Civil Rights Era Fellow

We're protecting and enhancing America's National Park System for present and future generations.

National Parks Conversation Association (NPCA) is the nation’s oldest and largest national parks nonprofit, advocacy organization. NPCA has an exciting opportunity for a Civil Rights Era Fellow to join our Southeast Regional Office.  

Location: Remote (Mississippi)

Work Status: Full-time, Exempt; Term twenty-four-month position 

Salary: $57-65k, commensurate with skills and experience (Grade M)

Immediate Supervisor: Eboni Preston Goddard, Southeast Regional Director

Manager’s Supervisor: David Lamfrom, Vice President, Regional Operations

Primary Purpose: This position is a 2-year fellowship opportunity that

1) centers advancing the ability of our NPS, state preservation allies, and community partners to tell Civil Rights and Reconstruction Era stories in ways that are factual and inclusive,

2) building support for existing campaigns, new campaigns, and NPCA’s ongoing park protection work across the broadest possible spectrum of community and political constituents and allies.

3) Ensure that NPS outreach and programs, as well as those of NPCA, are accessible and relevant to both traditional allies and newer friends and supporters, especially those representing black, indigenous, and communities of color; audiences too typically left out of this kind of engagement.

Essential Functions:                  Percentage Time

Building Community:

• Lead and support further development of NPCA’s organizing and engagement work in the Deep South by developing reciprocal and authentic relationships with partners and elected officials.

• Demonstrate the relevance of our advocacy and our national parks to communities throughout the region.

• Build awareness and appreciation for NPCA’s work through strategies that connect local communities with our national parks and public lands and create support for their long-term protection and sustainability.  30%

Standing Up Parks:

• Work with NPS, members of Congress, conservation organizations, and community members to ensure national parks, national heritage areas, and other NPS external facing efforts are seen as resources for communities and preservation endeavors. For this work, the Fellow will focus on the Emmett and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument, the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area, and neighboring parks units that further tell civil rights stories.  25%

Support New Parks:

• Lead and support local programs, storytelling, and community building efforts to promote greater connectivity to the Emmett Till & Mamie Till Mobley National Monument, the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, and surrounding units. 25%

Build internal capacity for Cultural Resources:

• Serve as a member of the Cultural Resources and Future Parks team.

• Support the creation and facilitation of a Public History Connectivity initiative.

• Play a leadership role in educating NPCA staff and volunteers around the opportunities, stories, and policy issues in MS and civil rights stories within the National Park Service.

• Support efforts to foster park protection through environmental justice and social connectivity. 10%

Allyship:

• Work with community members and local groups to support their goals and growth. A critical component of being a part of a community is reciprocity.  10%

 Other:

Respect employees regardless of their position or background. Participates in developing department goals, objectives, and systems. Participates in administrative staff meetings, organization-wide meetings, staff committee meetings, training programs, and attends other meetings and seminars as designated by the supervisor. Assists in preparing regular reports on status of work. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position. 

Minimum Work Schedule: NPCA’s typical work schedule is Monday through Thursday, 9:00am – 5:00pm. Although some evening and weekend work may be required, NPCA tries to provide flexible and balanced work schedules. Some travel likely for meetings, conferences, and events when appropriate.

Minimum Scope of Position: External engagement with members of Congress and their staff, federal agency officials, partners, media, donors, environmental NGOs, and educational institutions. Internally, engagement with the Southeast and Midwest Regional Offices, Cultural Resources and Government Affairs teams, Communications and Development staff, and various working groups.

Minimum Qualifications, Competencies, Skills, Education, and Traits: 

•  3-5 years of lived and work experience in advocacy, policy, community organizing, community building, and/or non-profit

• Demonstrated experience and expertise in running campaigns and working with communities, with an emphasis on lived and professional experience working with communities of color.

• Proven ability to build relationships across political and interest boundaries and work well with a variety of individuals and organizations, and to build coalitions. With an emphasis on rural communities. Ability and desire to work with conservative decision makers.

• Demonstrated abilities related to policy and advocacy.

•  Proven written and oral communications skills, including one on one, in groups, and in public presentations.

•  Demonstrated ability to collaborate and work with multiple teams to organize tasks, set and observe priorities, and maintain schedules. Ability to work independently.

• Commitment to NPCA’s mission, core values and NPCA’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Statement of Intentions.

Core Values

Live, honor, and own the organization’s Core Values:

Commitment: We are passionate about NPCA and dedicated to achieving excellence through our work and mission. We seek to improve our performance by taking opportunities for professional and personal development and encouraging reasonable risk-taking and innovation. 

Inclusion: We value diversity of thought, background, experience, and opinion. We create a culture of empowerment by welcoming and encouraging meaningful participation from all people and promoting an environment that embraces different perspectives. 

Integrity: We hold ourselves accountable to each other, our members and partners, and our mission. We evaluate the impact of our work and strive for honesty and transparency across the organization. We operate ethically in the organization's best interests. 

Respect: We collaborate in results-oriented teams based on trust and consideration for each other. We promote harmony between our work and our personal lives. We foster a healthy and positive workplace culture and work collaboratively with external partners. 

Physical Effort and Dexterity: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is typically required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee may lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

NPCA is committed to diversity among its employees and hiring practices and supports the need for diverse leadership in the climate movement. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Physical Environment: Remote home office.

Employer’s Rights: NPCA reserves the right to revise this position description at any time.  The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the NPCA and the employee and is subject to change by the NPCA as the needs of the NPCA and requirements of the job change. The above is in no way an exhaustive list of the requirements for the position.

COVID-19: Please be aware that NPCA requires all employees who are required to work onsite, whether regularly or sporadically to be vaccinated for COVID-19. This position will require the successful candidate to show proof of vaccination. NPCA is an equal opportunity employer and will provide reasonable accommodation to those individuals who are unable to be vaccinated consistent with federal, state, and local law. *This does not apply to applicants residing in Montana, Tennessee, and Florida.

HOW TO APPLY
Submit a resume and cover letter outlining qualifications and interest in the position. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We will contact you with next steps if you are selected for an interview.