategic planning

Equity & inclusion

Coalition building

Driver's license

Tools

Google Suite

Salesforce

VAN

Hustle

Job description

Title

Chapter Director

Department

Oregon Chapter

Location

Portland, OR (preferred) or remote within Oregon

Reports To

Deputy Regional Field Director

Supervises

Oregon Chapter staff

Context

At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice - a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope

The Chapter Director helps develop and carry out the policies, priorities, and objectives of the Sierra Club in Oregon. Programmatic and operations work is done in close partnership with a volunteer Executive Committee and staff. These activities include but are not limited to conservation, political and legislative programs, equity and inclusion, fundraising, volunteer development, member services, administration, budgeting and financial management, media relations, and staff management. The director represents the Chapter and the Sierra Club to government officials, the media, business and community leaders, donors, allies, other organizations, and the public. Evening and weekend work is often required.

Job activities include

• Fundraising (38%): Leads the Chapter's fundraising with support from the Chapter's fundraising committee and staff. Annually creates fundraising goals, updates the Chapter's fundraising plan, and tracks progress through the fiscal year. A significant portion of their fundraising time will be focused on developing relationships and soliciting high net worth individuals for contributions. The Sierra Club’s fundraising tactics include significant work with direct mail.
• Staff and volunteer recruitment and management (35%): Leads staff in assigned operational or program areas. Reviews staff performance using solicited input from the Executive Committee, Chapter Chair, and/or others as appropriate. Reviews staff time reports and ensures that these reports are completed in an accurate and timely manner and ensures the Chapter is in compliance with Sierra Club’s employment policies and practices. Manages represented and non-represented state-based staff to meet state-based goals. Oversees the recruitment and building of volunteer teams based on programmatic and operational priorities. Ensures pathways for volunteer leadership development. Oversees strategic organizing plan to ensure membership base and volunteers are engaged and effective.
• Strategic Planning and Assessment (10%): Facilitates, contributes to, and prioritizes the development of the Chapter’s short- and long-term strategic, programmatic, and financial goals. All planning activity takes place in coordination with the Executive Committee, relevant Chapter leaders, and the Deputy Regional Field Director. Coordinates with the Executive Committee to implement organizational effectiveness and ensures a mutually respectful and generative process.
• Oversees the implementation of media and public relations (5%): Oversees and implements strategies and effective digital strategy with the Communication staffer and volunteers.
• Engages in outreach and coalition-building (5%): Ensures the Chapter and its leaders participate in meetings, task forces, and events with other aligned organizations. Builds strong relationships with the Chapter’s entities, state and regional community leaders, coalitions, other organizations, elected officials, governmental agencies, etc. Represents the Chapter when appropriate.
• Attends Chapter meetings and regional coordination meetings (3%) as needed. Oversees Chapter Committees and Issue Chairs in the planning and implementation of core conservation efforts and programs.
• Budgeting (2%): With the Chapter Executive Committee and Treasurer, develops a budget and tracks the Chapter's financial performance throughout the fiscal year. Responsible for ensuring staff are expensing their time and other expenses appropriately.
• Organizational Compliance (2%): Oversees Chapter compliance. Ensures compliance with Sierra Club policies, with legal requirements for use of Sierra Club resources among staff, and with Sierra Club’s employment policies and practices. Supports volunteer leaders in ensuring compliance in the broader Sierra Club program. Ensures compliance with all applicable laws (local, state, and national) pertaining to chapter operations.

The successful candidate must have the following skills and experience

• Fundraising experience. Excellent donor relations skills and understanding of the funding community. Previous success in establishing relationships with individuals and organizations of influence including funders, partner agencies, and volunteers. A history of successfully generating new revenue streams and improving financial results.
• Budget Development and Management. Strong financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision making and reporting. Experience navigating multiple funding streams and complex budgets is a plus.
• Skillful and Effective Communicator. Organizational conflict resolution experience and committed communication skills. Track record of supporting diverse individuals and teams to surface and navigate conflict towards generative outcomes.
• Strategic Planning and Assessment: Demonstrated ability to design and implement strategic plans, communicate changes effectively, build consensus, monitor transitions, and evaluate results. Track record of accomplishing these things in ways that develop teams towards stated goals.
• Committed to evolution. You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. You recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
• Uplifting and additive. You see mistakes as opportunities for growth, problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go. Exceptional curiosity, critical thinking, and clarity.
• Power building. Experience in grassroots organizing, training, motivating volunteer teams and coalition building.
• Valid driver’s license, satisfactory driving record, and proof of auto insurance required

The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following experience, skills and competencies

• Board and Organizational Governance. Non-profit management and/or Board experience.
• Issue area expertise: Experience in energy, climate, and/or environmental policy. Experience and knowledge of state and federal legislative processes; relationships with media, elected officials, lobbyists. Experience working with marginalized, underrepresented or environmental justice communities.
• Media Skills. Excellent communications skills including media strategy and public speaking. Adept at storytelling, engaging a crowd, and being a media spokesperson.
• Lobbying Skills. Experience building and maintaining relationships with legislators and regulators to advance policy goals.
• Excellent computer skills and familiarity with online databases, communications and productivity tools such as Google Suite, Salesforce, VAN, Hustle, etc.

To Apply

The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Compensation And Benefits

The salary for this position is $125,000 annually.

The Sierra Club offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.

This is a category 2, exempt, non-represented, managerial, and professional position.

Sierra Club values the expertise and talents of foreign nationals. Sierra Club sponsors both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas when certain criteria are met, based on immigration laws and organizational needs. Such sponsorship is at the discretion of the Department Head and Sierra Club People Department in consultation with the employee’s manager. The Sierra Club cannot guarantee the approval of a visa petition. The Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce belonging.