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NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) seeks to recruit a Director of Legislative and Government Relations who will be based in their Washington, DC national headquarters.

About NPCA

Since 1919, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the key voice of the American people in the fight to safeguard the scenic beauty, wildlife, and historic and cultural resources of the largest and most diverse park system in the world. Formed three years after the National Park Service was established, NPCA was created to be a vital, privately funded advocate for America’s national parks. NPCA today is recognized for the breath and depth of resources it brings to bear in addressing issues facing the National Park system.

NPCA will be the catalyst, leader, and advocate of a national movement to protect the national parks and improve the visitor experiences in them. By the centennial of the National Park System in 2016, NPCA will see a nation unified in its commitment to preserve and honor its natural, historic, and diverse cultural heritage through a superlative National Park System.

The mission of NPCA is to protect and enhance America’s National Park System for present and future generations and NPCA pursues its mission in the following manner:

• Conducting Research: NPCA is committed to designing new methods to preserve wildlife, artifacts, air and water quality and scenic beauty contained within the 84 million acre National Park system.

• Education: NPCA educates and inspires the American public to value the cultural and natural heritage of the national parks and to take an active role in defending these important resources for future generations.

• Advocacy: NPCA develops and promotes legislation and management proposals and policies to enhance the park system and individual parks. It also promotes appropriate expansion of the National Park System, while working to block those bills and proposals that would undermine the integrity of the parks.

The following core values embolden NPCA to achieve excellence; to unite one another, their members, volunteers and partners; and fuel their commitment to become the catalyst and leader of a national parks movement that fulfills their shared mission to protect and enhance America's national parks for present and future generations.

1. Commitment to Mission: NPCA believes that its personal passion for and professional commitment to the national parks is essential to its success.

2. Empowerment: NPCA believes that staff, members, volunteers and partners must be provided with the facts, tools, skills, and inspiration to advocate on behalf of the national parks.

3. Teamwork: NPCA believes that effective teamwork, built on a fundamental trust in and respect for each other, is integral to its success and includes sincerely listening to each other, appreciating different opinions, sharing information and responsibility, and integrating its work across departments.

4. Accountability: NPCA believes in the importance of holding itself accountable to the staff, the members, and the public, as well as to the excellence, timeliness, and integrity of its work, and the implementation of these core values.

5. Innovation: NPCA believes that it takes insightful creativity, perseverance, and strategic risk-taking to successfully complete its programs, processes, administration, and outreach.

6. Diversity: NPCA believes in and celebrates the diversity of cultural backgrounds, community traditions, and political perspectives at NPCA and in the National Park System, and believe that by integrating such diversity into its work, its mission will be accomplished most effectively.

NPCA has a membership of more than 340,000 individuals, and an operating budget of approximately $36 million. It has a staff of more than 150 professionals. NPCA’s national office is located in Washington, D.C., and it has 22 regional and field offices. NPCA is governed by a 26 member Board of Directors. For more information on NPCA’s programs and organization visit their website at www.npca.org.

Director of Legislative and Government Relations

The Director of Legislative and Government Relations will be based in Washington, DC and formally report to Laura Loomis, Deputy Vice President for Government Affairs who serves as the primary manager on a day-to-day basis for the overall department. The Director will work closely with Craig Obey, Vice President for Government Affairs in setting policy direction on all key legislative matters. The primary role of the Director is to work with Government Affairs Department leadership and key members of other departments and regions to design and implement legislative and policy strategies for protecting and enhancing the national parks.

In particular, the Director will need to help shape NPCA’s efforts to engage in a national debate around renewing the nation’s infrastructure. The debate and scope is beginning to be defined now. Key members of Congress have introduced legislation to form a congressionally chartered commission to explore infrastructure issues and recommend solutions.

The vision involves a broad definition of infrastructure, encompassing bridges and highways, energy, water, and public land. The frame for the debate likely will be that our national infrastructure must be modernized and invested in, to foster the nation’s economic competitiveness in the coming century.

In addition to leading NPCA’s legislative strategy on renewal and modernization of our nation’s infrastructure, the Director will also seek to address issues facing the Highway Trust Fund, Offshore Natural Gas Drilling, Lieberman-Warner Climate Legislation, and other opportunities related to the National Park Service’s Centennial Challenge. The Director will also need to help shape and build an organizational capacity to respond to key legislative and public policy issues when they emerge. As such, the Director will need to work with all key departments and regional leadership to ensure timely engagement on pressing issues as they emerge.

In the coming year the Director of Legislative and Government Relations will be challenged to meet the following goals and strategic objectives:

• Direct the legislative efforts of NPCA, advancing NPCA’s positions on priority legislative issues with Congress, the National Park Service and other appropriate public and private entities.

• Coach and assist Government Affairs (and other) staff, as necessary, to maximize the use and effectiveness of NPCA’s resources in advancing policy initiatives; advise GA and other NPCA senior leadership regarding potential opportunities, risks and priorities.

• Develop legislative strategy for a multitude of NPCA initiatives and priorities; lobby Congress as necessary; work with NPCA staff, Congress and the executive branch on a short and long-term basis to collect political intelligence, determine Congressional, administration and specific member priorities, and to explain park issues and NPCA views and positions. Identify and recruit strategic allies on issues.

• Provide strategic guidance and political analysis and help develop and implement creative, effective strategies and tactics to promote NPCA's policy agenda, including plans that incorporate multiple influencing mechanisms—allies, media, grasstops, grassroots, etc.

• Serve as lead staff person for assigned policy subjects and issues. Prepare high quality analyses, draft legislation, fact sheets, position papers, testimony and other materials necessary to support NPCA’s policy program. Serve as liaison on assigned issues to Executive Branch staff, and to Hill staff. Cross-train other NPCA staff on legislative issues as necessary for team lobbying on major issues.

• Explain NPCA positions on policy issues to media. Serve as NPCA spokesperson to media as necessary.

• Develop ideas and concept papers for grant proposals.

Professional Experience and Personal Attributes

The position requires the ability to communicate effectively with all levels of NPCA staff both in the Washington, D.C. office and regional offices. There will also be interaction with NPCA Board and National Council members at the annual Congressional Visit Day event and at other times as assigned. The Director of Public Policy and Government Relations should ideally possess the following professional experience and personal attributes:

Professional Qualifications

• A proven and demonstrated level of success experience dealing with natural or cultural resources, issues, legislation, lobbying/campaign or related subjects. Should have strong experience on Capitol Hill, in the executive branch or as a lobbyist or policy specialist.

• Experience with infrastructure-related issues/policies and/or transportation bill policies and politics critical.

• Intellectual agility and demonstrated ability to think strategically.

• Demonstrated success as a motivating manager who has considerable experience attracting, developing and retaining a decentralized professional staff.

• Proven managerial talent in budgeting, staffing, and all aspects of performance management. Ability to manage, direct and interact with outside consultants.

• Possess a pleasure and a genuine interest in a collegial and team based work environment.

• Minimum of a BA or BS in natural sciences, social sciences highly preferred, or equivalent experience. Advanced degree or JD preferred. Equivalent experience will be recognized.

Personal Attributes

• Unquestioned, impeccable personal integrity.

• A deep commitment to the mission and values of NPCA.

• Strong communication skills, which are capable of reaching across organizational hierarchies, structures and geographical distances.

• A solid business sense coupled with budgeting expertise and a propensity towards strategic thinking and planning.

• Articulate, with proven ability to write effectively and speak persuasively.

• An ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas - a sense of inquisitiveness and intellectual curiosity.

• Personable, trustworthy, diplomatic, and perceived as such by colleagues and reports.

• Ability to organize and present thoughts coherently and confidently in front of groups of all sizes.

• Possessing a keen sense of humor.

Compensation

The National Parks Conservation Association offers a salary that is competitive with other national, not-for-profit conservation/environmental organizations and will be commensurate with experience and an excellent employee benefits package.

Interested candidates should send their resume to:

Daniel Sherman
President
Explore Company
1054 31st Street, NW
Suite 330
Washington, DC 20007
Email: resumes@explorecompany.com.

National Parks Conservation Association
is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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