Greenbelt Alliance seeks an experienced, committed, and enthusiastic candidate for the position of Regional Representative. This is an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated individual committed to ensuring that the right development happens in the right places. The Regional Representative will lead Greenbelt Alliance’s cutting-edge advocacy campaigns in one of the world’s most dynamic and influential places: Silicon Valley.

The Organization:
For over 50 years, Greenbelt Alliance has been the leading land use advocacy organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the champion of the places that make the Bay Area special, we protect the region’s open spaces and make sure our cities and towns grow in a way that creates great neighborhoods for everyone.

Greenbelt Alliance is one of the most effective and well-respected environmental organizations in the Bay Area. Our work has encouraged Bay Area cities and counties to adopt land-use policies to effectively protect over two million acres of natural and agricultural lands. We were one of the first environmental organizations in the nation to establish a program to endorse and advocate for smart growth developments, improving more than 140 neighborhoods around the region and endorsing over 70,000 homes to be built to date.

With a committed staff of 18 savvy professionals at the forefront of the smart growth movement, Greenbelt Alliance has a strong team spirit and sense of fun. We are headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in San Jose, Santa Rosa, and Walnut Creek.

Position Summary:
The Regional Representative is Greenbelt Alliance’s ambassador for the South Bay, providing leadership in our unique niche on conservation and smart growth issues. S/he will be responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of advocacy efforts in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Examples of past successful advocacy efforts include:

• Leading a coalition of organizations to shape the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan, which will protect over 46,000 acres of vital wildlife habitat and raise an estimated $658 million for conservation.
• Shaping San Jose’s 2011 General Plan, which calls for the creation of 120,000 new homes by 2040 in dynamic, walkable neighborhoods within the city’s existing urban footprint.
• Co-chairing the campaign to pass Santa Clara County’s Measure Q, which earmarks roughly $118 million to protect 15,000 acres of open space and agricultural lands.
• Growing the Mountain View Coalition for Sustainable Planning into a 400-person strong community group that was key to shaping that city’s plans for sustainable, equitable development, including roughly 8,000 new homes in transit served areas.

As the primary contact for a range of stakeholders, including elected officials, city and county staff, and community leaders, the Regional Representative will act independently to determine how to most effectively engage the organization—drawing on high-level standards and goals set with organizational leadership.

The Regional Representative will report to one of Greenbelt Alliance’s Program Directors and work closely with the entire Greenbelt Alliance team, including staff in San Francisco, volunteers and allies in the South Bay, and other regional staff throughout the Bay Area. See www.greenbelt.org to learn more about our work.

S/he should have experience with managing outreach and/or public advocacy programs across a broad range of stakeholders. The Regional Representative should be an analytical thinker and problem solver as well as an excellent writer.

Key Responsibilities:
Advocacy: Lead local campaign efforts for smart growth planning and development, protection of open space, and improved quality of life in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Responsibilities include campaign planning, coalition building, and policy advocacy.

Policy Analysis: Analyze public policy alternatives that will impact conservation and smart growth in the South Bay and, in collaboration with others at Greenbelt Alliance and allies, develop policy positions.
Persuasive Communication: Build relationships with local media, serve as key spokesperson on local land use issues, develop media campaigns with Greenbelt Alliance’s Marketing and Communications Department, write opinion pieces, organize media events, make public presentations.

Organizing and Outreach: Recruit and coordinate activists for specific campaigns and to build long-term political effectiveness in local communities. Reach out to community organizations and the public to increase awareness and inspire action that results in the protection of open spaces and communities that are vibrant and livable places for future and current residents.

Management: Run the San Jose field office and manage volunteers.

Qualifications:
The Regional Representative will be an enthusiastic self-starter with some combination of experience in the following areas:
• Strategic and campaign planning
• Analyzing, developing and/or implementing public policy (experience on land use, open space conservation, urban planning, housing, and/or community development policy preferred)
• Building relationships with community leaders and elected officials
• Engaging stakeholders to create positive change in their communities
• Volunteer recruitment and management
• Public speaking before citizen organizations and elected bodies
• Interacting with the media and serving as a spokesperson
• Writing persuasively on tight deadlines
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple issues, campaigns, and diverse relationships
• Bachelors degree in Planning, Environmental Studies, Urban Studies, Public Policy, or another appropriate field required.

Flexible schedule and access to a car also required.

Most importantly, the Regional Representative will be committed to protecting the Bay Area’s greenbelt of natural landscapes, farms, and ranches, and creating thriving neighborhoods that meet the needs of people from all walks of life.

Essential Job Functions:
Job requires employee to be able to:
• Comprehend complex issues and communicate effectively to diverse groups
• Interact and cooperate with co-workers in a variety of situations and work as part of a team
• Interact professionally with press and diverse stakeholders
• Plan and think strategically
• Take initiative
• Accept supervision and work independently
• Manage a small office and volunteers
• Drive 25-30 miles a week on average, with some occasional 100 mile trips
• Use a computer and type for an extended period of time
• Express ideas in spoken and written form clearly and concisely
• Be passionate about the Bay Area and conservation and smart growth issues

Compensation:
Salary dependent on experience, full-time, based in San Jose, with some travel to San Francisco as well as around Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Compensation includes full employer-paid health and dental insurance for employees, generous vacation and sick time, and an exciting, team-oriented work environment. Flexible spending accounts, Commuter Checks, and 403(b) retirement accounts also available.

To Apply:
Email a resume and cover letter to jobs@greenbelt.org. Be sure to include the job title followed by your name in the subject line.
Greenbelt Alliance values a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to engaging the skills and leadership of people of color, LGBT persons, and other people from diverse backgrounds. People from these and other traditionally marginalized backgrounds and communities are strongly encouraged to apply.