About Adirondack Council:
Established in 1975, the Adirondack Council is a privately funded, not-for-profit environmental advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring the ecological integrity and wild character of the Adirondack Park. The 9,300- square-mile Park is one of the largest intact temperate forest ecosystems left in the world and is home to about 123,000 New York residents in 130 rural communities. The Council carries out its mission through research, education, advocacy and legal action. The Council supports a Park with clean water and clean air, core wilderness areas, farms and working forests, and vibrant, diverse, welcoming, safe communities.

The Adirondack Council’s values, including our commitment to our mission and vision, are integral to the manner in which we carry out our programs. The Council’s values are: highest ethical standards and integrity; responsible and constructive fact-based education and advocacy; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; partnerships and respect for all; legacy; innovation and excellence; teamwork; and, commitment to the future.

Position Summary:
The Adirondack Council is seeking an experienced and motivated Clean Water Advocate (CWA). This position will focus on developing relationships with local communities, building clean water programming capacity, and lead legislative and grassroots/tops advocacy within the Park and Albany to support the health of Adirondack waters in the Western half of the Adirondack Park. Working for the Director of Conservation, the Clear Water Advocate (CWA) will work to advance water protection policy, federal, state and local funding grants and opportunities for clean water projects in Adirondack communities as well as funding to support the work of Adirondack lake associations and its members.

The CWA will engage in advocacy efforts to support regional and watershed-scale protection programs and provide expertise and guidance to partners and local officials on these matters. Such efforts will range from grassroots level operations to advance local septic system inspection and replacement programs, promote and garner support for clean water infrastructure projects in local communities, support park-wide lake monitoring, advance road salt application reduction standards/programs, address other non-point pollution sources and support invasive species management efforts. Furthermore, the position will develop partnerships with local lake and community associations, other Adirondack conservation organizations and town officials to collaborate and implement these clean water program goals.

This position is expected to be located in or near a Raquette River Watershed community, such as Long Lake or Tupper Lake. It will be a hybrid of office-based (Elizabethtown) and remote-based work in the western Adirondacks, with a specific remote work location to be determined in collaboration with the final candidate. The candidate will be expected to work in the Elizabethtown office at least eight hours per week. The Western Adirondacks is a hyper-rural region of New York State and candidates must have comfortability living in rural landscapes and building connections and community.

Essential Functions:
• Advocacy: identify creative funding and policy strategies to address critical water infrastructure and management needs of Adirondack communities, including grassroots initiatives; working with the Government Relations team, lobby to advance these efforts
• Policy: work with non-profits, state agencies and other stakeholders to inform and develop policies that advance the Council’s mission and clean water goals; on occasion, inform, draft and/or deliver public comments for agency actions
• Community Engagement: build strong and trusted relationships with NGOs, local government, lake associations, communities and other partners;
• Headwaters Campaign: continue to advance the Headwaters Campaign work to expand the stewardship of the unique Raquette River Headwaters
• Research & Science: stay abreast of current research and science efforts locally and at-scale, and help advance science and monitoring efforts as needed
• Other: Perform other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Demonstrated experience in water policy, clean water/wastewater infrastructure policy and/or resource management with a strong interest in advocacy
• Proven analytical, strategic thinking, and organizational skills including proven time management, and creative problem-solving skills
• Well-organized and able to advance multiple priorities
• Proven communication skills including effective written, verbal and listening skills
• Proven ability to facilitate community conversations and identify common ground solutions to complex regional conservation issues and competing community-based needs
• Commitment to engaging others from a foundation of respect, integrity, and inclusion
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Experience with Microsoft Suite

Education and Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree in water resources, public policy, natural resource management or other similar fields; Master’s degree welcome
• 5+ years of experience in experience in grassroots organizing, coalition-building, campaign politics and/or advocacy; an advanced degree can supplement work experience
• A valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle with winter travel capability, as travel within the Park will be required

For additional details, please visit our website.