Nature Conservation, Education, Organizing, Campaigns

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Position: Nature Organizer
Organization: Ecology Ottawa
Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Are you a strategic and creative campaigner who’s passionate about organizing and mobilizing people to take local ecological action?

Our Nature Organizer position offers an exciting opportunity to deepen and grow people power through in-person outreach, digital activation, and compelling campaigns. The Nature Organizer helps people see the connection between the environmental crises and their everyday lives, highlighting the benefits of ecological action for developing health and vibrant communities.

We believe that part of ecological action is environmental justice, to rectify past injustices and help lift the voices of equity-deserving and other vulnerable populations in decisions with ecological ramifications. At a moment when ecological action has never been more urgent, the Organizer will mobilize Ottawans to advocate to decision-makers so that together we can create a green, equitable, and resilient city.

About Ecology Ottawa

Ecology Ottawa is the heartbeat of the local environmental movement in Ottawa. We envision Ottawa as the green capital of Canada, leading the nation’s municipalities in climate action, protection of biodiversity, and environmental equity. We work to engage communities in local environmental action, build people power, and influence policy to reduce harmful emissions, increase climate resilience, advance environmental equity, and protect and restore nature in Ottawa. We believe that by engaging and broadening a place-based movement of residents who care deeply about ecological protection and feel connected to the place they call home, we can effectively mobilize people to foster systemic changes, influence policy, and grow our community focussed on ensuring the well-being of people and nature in Ottawa.

Key responsibilities

The following are the Nature Organizer’s main responsibilities.

Campaigns and Engagement Organizing

• Lead campaigns, such as our Climate Equity, Tree Giveaway, and/or Pollinator Garden campaigns, and lead our Reactive Advocacy efforts
• Develop campaign materials, including petitions, web content, reports, and campaign strategies, in collaboration with other organizers
• Project manage campaigns, including work plans and monitoring progress
• Maintain and expand Ecology Ottawa’s base of grassroots support through organizing door-to-door outreach and participation in community events
• Grow and guide a community of volunteers to expand impact of campaigns
• Manage budgets for campaigns
• Process, enter, and update supporter data into Ecology Ottawa’s database
• Utilize tools like NationBuilder to organize and mobilize community members, and New/Mode to help community members to contact decision-makers

Policy and Political Action

• Work with the Executive Director, the Ecology Ottawa team, and community members to analyze and respond to climate-related policy developments
• Develop and/or contribute to policy positions and policy recommendations on key issues
• Organize (often in collaboration with other organizations) rallies to bring the community together and show support or opposition for key policy issues
• Conduct delegations to City committees to inform City councillors in advance of key policy decisions

Collaboration

• Act as a convener and collaborator with key partners and coalitions
• Contribute to team meetings and collaborate with team members
• Positively contribute to team culture of care, well-being, and mutual growth
• Provide support to staff for campaign-specific and fundraising events and activities
• Participate in strategic planning discussions
• Communicate priority and capacity needs to Executive Director

Grants Development and Reporting

• Cultivate relationships with key funders and supporters, building financial support for biodiversity and climate campaigns
• Apply and/or contribute to grant proposals to secure funding for campaigns and projects
• Ensure implementation of grant agreements on relevant files, including following funder guidelines
• Fulfill reporting requirements on grant agreements with interim and final reports, as applicable

Skills and Experience

We encourage you to apply if you believe you are a good fit, even if you do not have all of these skills and experiences.

• 2+ years’ experience in organizing and/or campaigning and/or mission-driven program leadership
• Strong knowledge of biodiversity and environmental issues, particularly at the municipal level, with passion for environmentalism and equity
• Talent for organizing people and inspiring community members to take action; experience working with diverse and/or vulnerable communities
• Strong communications skills, in various mediums for varied audiences, with a passion for educating people; expertise in researching and writing reports
• Experience with project management, with the ability to deliver projects on time and on budget
• Experience in writing grant proposals and/or implementing grant agreements
• Comfort delivering presentations and delegations
• Familiarity with tools such as NationBuilder and New/Mode
• Bilingual English/French (asset)

Benefits to Being a Part of the Ecology Ottawa Team

• Impactful, mission-driven work environment, with the opportunity to learn about a diversity of local environmental issues and make connections with a thriving environmental community in Ottawa
• Flexibility between remote and in-person work environment
• Supportive work culture, and encouragement for initiative and creativity
• Twenty days paid vacation per year plus a bonus week at year-end holidays
• $60,000 annual salary prorated, 40 hours per week
• Unionized workplace; health benefits, including dental and eye care

Ecology Ottawa has a hybrid work environment, with access to office space available at Impact Hub Ottawa on 123 Slater Street. While the team mostly works remotely, they are occasionally required to attend in-person meetings and events, and currently meet in-person once per week. Note that given the local nature of our work, team members are required to live and work in Ottawa.

Commitment to Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging

Ecology Ottawa was born out of the belief that environmental action is for people of all backgrounds and expressions. We seek to embed justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in every part of our organization, community, and programs, and we commit to learning deeply about, and engage meaningfully in, Truth and Reconciliation in our city. We believe that environmental action is inseparable from social justice, that environmental progress must be intersectional, and that taking ecological action is an opportunity to build community across interests and groups. We expect that the Organizer will share these values.

Ecology Ottawa is committed to employment equity and seeks diversity in the workplace. We welcome applications from members of equity-seeking groups, including, but not limited to, women, transgender, non-binary, and 2SLGTBQ+ individuals; First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals; persons with disabilities; and members of racialized and marginalized groups.

Note that this is a 12-month position with the possibility of extension.

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter and resume to info@ecologyottawa.ca by May 11.

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

We seek to fill the position as soon as is practicable.