Executive Director

 

CALL FOR APPLICANTS THROUGH JUNE 30: Bark is seeking a new Executive Director! 

Bark’s mission is to transform Mt. Hood National Forest into a place where natural processes prevail, where wildlife thrives and where local communities have a social, cultural, and economic investment in its restoration and preservation. Bark is the resource for community action to protect Mt. Hood National Forest and surrounding federal lands. We prioritize grassroots organizing and believe in the power of an engaged public. We recognize that the forest should thrive not just to provide resources for the human community, but also for the inherent value of nature itself. We maintain an organizational culture that is transparent, inclusive and cooperative, where volunteers, staff and board work together to realize the vision of Bark. Our name originates from the “barker,” who stands before the public and uses persistent outcry to call attention. We are a group of Barkers, ensuring that the public hears about all events, good and bad, occurring in the Mt. Hood National Forest.

If you are passionate about building creative, positive change in the world, Bark may be the right place for you.  As Bark’s Executive Director, you would oversee the organization’s eight-member staff, maintain relationships with large financial supporters, engage in strategic planning, and foster partnerships within and outside of Bark’s current community.

Why is Bark a great place to work? Many of the people involved have been in and out of roles in the organization for over a decade because we value a sustainable, supportive, and creative approach to people’s involvement. Bark has a proven track record of preserving critical wildlife habitat, generating funds to support on-the-ground restoration, and blocking plans to privatize public water supplies. This success is also driven in large part by the organization’s extensive and responsive network of 25,000 members whose collective voices give Bark political leverage and whose boots on the ground make a difference. For the past ten years we have built up a door-to-door outreach team that goes out in communities surrounding the Mt. Hood National Forest, including the City of Portland, connecting our work to thousands of people every year. Bark counts on a staff and board who bring a wealth of experiences and expertise to the organization. In addition, Bark’s staff, Board of Directors, and core volunteers are in the early stages of a multi-year process to improve our workplace and organizational culture to be more welcoming and comfortable to people of diverse backgrounds. Our commitment to a healthy work balance, a core belief in the role of skill-sharing, and a committed budget every year to ongoing equity and diversity workshops and education are some of the ways we support one another to continue to grow as advocates. Women, gender non-conforming people, and people from historically underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.

—————

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Executive Director

General Responsibilities: The Executive Director (ED) is a full-time (40hrs/wk) position responsible for managing staff, maintaining meaningful and thoughtful relationships with large funders and supporters, and for guiding strategic direction to achieve the goals identified in Bark’s 20-Year Vision.

Background: Bark is a tenacious advocate for the forests and rivers surrounding Mt. Hood and is a pillar of the region’s vibrant activist history. Community organizing and legal advocacy has led to groundbreaking victories including the end to old-growth logging in Mt. Hood National Forest in 2005, the adoption of the nation’s most restrictive off-road vehicle plan in 2011, and ongoing road removal to restore watershed health. Bark’s success is a result of a dedicated and efficient board, staff, and a volunteer team that works well together and has fun while defending and restoring our public forests.

Job Duties:

Staff Management (50%) – Bark’s staff are passionate about empowering people to be a part of protecting our forests and rivers. They work with hundreds of volunteers and thousands of supporters. The ED works together with each staff person to ensure that they are supported and accountable to the goals stated in our strategic plans and 20-yr Vision Statement. The ED is also part of implementing a multi-year plan to address issues of systemic inequity inside and outside the organization.

Development and Fundraising (35%) – The ED works closely with the Development Director and the Canvass Director to implement our grassroots fundraising efforts. The ED is responsible for cultivating large donations (~$80K annually) and overseeing a foundation portfolio with assistance from contractors that makes up approximately 20% of our funding.

Finances and Administration (10%) – The ED works with our bookkeeper to maintain fiscal oversight and reporting.

Strategic Planning and Board Relations (5%) – Facilitating organizational evaluation of our strategic plan may increase in need as we move closer to the ten-year mark and a possible rewriting of our “20-Year Vision” in 2019. The ED supports the Board of Directors in their engagement with the organization and their comprehension of regular reporting by the staff.

Qualifications:

  • Demonstrated leadership skills, and the ability to prioritize multiple and competing commitments successfully;
  • Demonstrated history of successful staff management and development;
  • Experience with fundraising from members/donors;
  • Experience with financial management;
  • Experience in developing and implementing strategic plans;
  • Experience in public interest advocacy and/or social change organizing.

Desired Skills:

  • Spanish-speakers are preferred;
  • Knowledge of funding databases is beneficial, training is available;
  • Familiarity with Pacific Northwest conservation issues is desirable;
  • Candidates are encouraged to share communication and public speaking skills experience.

Other Details:

  • The Bark office is kid-friendly and dog-friendly. More information about access here.
  • The position is based in Portland, Oregon, and reports to Bark’s Board of Directors.
  • There are two weekend retreats, annually, and end-of-year fundraising can be disruptive to traditional holidays.
  • Contact Amy Harwood, Board Member, at amy@bark-out.org with questions.

Compensation: Annual salary range is $60,000-$70,000, based on experience. Health and dental coverage is included. Bark has a generous vacation policy, starting at three weeks annually and offers sabbatical to full-time employees at five years.

Hiring Process:

We are currently not considering an internal hire. The application period is open until June 30th and will be extended if needed. We will contact applicants for  interviews on July 1st. Our desire is to hire for this position by August 1, but have contracted an Interim Executive Director to ensure that the process has the time needed.

To Apply:

E-mail resume, 2-3 references (will not be contacted until second interviews), and cover letter to (no calls please) amy@bark-out.org, with “Executive Director” in the subject line. We are asking for applicants to fill out a voluntary, anonymous survey that will help us know that we have reached diverse points of outreach in our call for applicants. A link will be sent back to you when you apply. Thank you for your help with this effort.

Equity:

Bark is engaged in a multi-year process to identify inequity in our work, organizational culture, and grow as individuals with unique experiences of exposure to and perpetuation of systemic oppression. We want our organization to be an inclusive and diverse space that is committed to ending oppression. Barkers share a deep love for the forest and recognize that people have a wide range of perspective and experiences that connect us all to the forest. We want to be able to represent a large breadth of connection for the forests we defend. Bark grew out of a history of direct action, public lands advocacy, and an understanding of the legal system. Much of these origins are heavily represented by a white, colonizer perspective. While we have made gains to shift this dominant perspective and create a workplace that is welcoming and comfortable for people from diverse backgrounds, we acknowledge that we have much more work to do. Applicants will be given a copy of our 2016 Equity Assessment Report, written by an outside consultant, at the first interview.

Bark does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors.

Closing Date: 
06/30/2017