Southern Ohio Strategic Partnerships and Engagement Specialist

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Southern Ohio Partnerships and Engagement Specialist is part of TNC’s Strategic Partnership and Engagement Program and implements projects and programs in coordination with the Southern Ohio Program Manager and others to engage people with nature. They will become part of a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, celebrates innovation, values collaborative approaches, and seeks lasting conservation results.

The Strategic Partnership and Engagement Program focuses on engaging communities in conservation through outreach, shared conservation priorities, education, youth specific programming, volunteerism, and other nature-based community programs. The Strategic Partnership and Engagement Specialist will develop and grow a community engagement program and activities at The Edge of Appalachia Preserve in partnership with adjacent communities, both geographical and cultural, within Adams County.

The Southern Ohio Partnerships & Engagement Specialist brings enthusiasm to assist Program staff on a variety of projects and tasks, including relationship management, event organizing, and volunteer program administration duties involving youth engagement and safety, leading stewardship events, expanding community engagement, and working with indigenous and tribal communities throughout Southern Ohio.

As the Strategic Partnerships & Engagement specialist, efforts will be directed to developing projects that TNC and the community can do together. In order to communicate TNC’s work, they will occasionally assist preserve staff with conservation and stewardship field projects, will work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. Working some evenings and weekends is required monthly.

This position must be based in Southern Ohio; working location at The Edge of Appalachia Preserve in West Union, Ohio.

The Partnerships and Engagement Specialist will be responsible for improving and expanding community engagement and partnership initiatives in stewardship, communications, science, development, administration, and other program areas at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve and across southern Ohio to inspire people to be advocates for the environment. They will coordinate with staff, program partners and volunteers, improve the volunteer and community experience, and show leadership in promoting local programming.

They will collaboratively develop promotional materials for the program and be responsible for communicating them externally to communities and partners. They will help lead programs and supervise special events run by staff and volunteers, including youth focused engagements, preserve work projects and public outreach.

The Specialist will provide guidance and direction to community engagement initiatives and will work cooperatively with Conservancy staff and members, as well as partner organizations, agencies, local elected officials and businesses. They will help raise the organization’s profile through select representation at strategic venues and cultivation of partnerships and serve as “brand ambassador” for the Conservancy’s mission, inspiring people to want to learn more and engage with the organization in meaningful ways.

The Southern Ohio Strategic Partnership & Engagement Specialist is responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a strategic, culturally, and locally relevant community engagement program in partnership with preserve staff, local partners, and community members aimed at:

• Building and strengthening relationships and acting as point of contact between local organizations including but not limited to Churches, local elected officials, local educational institutions and individual community members and The Nature Conservancy, with a focus on local communities surrounding TNC’s land holdings.
• Deepening the Conservancy’s understanding and communication with local communities.
• Developing and implementing strategies that broaden constituency in support of conservation.
• Engaging those…