Merrymeeting Bay is a freshwater tidal estuary of international significance, known for its populations of rare plants, diadromous fish, and migratory waterfowl.
Friends of Merrymeeting Bay seeks an Executive Director; a passionate activist, with deep love of this place to grow with our group into the future. FOMB is the only organization in Maine taking a holistic approach to environmental work; mixing research, advocacy, education and land conservation. We are an active, membership-driven grassroots environmental non-profit dedicated to the preservation, protection, and enhancement of this unique ecosystem and those that relate to it.
The successful applicant will be passionate about our mission and the strategies (including litigation) therein. You must be able to work efficiently and independently from a home office and or ours, recognize priorities and work under the direction of the Steering Committee overall and the Chair in particular. Applicant should live in or be willing to relocate to the Bay area and be eager to learn.
Candidates should be experienced in grassroots organizing, foundation and non-foundation fundraising, volunteer outreach and administrative tasks. Experience in land protection, advocacy, research, and education is very desirable. Database management (Excel and Access) competence as well as excellent writing and verbal skills are essential.
This is a full-time position. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Benefits include a flexible work schedule, sick and vacation policy, and additional contribution towards health care. Some evening and weekend work is required. Passion for the work and the environment are key.
Application
Send resume, three references, and two writing samples. One writing sample should be a hypothetical Letter of Interest (LOI) submitted to FOMB considering us as a potential grantor. Your LOI proposal should be for protection of some conservation land or for a dam you want to remove. The second sample is your choice. Remit to Ed Friedman at Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, P.O. Box 233, Richmond, ME, 04357 or email to edfomb@comcast.net . Position closes when suitable candidate is hired. Electronic submissions are preferred. Questions can be directed to Ed at 207-666-3372.
Executive Director, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay Job Description
Candidates should be experienced in foundation and non-foundation fundraising, grassroots organizing, and outreach, administrative tasks. Experience in land protection, advocacy, research, and education is also desirable. This is a full-time position. Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include a flexible work schedule, sick and vacation policy, and additional contribution towards health care. Some evening and weekend work is required.
The successful applicant will be passionate about our holistic mission and the strategies therein. You must be able to work efficiently and independently from a home office and or our office and work initially under the direction of the Steering Committee overall and the Chair in particular. Applicant should live in or be willing to relocate to the Bay area. Database management (Excel & Access) as well as excellent writing and verbal skills are essential. Knowledge of HTML and Adobe InDesign will be helpful.
Organizing:
- Increase volunteer participation by identifying and developing opportunities for members to get involved in FOMB’s work. This is central to all of the ED’s work. The ability to train volunteers in all aspects of our work and involve the membership base is critical.
- Any activity that can be successfully accomplished by volunteers should be.
- Developing positive relationships with FOMB members and members of the community to strengthen involvement in various FOMB committees, projects and programs.
- Recruit, oversee, train, and provide recognition for volunteers.
- Extend visibility of FOMB’s work in the community through positive outreach.
Fundraising:
- ED is expected to raise his or her salary equivalent yearly. This money does not need to be specifically designated for salary, but can be designated for any of FOMB’s project work. It does not include normal renewals or annual appeal income but does include new major donor donations.
- Explore and secure capacity building grants as well as grants for specific program (e.g., the Current Study, Bay Day, the archaeological dig, internships, advocacy) work.
- Coordinate major donor program and do major donor visits as appropriate.
- Cultivate major donors
- Explore and implement other fundraising opportunities (e.g., house parties, auctions, special events or projects).
- Oversee Annual Appeal and renewals.
Administrative:
- Database management in an Access database and Excel spreadsheets, (regular merge mail membership mailings, annual appeal, newsletters, database updates). Improve tracking of information such as volunteer hours and activities, and contributions.
- Mass e-mailings in Vertical Response.
- Oversee publication of 4 newsletter issues per year.
- Attend regular Board (SC) meetings, and sub-committee meetings supporting these groups as directed.
- Coordinate maintenance of website.
- Answer general queries from the public or from members about any of FOMB’s programs (or field to the appropriate party).
- Organize, maintain, and update FOMB paperwork, permits and licenses.
- Maintain and submit weekly time logs of work performed. Program work
- Support Board and Committees as directed to keep projects moving forward. This requires relatively detailed knowledge and understanding of FOMB’s work in its four major program areas (Research & Advocacy, Membership & Fundraising, Education, and Conservation & Stewardship).
- Coordinate school outreach program. Work with Education sub-committee to expand program providing existing program is running smoothly. Estimated 25% of full time position (pre-Covid).
- Assist with coordination of Summer Outings, Speaker Series, Bay Day, and any other FOMB events as needed.
- Assist with water quality program as directed. Coordinate recording, and analyses of basic WQ data.
- Assist with coordination and implementation of easements and landowner outreach as time and experience allow.
- Assist with coordination and implementation of research and advocacy as time and experience allow.
- Staff will be expected to take over the above program work over time.
Priorities
- Fundraising.
- Strengthening sub-committees and organization through member/community outreach and volunteer organizing. Volunteers, volunteers, volunteers!
- Administrative duties.
- Education program running smoothly.
- Transition program work responsibilities from Chair.