Chapter Director

Trellis Group; Portland, Northern (OR, KY); Hybrid; USD 106,000 - 144,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Sierra Club in Portland, OR seeks a Chapter Director to lead the Oregon Chapter. This role develops fundraising plans, oversees staff and volunteers, manages budgets, and aligns programs with equity and inclusion goals.

The position requires collaboration with a volunteer Executive Committee and staff, and may involve evening/weekend work. The Chapter Director represents the Chapter to officials, media, donors, and partners, coordinating conservation, legislative, and outreach activities in

Qualifications

• Strong fundraising experience with donor relations and major gifts development.
• Proven budget development, financial oversight, and reporting.
• Clear, inclusive communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Experience designing and implementing strategic plans and building consensus.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice within non-profit work.
• Experience building volunteer coalitions and leading campaigns.
• Familiarity with chapter governance, policy work, and organizational processes.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Fundraising (38%): lead fundraising efforts and relationships, develop goals and plans.
• Staff and volunteer recruitment and management (35%): oversee staff and volunteers, ensure policy compliance.
• Strategic Planning and Assessment (10%): develop and track goals with Executive Committee.
• Oversees media and public relations (5%): guide digital strategy with Communications staff.
• Outreach and coalition-building (5%): build relationships with allied groups and leaders.
• Attends Chapter and regional meetings (3%): participate and oversee committees.
• Budgeting (2%): develop and monitor Chapter budget with Treasurer.
• Organizational Compliance (2%): ensure policy and legal compliance.

Skills

Fundraising

Staff management

Strategic planning

Effective communication

Coalition building

Meetings coordination

Budgeting

Compliance

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Oversees the implementation of media and public relations (5%): Oversees and implements strategies and effective digital strategy with the Communication staffer and volunteers.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Power building. Experience in grassroots organizing, training, motivating volunteer teams and coalition building.
8. 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:

1. Board and Organizational Governance. Non-profit management and/or Board experience.
2. 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.
3. Media Skills. Excellent communications skills including media strategy and public speaking. Adept at storytelling, engaging a crowd, and being a media spokesperson.
4. Lobbying Skills. Experience building and maintaining relationships with legislators and regulators to advance policy goals.
5. Excellent computer skills and familiarity with online databases, communications and productivity tools such as Google Suite, Salesforce, VAN, Hustle, etc.

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.