VCN seeks a committed and motivated individual to raise the visibility of our key environmental campaigns by working with VCN staff and Partners to produce educational content and events.

Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) is the network of 160+ partner organizations across the Commonwealth committed to building a powerful, diverse, and highly coordinated conservation movement. VCN works on a wide range of issues, including advancing climate action, restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay, creating access to parks, trails, and walkable/bikeable communities, ensuring environmental justice for all, and more.  

The VCN team includes eight total staff throughout the state. Each staff member works both independently and as part of the team. As a staff, we prioritize meeting up throughout the year for in-person planning meetings, an annual retreat, and other outdoor outings, including tree planting, rafting down the James River, and visiting our state parks. During the General Assembly, VCN’s Richmond office is a hub office for the environmental community.  

VCN is committed to building a more equitable and diverse organization and Network. VCN’s staff collaborates to update and implement an annual diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice work plan. You can learn more about our work on DEIJ at https://vcnva.org/deij-commitment.

VCN’s Communications & Trainings Associate is a vital member of the VCN staff who will work closely with the Communications Director to support education on our key environmental issues including clean energy, flood resilience, environmental justice, and more by producing educational content and events.

Essential Functions include:

• Facilitate online and offline educational trainings based on Partner needs and relevant campaign work. Past trainings include “Non-Profit Advocacy During an Election Year,” “Hot to Advocate for a State Budget,” and “Nonprofit Fundraising 101.” 
• Organize multiple issue-based education training series annually for priority environmental campaigns by working with Partners to create content and recruit attendees.
• Lead the Our Common Agenda Education Series and work with staff to produce educational content and webinars over the course of 5 weeks to highlight content in Our Common Agenda Environmental Briefing Book.
• Produce graphic, written, and digital content to promote educational content and events.
• Attend cross-cutting environmental workgroup meetings to understand VCN’s key environmental campaigns and ensure priorities are included in VCN content.

• Support environmental issue education in VCN’s Communications Plan by producing written and graphic content for website updates, blog posts, and social media toolkits.
• Create and update advocacy resources by leading the Get Out the Vote campaign and managing VCN’s General Assembly advocacy materials.

• Drive VCN’s DEIJ Workplan throughout the year by updating the work plan based on staff feedback, and sharing workplan updates and progress reports with Partners
• Work with BlackOak Collective to increase the pipeline of professionals of color in the environmental field, which includes co-hosting the annual “Black in Green” Career Panel
• Facilitate VCN’s annual Racial Equity Cohort by recruiting Partners, assist with the creation of cohort content, and act as the point of contact for facilitators, speakers, and participants.

• VCN is a small team, and everyone takes on tasks as needed to ensure we’re providing the best support for our partners and making the most significant impact for conservation in Virginia.

• Candidates must be passionate about learning and ensuring equity in all aspects of their career. Additionally, candidates who apply must have a solid commitment to environmental protection and a drive to fulfill the organization’s mission.
• Candidates should be strong writers.
• Candidates should enjoy working with people and have experience running or organizing in-person or online events.
• Must be proficient in Zoom, Microsoft Office Suite, and GSuite. Candidates should be interested in and able to learn new software systems quickly.
• Candidates must be able to work with a team as well as individually.
• Diversity of experience, skills, and passion is key to innovation and a culture of excellence. If you meet more than 75% of the qualifications of this description and are excited about the role, we support your application and encourage you to apply.

This position is full-time, salaried, and based in Richmond, Virginia. The position reports to VCN’s Communications & Outreach Director. The position requires working outside the typical business days a few times a year. This position includes travel throughout the state, on average, 10 days a year for VCN events, meetings, and retreats. A driver’s license is required, but owning a car is not. This is a hybrid work position, but teleworking requires high-speed internet capable of video meetings in a dedicated and quiet space.

We are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. Virginia Conservation Network’s policy considers all candidates equally regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or other non-merit factors.

The salary range for this position is $40,000 – $45,000 based on relevant experience. VCN offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes:

• Paid time off every year: 4 weeks (20 days) of vacation, five sick and wellness days for physical and mental health, 14 paid holidays.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child 
• Employer contribution of 100% of the monthly premium cost towards a healthcare plan for employees, including dental and vision coverage (50% for spouses, domestic partners & dependents).
• Employer match towards a Simple IRA savings account 
• Commuter benefit of up to $150/month, which can either be used towards a parking spot downtown, reimbursement towards driving, daily parking, and/or green commuter credits for walking, biking, or bussing into the office. 
• $50 monthly cell phone reimbursement 

In addition, staff are given a yearly allotment towards professional development and participate in an annual staff retreat to a different scenic region of the state each year.

This position will remain posted until the job is filled. The preferred application deadline is November 30th, 2023. The target start date is January 2nd, 2024. Please apply via this form. Applications submitted via other methods (email, LinkedIn, etc) will not be considered.