Fellowship Program Coordinator

Future Leaders Program

Leadership in conservation is a critical piece to solving the ongoing and emerging environmental issues of today. The Aldo Leopold Foundation’s Future Leaders Program (FLP) is designed to provide individuals who have recently completed a college degree the opportunity to gain experience and grow in seven core areas: conservation leadership, finance and fundraising, applied science and natural history, partnership building, strategic planning, communication, and land ethics. Each of these areas is addressed through a professional development series and applied on-the-job experiences that allow for exploration of each topic and time for each Leopold Fellow to practice and apply these key elements of leadership.

Leopold Fellows will specialize in two program areas: Education & Communication or Land Stewardship. All Fellows receive exposure to other program areas through their independent projects and other organization-wide efforts. Fellows also have the opportunity to interact with both a diverse range of conservation professionals and the Leopold community, including Leopold family members.

Position Impact Statement

The Leopold tradition of cultivating conservation leaders originates with Leopold’s own impact on his graduate students and his children. Today this tradition is carried on in the Future Leaders Program. As the Fellowship Program Coordinator, you play a vital role in developing these future conservation leaders by providing experiences that introduce, expose, and cultivate proficiencies. This position creates opportunities for program participants to work alongside professionals and scholars. We anticipate program graduates growing into leadership roles in nonprofits, government agencies, universities and private companies. This position aspires for greater program reach, impact, and prominence through new opportunities and partnerships.

Position Summary

The Fellowship Program Coordinator will supervise and mentor 3 to 6 Leopold Fellows hired each year through the Future Leaders Program. This position is responsible for the fellow’s overall experience and professional development as early career young adults in the environmental conservation field. There is a lot of potential for programmatic growth within the FLP, as time and planning allow. A successful program will coordinate and schedule professional development sessions using subject matter experts to train the Leopold Fellows in the seven core areas of the FLP. As supervisor and mentor, the Fellowship Program Coordinator will develop Fellows’ personal and professional growth during the Fellowship year and career connections and placement beyond when possible.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Programming:

• Develop and execute FLP program strategy, planning, and scheduling
• Develop strategic partnerships that maximize program deliverables  
• Organize Fellowship experiences including, but not limited to:
• Schedule all Future Leaders Program Professional Development sessions with subject matter experts
• Schedule all FLP monthly field days
• Advance the seven core areas of the Future Leaders Program by scheduling subject-matter experts on: conservation leadership, fundraising, applied science, natural history, partnership building, strategic planning, communication, and land ethics
• Supervise the Education & Communication Leopold Fellows and the Land Stewardship Leopold Fellows, though they will be under the daily leadership of other program staff on various projects
• Offer mentoring and career coaching to the Fellows
• Organize and host the Fellowship orientation
• Coordinate the FLP alumni network and communications
• Work collaboratively with the Development staff to create updates for donors to the FLP program
• Work collaboratively with Communications and Marketing staff to create media schedule and share special announcement from the FLP program, including hiring and programs
• Design marketing materials for the FLP such as flyers and brochures  

Other:

• Future Leaders Center Housing Orientation & Onboarding for new fellows and center guests
• Quarterly Infrastructure Walkthroughs of the Future Leaders Center
• Assist with virtual and on-site programming as needed
• Back-up coverage for front desk, additional staffing in the building as needed

Note: This position is an on-site position at our headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, with some flexibility to work remote on occasion.

Qualifications

Required:

• Degree in environmental education, natural resources/environmental studies and/or communications with a strong interest in conservation and the environment
• One to three years of environmental education and/or communications education, experience and/or training
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, strategic planning, and organizational abilities
• Ability to work both independently with little supervision and in a team environment
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities
• Demonstrated respect and sensitivity for others; ability to inspire trust and work with integrity
• Demonstrated understanding of the value of inclusiveness and diversity in all its forms: racial and cultural, political, age, gender, economic, and social
• Versatility, flexibility, and a willingness to work within changing priorities
• Proclivity for focusing on strategic outcomes

Desired:

• Familiarity with the work of the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Aldo Leopold’s history and legacy
• Familiarity with a wide range of current issues in natural resources and conservation
• Familiarity with conservation jobs, job sites, and networking platforms
• Experience guiding early career young professionals
• Experience with program and curriculum planning
• Experience leading leadership training, like Clifton Strengths Finder
• Certified Interpretive Guide Training or experience leading interpretive tours

Compensation and Benefits

Pay range: $42,000-$45,000 annually depending on education and/or years of related work experience, with benefits including health, dental, vision, life/AD&D, and short-term disability insurance, retirement plan, Health Savings Account, and paid time off (vacation, floating holidays, and sick leave).

Hours and Schedule

• Full-time; Exempt
• M-F; Some Saturdays may be required
• Position Reports to: Initially the Program Director, after 6 months this position will report to the Program Manager.

Application Instructions

• Please click "Apply" below to email a cover letter, resume and 3 professional references to Jen Anstett with the subject line Fellowship Program Coordinator.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will remain open until filled. 

Note: For the full position description, application instructions and to learn more about the Aldo Leopold Foundation, please visit our website.