Policy and Campaign Manager - NBCS

About this position

Policy and Campaign Manager - Nature-Based Climate Solutions

The Opportunity:

For the first time in history, the Government of Canada has committed to making major investments in nature-based solutions to climate change, including initiating regional and urban forest plans and planting two billion trees.  

Nature-based climate solutions, such as forest protection and wetlands restoration, have an important role to play in Canadian climate policy as well as generating important conservation co-benefits to address the extinction crisis. Natural climate solutions contribute to the green economy through investments in land restoration and management, and they help build a more resilient society by fostering ecosystem health and mitigating the impacts of severe weather. There is a real opportunity for the nature community to be more active on climate issues, helping to make the connections between nature and climate. This campaign will also include reaching out beyond the traditional nature community and making an effort to engage other voices, including Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities.

We are looking to hire someone to ensure that government investments in nature-based climate solutions lead to rigorous, measurable, meaningful outcomes for climate and nature.  This means leadership in engaging decision makers directly and advocating for policy change, but also facilitating and encouraging grassroots groups to make their voice heard at all levels of government.

Organization:

Nature Canada connects the dots between local action and systemic change. For more than 80 years, we have been Canada’s voice for nature. We work to ensure that solving the biodiversity crisis is a government priority. We advocate to reverse species loss and ensure habitat protection and good policy. We facilitate mobilization among our extensive network of partners and individual nature-lovers to achieve our shared goals and generate the political will for needed transformation.

Job Summary:

This position is right for you if:

• You have experience lobbying elected representatives

• You have experience working on policy change with government officials

• You have run a campaign on an issue you care about a lot

• You have motivated others to join a campaign

• You have communicated a campaign on social and/or traditional media

• You have creative, strategic abilities to formulate campaign ideas

We are looking for an activist who understands that the key to long term transformative change is putting forward policy proposals that seem politically impossible but are only waiting for the right moment to be politically inevitable. 

Description of Duties:

Your duties would include: producing the necessary research and reports, communicating effectively and persuasively with government representatives, representing us in the media (both social and traditional) and coordinating and mobilizing partner groups behind our common objectives.

The position is based in Ottawa, where we hope to one day return to our office space on Bank Street. This position reports to the Director of Policy and Campaigns.

Summary of Qualifications and Experience:

When assessing your application, we will look for 

• Relevant higher education and experience, at least 5 years

• Strong knowledge base in climate change, conservation, forests, environmental advocacy or related

• A track record of both developing and implementing effective advocacy and lobbying strategies, preferably at the federal level

• A strategic instinct that can see the opportunities for change to happen and the path to get there

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills that make you effective at engaging and motivating diverse audiences.

• A consensus-builder with strategic judgement

• Commitment to the mission and values of Nature Canada.

• Bilingualism in English and French is an asset 

Salary:

The salary range for this position is $65,000-$80,000/year, with a benefits package that kicks in after a 3-month probation period.

To Apply:

To apply for this position, please send a CV and a one-page cover letter describing why you are suitable to info@naturecanada.ca with “Policy and Campaign Manager - NBCS” in the subject line.

Applications will be reviewed next on November 19th

No calls please. We thank all candidates for their interest, but we will only contact those selected for an interview.

We encourage applications from members of equity-seeking groups.  Nature Canada is committed to a workplace free from discrimination, harassment and intimidation where everyone can participate safely, freely and confidently.