Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council (HCLC) Director, HECHO

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation has grown into America's largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than six million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and stripes. The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world. We advance this mission through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, advancing environmental justice, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change.

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) was founded in 2013 to ensure Hispanic leaders are engaged in decision making to conserve and protect public lands for future generations. In 2017, HECHO became a program of NWF to build a conservation movement that engages all communities in protecting the natural world for future generations.

HECHO’s priorities are advocating for federal policies that protect and conserve public lands and waters and equipping and inspiring Hispanic leaders to take action with HECHO and their communities on behalf of public lands and water conservation.  While HECHO is primarily focused on the conservation of public lands and waters in the American Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah), our work has a national scope and impact. To help achieve HECHO’s mission to unite and mobilize Hispanic leaders to engage their communities in the conservation of our public lands and waters, we are seeking HECHO’s first Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council (HCLC) Director. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing, impactful team and lead one of its marquee programs. HECHO is well positioned expand its reach, influence, and impact by ensuring Hispanic leaders in targeted geographies have the support and resources they need to drive enduring public lands conservation wins, and Hispanic voices are front and center in public lands decision-making and advocacy. At this pivotal point in HECHO’s growth, we seek an HCLC Director who can ensure that Hispanic leaders are at the forefront of advancing federal-level conservation-friendly policies that reflect the values, traditions, practices, and needs of their communities.

Reporting to the HECHO Executive Director, the HCLC Director will be primarily responsible for cultivating and growing a larger, more effective network of Hispanic elected, appointed, and community leaders who prioritize public land and water conservation and climate change mitigation in their decision-making and community advocacy efforts. With support and guidance from the Executive Director, they will lead the strategic expansion of the HCLC, and increase levels of engagement and mobilization of HCLC members in advocacy campaigns, policy initiatives, and program activities. This full-time position will drive efforts to expand HCLC membership and improve membership satisfaction by enhancing the suite of tools and resources provided to members.  The Director also will supervise several staff and/or contractors. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the strategic expansion of Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council, cultivating new members, retaining existing members, and deepening engagement and reach of the HCLC to influence conservation and public lands policy.
• Develop and implement specific HCLC membership retention and expansion strategies. 
• Build authentic relationships with current and new HCLC members and manage staff and/or consultants engaging and mobilizing HCLC members in key states.
• Work with HECHO staff to identify policy and campaign priorities and lead engagement of HCLC members’ advocacy in those priorities. 
• Ensure HCLC members voices are featured prominently in key public lands and water conservation campaigns.
• Oversee the strategic development of the suite of tools and resources to engage, support, mobilize and recruit HCLC members (roundtables, networking, educational forums, skill-building workshops, etc.
• Serve as a primary ambassador of HECHO’s HCLC program, representing the organization and program not only with HCLC members but also with key partners, policy makers, funders, media, or other audiences, as appropriate.
• As a key member of HECHO’s leadership team, contribute to overall organizational strategy, policy, and communications priorities and fundraising efforts.
• Support the identification and recruitment of HCLC members for Advisory Board positions.
• Build collaborative relationships with partner programs and organizations to create strategic programmatic alignments when possible.

• Contribute to