Program Director

Program Director (full-time)

Whidbey Environmental Action Network (WEAN) is seeking a Program Director to support our mission of protecting ecosystems on Whidbey, Camano, and beyond through civic education, policy advocacy, and litigation. This full-time role will help us design and execute campaigns to shape land use policy outcomes that protect ecosystems in Island County and beyond.

Compensation: $85,000-$90,000 plus benefits including technology stipend, wellness stipend, paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid holidays, paid volunteer time, and a one week paid office closure in December.

Hours: Full-time/40 hours per week

Reports to: Marnie Jackson, Executive Director

Location: Hybrid, with an office at Bayview (Langley, WA)

Employment status: Permanent, exempt

Position Summary

The Program Director is WEAN’s lead strategist for policy advocacy campaign design and execution. This role shapes how we understand the environmental advocacy landscape— carrying priority issues forward, analyzing data, identifying policy and enforcement gaps, and building mission-aligned campaigns that move people to act.

This role works closely with the Executive Director on organizational strategy and priority issue identification and in close coordination with the Engagement Manager on communications and engagement execution—through content themes, campaign messaging, and editorial priorities. The Program Director and Engagement Manager both directly report to the Executive Director.

Program Strategy

• Develop new environmental and civic education opportunities and continuously improve existing programming to advance on priority issues.
• Design and implement campaigns and community organizing efforts to increase meaningful public participation in civic processes.
• Support partner organization relationships by collaborating on joint campaigns and shared programmatic goals, in partnership with the Executive Director.
• Identify grassroots coalition-building opportunities.

Public Engagement & Communications Strategy

• Shape WEAN’s programmatic content strategy: develop messaging frameworks, set editorial priorities, and define campaign goals that shape public-facing communications to advance priority issues.
• Produce substantive written content including articles, campaign guides, white papers, and in-depth blog posts.
• Provide editorial direction to the Engagement Manager on shorter-form communications, social content, and distribution to ensure outputs reflect programmatic priorities.
• Set content priorities and timing guidance for multi-channel message delivery, working in coordination with the Engagement Manager on execution.
• Design programmatic offerings for members and the public in alignment with program priorities.

Data and Policy Analysis

• Gather and review records, meeting minutes, agendas, transcripts, and publications from public agencies in support of WEAN’s advocacy campaigns.
• Interpret environmental and scientific data, including outputs from our Environmental Data Administrator, to identify programmatic priorities and campaign opportunities.
• Bring expertise in environmental science, land use planning, and/or environmental policy to direct WEAN’s programmatic work.

Community Response

• Attend relevant public meetings and monitor public notices from select jurisdictions to inform program strategy.
• Triage public notices of land use actions and respond according to our programmatic priorities.
• Monitor public input about environmental issues and respond according to our programmatic priorities.
• Adapt workflow to address new and evolving programmatic priorities and issue areas as needed, in response to emerging trends and in collaboration with the Executive Director.

Program Records & Systems

• Build and improve internal systems and processes for tracking land use actions, advocacy efforts, and campaign records across Google Workspace, Dropbox, and similar platforms.
• Establish standards for organizing and maintaining campaign documents and digital program resources so institutional knowledge is accessible and durable.

Environmental Reporting

• Communicate complex findings to the public in clear, accessible formats—preferably using GIS and mapping tools.
• Analyze WEAN’s environmental policy landscape and produce high-impact outputs including StoryMaps, white papers, and articles.
• Own and manage WEAN’s online Issues webpage and StoryMapping program.

Required Qualifications

We recognize that expertise takes many forms. We encourage candidates with nontraditional experience to apply.

• Demonstrated expertise in environmental science, environmental policy, land use planning, or a closely related field, gained through professional experience, graduate study, or equivalent work.
• Exceptional written communication skills, including the ability to translate technical or legal content into clear, compelling public-facing language.
• Experience designing and executing public engagement campaigns, community organizing efforts, or civic education programs.
• Strong analytical skills: ability to synthesize scientific data, policy documents, and regulatory records into actionable programmatic priorities.
• Experience producing substantive written or visual storytelling work products—white papers, reports, articles, or equivalent—for public or professional audiences.
• Familiarity with Washington State environmental policy, land use law, or natural resource management, or comparable out-of-state experience with proven ability to learn on the job.
• Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and exercise strategic judgment in a small-organization environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree or equivalent professional experience in environmental science, environmental policy, natural resource management, urban planning, or a related field.
• Experience with GIS platforms (ArcGIS, QGIS, or similar) and/or digital StoryMap tools such as ArcGIS StoryMaps or similar.
• Familiarity with the Growth Management Act, State Environmental Policy Act, Critical Areas Ordinances, National Environmental Policy Act, and/or federal public lands law.
• Experience working with or within a nonprofit, advocacy organization, tribal government, or public agency.
• Experience with content management systems, email marketing platforms (Constant Contact or similar), and social media strategy.
• Comfort working in a small, adaptive team environment where roles and responsibilities may evolve.

What Success Looks Like in Year One

In the first year, a successful Program Director will have: settled into collaborative partnerships with a small staff team; evolved our public notice response program into a reliable public notice monitoring and response system covering key jurisdictions; launched or significantly advanced at least one advocacy campaign from strategy through public engagement; published at least one StoryMap or environmental report; and built functional internal systems for campaign recordkeeping. We expect ramp-up time and will work collaboratively to set priorities based on organizational needs as they emerge.

Application Instructions

Position open until filled. Applications received by June 12, 2026, will receive priority consideration.

Upon clicking the apply button below, you’ll be asked to answer a few short questions. These will need to be completed in one sitting and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. You will be asked to upload a resume and cover letter in PDF format, either as separate or combined files. Please have these documents ready before you begin the application process.

If we can offer an accommodation to make this application process more accessible, please let us know. Questions? Email ed@whidbeyenvironment.org.

Link to Application Form

$85,000-$90,000 plus benefits including technology stipend, wellness stipend, paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid holidays, paid volunteer time, and a one week paid office closure in December.

Spoken and written English language fluency required. We are working to better serve Spanish- and Tagalog-speaking residents in our area. Bilingual skills are welcome and would support this goal but are not required.