The recently formed Willamette River Network seeks a visionary resource development professional with a deep commitment to river health to join as a Co-Director.

This is an opportunity to launch and grow a new network with an evolving community and an intention for distributed leadership and power sharing. Guided by an advisory board and the experiences and wisdom of diverse river stakeholders, the co-directors will lead network formation and pursue new resources toward a shared mission: to catalyze, align and leverage efforts to support a healthy river system and thriving communities across the Willamette River Basin.

The Willamette River Network is building on the success of Meyer Memorial Trust’s Willamette River Initiative, which has focused on improving river health with sustained, collaborative investment since 2008. With the sunset of the Initiative, the Network has stepped into create a community-driven network to continue—and grow—the movement for river health: people and rivers thriving together.

Network leadership will be shared by the Director of Network Coordination (already in place) and a Director of Development and Policy Coordination. This shared leadership model will illustrate a network approach to transparency, trust, cultural representation and community engagement.

The co-directors will work across the Willamette Basin with offices located in the Willamette Basin.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY COORDINATION

Status: Regular Full-time, Exempt (salaried)
Reports to: Board of Directors, with accountability to network participants and Tides Center (fiscal sponsor)

The Director of Development and Policy Coordination will be a strong-fundraising leader that is looking for a unique opportunity to develop a network of partners and communities along the Willamette River.  They will have an understanding of the policy opportunities in Oregon and connections to people and partners throughout the Basin.  Using national and international models, the Director of Development and Policy Coordination will actively engage with partners to evaluate resource needs, fundraising opportunities and use their skills to build network resilience and impact.

OVERALL REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• 5+ years experience in nonprofits, networks, foundations and other community-based organizations.
• Specific experience discussing, writing, communicating policy initiatives.
• Specific experience in individual, foundation and community fundraising.
• Ability to build a broad-based fundraising and engagement programs including grants, individual, corporate and initiative funding.
• State-wide perspective on fundraising, policy, community engagement, partner development and engagement.
• Experience communicating with non-dominant culture communities.
• Commitment to Willamette River and the health, well-being and engagement of communities dependent on this resource.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills grounded in deep listening.
• Ability to frame issues and needs in compelling ways, connecting big picture visions with the on-the- ground realities and the diverse histories of river stakeholders.
• Ability to form and maintain relationships with current and potential donors and partners.
• Ability to see connections and communicate with ease about the relationships between ground- level work and systemic change.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• Experience and/or familiarity with networks or coalitions.
• Experience with online collaboration tools and platforms.
• Connection to Willamette River communities, the Pacific Northwest, or a similar ecosystem.
• Experience working collaboratively across a regional ecosystem, fostering cross-sector, community-driven partnerships.
• Understands the intersections and complexity of issues that affect communities and rivers.
• Familiar with community-oriented evaluation processes; experience using qualitative and quantitative data to inform priorities and projects, and to tell the story / stories of impact.
• Familiar with nonprofit financial management principles and practices.
• Relationships with community leaders, Tribes, culturally-specific organizations, communities of color, Oregon public policy makers, and / or other influencers.