Vice President, Education and Community Engagement (Management & Executives)

Full Time

  Sustainable Forestry Initiative

  Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) 
Vice President, Education and Community Engagement 
Washington, DC
 
Position Summary
The VP for Education and Community Engagement is responsible for the strategy and implementation of SFI’s core pillar of promoting environmental youth education and fostering sustainable communities. Reporting to the President and CEO, this key member of the senior leadership team will lead and grow SFI’s award-winning environmental education program, Project Learning Tree® (PLT), cultivate new and existing community partnerships, strategically direct community grantmaking, and serve as an engaging spokesperson for SFI at community and education events. 
 
The top candidate is a visionary and entrepreneurial leader with demonstrated success designing and expanding innovative and inclusive educational and community engagement programs. Additionally, s/he will have the ability to implement vision, think strategically, innovate, and lead change. This is an exciting opportunity to broaden the reach of SFI’s critical community programming, creating new opportunities for current and future leaders to make an impact in their own communities.
 
Responsibilities
 
Strategic Leadership: 

  • Develop and implement a business plan to grow the SFI Education and Community Engagement pillar across the U.S. and Canada and pursue opportunities to communicate about the plan
  • Guide strategy for PLT, maintaining its strengths while exploring opportunities to broaden its reach and impact in diverse communities
  • Oversee strategies to maximize the impact of SFI’s grant programs, including PLT grants

 
Networks and Partnerships:

  • Cultivate a diverse network of partnerships and alliances, both new and existing, to help SFI achieve strategic goals and build support for SFI’s education and community engagement programs
  • Build recognition initiatives that highlight the organization’s successes and fully leverage SFI’s education and community engagement efforts

 
Fundraising and Finance:

  • Create and execute an effective fundraising strategy, in conjunction with the Development Director and key staff, to ensure PLT’s long-term sustainability
  • Oversee the development and management of budgets and work plans for all education and community engagement programs

 
Communications:

  • Serve as a compelling external representative and principal spokesperson for SFI at key community and education events
  • Lead the development of communication strategies and content to promote SFI’s education and community engagement programs to critical audiences
  • Engage coalitions and grassroots networks to ensure positive outcomes for environmental education policies and issues

 
Qualifications 

  • Highly strategic and entrepreneurial leader with 10+ years of relevant experience; MBA or related degree preferred
  • Strong business acumen with experience designing creative new strategic initiatives, driving successful program expansion and developing new business models to support growth
  • Exceptional communication and public speaking skills; ability to serve as a compelling and engaging spokesperson of the organization
  • Possesses a strong network of strategic partners and is highly skilled at managing the network
  • Ability to translate big ideas into effective strategies with all levels of stakeholders
  • Creative, high-energy, and positive team player who seizes new opportunities
  • Experience leading educational programming that appeals to and meets the needs of culturally and socioeconomically diverse stakeholder groups
  • Ability to lead, inspire and develop a high functioning team
  • Demonstrated success leading inclusive and strategic community engagement efforts
  • Enthusiasm for developing and executing innovative fundraising strategies
  • Ability to travel up to 30% of the time

 
About SFI 
SFI® Inc. is a sustainability leader that stands for future forests. We are an independent, non-profit organization that provides supply chain assurances, produces conservation outcomes, and supports education and community engagement. SFI works with the forest sector, brand owners, conservation groups, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous peoples, governments, and universities. SFI’s work is focused around three pillars – supply chain assurances, conservation leadership, and education and community engagement.