Wilderness Defense Director, Wilderness Watch

Missoula, MT

Position Title: Wilderness Defense Director

Organization: Wilderness Watch

Location: Missoula, MT

Position Overview: Wilderness Watch, a national organization dedicated to protecting the lands and waters in the National Wilderness Preservation System and preserving the integrity of the Wilderness Act, is seeking an inspired, dedicated wilderness advocate to fill the position of Wilderness Defense Director. The Wilderness Defense Director will be primarily responsible for reviewing and providing comments on proposed projects, management plans, or other activities that could affect designated Wilderness areas around the country. The Wilderness Defense Director will be part of a team of experienced wilderness advocates addressing threats and opportunities facing Wildernesses around the U.S.

Duties:

  • Reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating agency policy and project proposals that affect
    Wilderness, and drafting, reviewing, and submitting Wilderness Watch’s comments on
    those proposals
  • Assisting staff attorney and other attorneys with research and document review
  • Assisting the policy and legislative staff on issues with overlapping concerns
  • Submitting, tracking, and reviewing Freedom of Information Act requests
  • Maintaining an issue database
  • Contributing to building and maintaining Wilderness Watch’s issue and policy archive
  • Drafting, reviewing, or editing news releases, op-eds, newsletter articles, and educational
    materials relating to the above
  • Co-drafting program reports for Board of Directors’ meetings.

Qualifications:

  • Clear commitment to Wilderness protection;
  • A basic understanding of federal public land agencies and laws such as the Wilderness
    Act and National Environmental Policy Act;
  • Experience working on public land issues, reviewing, and commenting on environmental
    impact statements or environmental assessments;
  • Excellent writing, research, and analytical skills;
  • A desire to work as part of a team;
  • Willingness and capability to occasionally travel, including field work, overnight
    backpack, etc;
  • Ability to think strategically; and
  • Proficiency in basic computer skills and software including Microsoft Word, Excel,
    Adobe Acrobat, and Google file-sharing and storage features

Salary/Pay: $55,000 – $70,000

Application Deadline: Position will be open until filled with an anticipated start date of August or September 2024.

How to Apply:

Please submit the following as a single pdf to jobs@wildernesswatch.org:

  • Cover letter explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position;
  • Resume;
  • Writing sample or excerpt (e.g. a letter or other submission to an agency on a public land
    or wildlife issue, essay or op-ed, etc.). Writing sample(s) should be primarily the work of
    the applicant and the samples combined should be limited to 10 pages or fewer; and
  • Two professional references (including contact information).