Director of Equity and Inclusion

Who We Are:

NatureBridge provides best-in-class environmental science education experiences for more than 30,000 students and their teachers every year in the world’s best classrooms: our National Parks. Our mission is to connect young people to the science and wonder of the natural world, igniting self-discovery and inspiring stewardship of the planet. Through our programs, students explore the outdoors, connect with their peers, discover themselves and develop a lasting relationship with science and the environment around them.

What You Will Do:

As the Equity and Inclusion Director, you will provide guidance and support for NatureBridge’s equity, inclusion and diversity (EI&D) work. You will partner with the human resources team and also work cross-departmentally to develop and support staff culture, streamline and support onboarding and assist the education team to advance our work providing a culturally-relevant curriculum. You will also serve as a content-area advisor to the Senior Leadership Team and be a primary point of contact for NatureBridge staff on EI&D-related topics and issues. 

This is primarily a remote position based near either our Golden Gate (Sausalito, CA) or Yosemite (El Portal, CA) campuses with regular travel (25%) to our campuses across the United States.

Your primary job will be:

Employee Engagement & Belonging (30%)

• Partner closely with the HR team to support employee engagement and belonging, and to collaborate on HR and EI&D initiatives
• Partner with NB staff and leadership to address issues that arise within the organization that have EI&D implications in a collaborative manner.
• Build trusting working relationships with NatureBridge staff at all levels and across campuses.
• Support staff members to listen and serve as a resource for staff on issues related to equity and inclusion.
• Support staff, especially those who are currently and historically challenged by systemic EI&D issues, in voicing and addressing their needs and concerns and facilitating  dialogue and feedback.
• Observe field-based programs to connect with participants and staff and to better understand the impact of EI&D effort on our programs and operations at least twice a year.

Training, Coaching, and Thought Leadership (30%)

• Create, implement and facilitate training designed to foster a culture of inclusion and a sense of belonging among students, board members and staff in collaboration with other departments. 
• Facilitate the EI&D onboarding training for all new and returning employees with the HR Manager.
• Review and help refine training, teaching practices, curriculum and materials with an EI&D lens to enhance the quality of our resources; communicate the latest EI&D updates with staff and stakeholders.
• Coach and guide employees through learning opportunities as EI&D issues come up; support staff to become allies.
• Serve as a content-area advisor to the Senior Leadership Team.

Cross-Departmental Integration and Change Management Support (30%)

• Model, establish and maintain positive working relationships and unity-building among employees, volunteers and participants to help facilitate successful learning and change management with NatureBridge stakeholders.
• Engage with NatureBridge teams to help ensure that the EI&D lens and goals are included in strategic department-level efforts. 
• Refine and implement NatureBridge’s strategic EI&D plan in conjunction with the National Director of Education, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Human Resources.
• Steward NatureBridge’s internal EI&D committees (to include NatureBridge’s President & CEO), including scheduling, facilitation and progress monitoring/accountability.
• Participate in EI&D related conferences and professional development training to continue growth and development and help ensure that NatureBridge is up to date in the latest knowledge and learning about EI&D topics.

Metrics and Accountability (10%)

• Collaborate with the Human Resources and Education teams to collect and analyze data to understand areas of need and effectiveness of strategies to improve EI&D. 
• Develop key performance indicators to track the progress of inclusion strategies; report progress..
• Evaluate current systems, policies, and practices to identify areas of improvement.

Compensation:

• $90,000-105,000 annual salary
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Option for a 403b retirement plan with employer match after six months
• Generous paid vacation, training days and sick leave
• Other benefits include Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and more

Who You Are:

We are looking for candidates who have:

• Deep understanding of and broad expertise about contemporary cultural and societal issues around EI&D, as they relate to environmental education, access to the outdoors, and environmentalism.
• Excellent oral and written communication and social and emotional skills necessary to build rapport and positive working relationships with people from all backgrounds, abilities, cultures, orientations, identities and communities, particularly those with marginalized identities. Strong  public speaking and presentation skills.
• Strong active listening skills; ability to navigate emotionally-charged conversations with tact
• Able to lead and collaborate effectively across a diverse set of collaborators. Excellent and effective project and change management skills and ability to create and implement effective organizational systems and processes.
• Model inclusive behavior, language, and decision making processes.  
• Demonstrated experience delivering equity and inclusion training to educators and staff. 
• Ability to work through complex and complicated topics and relationships with multiple collaborators, affected groups, staff, and points of view with leadership and fair judgment. 
• Ability to develop strategies and metrics that foster organizational, departmental and individual accountability on EI&D goals. 
• Entrepreneurial spirit and approach to EI&D including growth mindset, willingness to try new things and ability to both strategize and plan as well as roll up your sleeves and get things done.
• Proficiency with Google Suite.
• Ability to travel approximately eight times annually to campuses, meetings and conferences.

If you are interested in the role and do not meet every requirement listed, please still apply! We are interested in applicants with unique lived experience and skill sets.

*All NatureBridge Employees are required to complete a background check in order to be eligible for employment.

Why should you join the NatureBridge team?

• We are a mission-driven organization that values your contributions and supports you in making a positive impact on young people and the environment
• You will get to work in a beautiful natural setting with other dedicated staff who are passionate about the environment
• Work with friendly and collaborative teammates across multiple NatureBridge Campus locations

NatureBridge is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate based on any protected category, including, but not limited to, race, color, religion, gender, gender expression (including transgender expression or pregnancy), political affiliation, age, immigration status or disability. We encourage qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. Please let us know if you require any accommodation. 

How To Apply:

Submit your application to our Online Career Portal. Please answer the application questions in lieu of a cover letter. The application deadline is April 30, 2024. 

• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• Option for a 403b retirement plan with employer match after six months
• Generous paid vacation, training days and sick leave
• Other benefits include Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and more