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Outdoor Stewardship Institute in Colorado seeks director

Application Deadline: September 21, 2007

Deputy Director for the Outdoor Stewardship Institute for Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado

Position Type: Year-round, full-time, exempt

Location: Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Denver, CO

Salary: $50,000- $60,000 depending on experience

Reports To: Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado Executive Director

Organization Overview

Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) is a statewide organization whose mission is to motivate and enable citizens to be active stewards of Colorado*s public lands. VOC accomplishes its mission through volunteer conservation projects, the Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI), VOutdoors, and statewide marketing. OSI is VOC*s newest program component, recently created as the result of a merger between VOC and the Colorado Outdoor Training Initiative (see www.cotionline.org for details). The finalized merger plan also formed the OSI Advisory Board.

OSI will provide a variety of collaborative services to help non-profits and agencies effectively plan, organize and implement their own volunteer projects. The purpose of OSI is to increase and strengthen volunteer outdoor stewardship in the state and nationally by providing training, educational resources, and technical assistance. VOutdoors, VOC*s web-based network of volunteer opportunities and registration tool for environmental resource management agencies, will also be managed within OSI. (see www.voutdoors.org for details).

Position Purpose:

The incumbent will be one of three Deputy Directors who report to the VOC Executive Director and who are responsible for all VOC operations. This position will be one of two Deputy Directors who supervise all substantive VOC programs; the third Deputy supervises development, administration and marketing.

The Deputy Director for the Outdoor Stewardship Institute (OSI) will, in general, direct and manage all of the business of OSI. Responsibilities include:

- Plan, direct, administer, and evaluate all components of the OSI activities, staff, and volunteers.

- Ensure that OSI program activities meet short and long-term goals and are consistent with the goals and objectives;

- Work cooperatively with local, state and federal agency and non-profit partners.

- Oversee and manage the department*s operational budget, financial planning and assist with fund raising particularly related to cultivating fee generated revenues.

- Engage OSI users and partners in strategic activities that advance the purposes of the I nstitute.

- Serve as spokesperson for OSI to advance the interests of the organization, including meetings, events, and seminars.

Essential Functions:

Responsible for the leadership and success of OSI in the broad organizational areas of management, program development, fiscal resources and Advisory Board relationships. Specific to these broad areas, the Deputy Director will insure that OSI excels in the following areas:

Management

- Develop, implement, and manage both short term and long term goals and objectives for OSI. Establish and execute annual work plans within approved budget to meet such goals and objectives.

- Oversee contracts, agreements, and instruments in which OSI is a party.

- Establish and effectively employ Advisory Board level and operating committees.

- Recruit, train and manage staff as appropriate.

- Establish and maintain effective relationships with Colorado*s and regional land management agencies and nonprofit organizations, OSI membership and any other interested parties.

Program Direction and Development

- Direct a statewide training program on identified land stewardship and volunteer leadership topics for land managers, not for profit organizations, and individual volunteers.

- Develop new and creative initiatives to promote expanded outdoor volunteer leadership training opportunities regionally and nationally.

- Determine measurements of success and effectiveness of the overall program and individual workshops. Provide feedback and implement changes as appropriate.

- Develop criteria for training sites including geographic, regional and national considerations. Identify and secure sites for future trainings.

- Understand the full extent of training resources available in Colorado and in broader geographic regions for land managers, volunteer organizations, and volunteers.

- Develop, adopt, and revise appropriate written materials including manuals and handouts.

- Oversee the management and direction of VOutdoors; expand database opportunities in broader geographic regions.

- Provide direct and referral-based technical assistance to land managers, not for profit organizations, and volunteers interested in building locally based outdoor volunteer capacity for stewardship projects.

Fiscal Resources

- Cultivate and implement fee-based funding strategies to meet overarching goals and objectives.

- Work with VOC*s Executive Director and finance committee to develop and manage the annual OSI operational budget.

Advisory Board Relationships

- Work with the OSI Advisory Board and VOC*s Executive Director to develop and implement the short and long term goals and objectives of OSI.

- Work with the Advisory Board Chair to prepare productive and well run meetings.

- Communicate progress to the Advisory Board, VOC*s Executive Director and VOC*s Board of Directors.

- Solicit and orientate new Advisory Board members.

Additional Responsibilities:

- Attendance at evening meetings; some weekend attendance at training venues is required.

- Some travel is required.

- May be required to handle and operate a variety of tools, lift/move upwards of 50 pounds, and hike long distances.

Desired Qualifications:

- Bachelor*s degree (or equivalent education and experience); Master*s degree preferred.

- Up to five years of nonprofit or small business management experience preferred, including supervisory experience of small to medium-sized staff.

- Demonstrated experience in new program development and planning.

- Established fund raising experience, including knowledge of and experience in development of fee-generating revenue.

- Experience with advisory and/or committee development and management.

- Experience in managing training programs preferred.

- Experience working with non profits, volunteers, and diverse audiences.

- Familiarity with Colorado state and federal land management agencies and government contracting preferred.

- Computer literate including word processing, data base management, and internet use; knowledge and experience with web-based data systems.

Budget development and management experience.

- Ability to work independently with experience managing projects from inception through mplementation.

- Excellent written and oral communications skills.

- Excellent organizational skills.

- Commitment to conservation issues.

- Valid Colorado driver*s license and clean driving history.

- Team player.

Application Process

Please submit a cover letter, resume and a VOC/OSI Application form (available on www.voc.org) by Friday, September 21, 2007. Application materials may be sent via postal service to:

Deputy Director - OSI

Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado

600 S. Marion Parkway

Denver, CO 80209

Or by email to: myra@voc.org

For more information on OSI, please refer to www.cotionline.org , the website that details the Colorado Outdoor Training Initiative, now effectively operating as the Outdoor Stewardship Institute, a program of VOC.

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