The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is looking to fill two office-based positions, one Communications Manager position and one Administrative Assistant Position. Both positions are based out of the CNPS main office in Sacramento, CA. Read the position descriptions below or download them at cnps.org.
About CNPS Founded in 1965, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a science‐based non‐profit organization dedicated to increasing understanding and appreciation of California’s native plants, and to conserving them and their natural habitats. The Society’s administrative and technical staff facilitates and supports the work of the chapters and implements statewide programs. The Society is headquartered in Sacramento. CNPS has more than 9,300 members organized in 34 chapters, including the newly‐formed Baja California Chapter. COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER POSITION CNPS is seeking a Communications Manager who is passionate about supporting CNPS members and chapters. This position requires an organized, highly collaborative individual with extremely strong communication skills. He/she will listen to members and chapters to identify needs, develop creative solutions to those needs, and work with volunteers and staff to make chapters even more fun and more effective. He/she must embrace the principle that CNPS is a Society in which every individual is unique and valuable. The successful candidate need not have all the skills listed below, but will provide direction and supervise staff, contractors, and highly skilled volunteers to accomplish goals. This position will join a growing professional staff and be part of a committed team that includes hundreds of smart and dedicated volunteers. The Communications Manager will collaborate with other staff, volunteer leadership, and chapter leadership to survey existing communications needs and solutions, and to make the best solutions available to all chapters and volunteers. Representative Duties and Responsibilities Facilitate Chapter Communications and Outreach - Serve as the primary point of contact for chapter communication needs. - Expand the CNPS Speakers Bureau, including promoting sharing of good speakers among chapters, and identifying and recruiting new speakers. - Maintain resources to help chapters identify and engage speakers, including the existing PDF based Speakers Bureau Handbook, and also including online systems. - Work with chapter volunteers, program staff, and others to publicize and disseminate events and success stories, and to train chapter volunteers in publicity and outreach techniques. - Write, edit, and distribute press releases via Green Media Toolshed or other platforms. - Support chapter newsletter editors, including: identifying authors and soliciting articles, developing stories on local chapter and statewide topics, and assisting with sharing of articles across chapters. - Help chapters to develop effective public outreach materials, including: promoting or adapting existing materials, developing new brochures and displays, and ensuring translation into languages and formats that best reach a large and diverse audience. - Maintain current and relevant Chapter information on the CNPS website. Support Chapter Leadership - Develop a simple system that accurately tracks chapter volunteer time contributions and gathers data required for CNPS annual activities reporting. - Coordinate regular trainings for chapter leadership, treasurers, and webmasters. - Work with the CNPS webmaster and chapter webmasters to scope and address chapter website and information technology needs, provide training to chapter webmasters, and to provide centralized maintenance of chapter websites in the event that such service is requested. - Maintain excellent awareness of chapter conditions and needs, coordinate sharing of tools and approaches among chapters, and represent chapter and member needs across the organization. Develop and Implement Shared Communications Tools - Assist with dissemination of chapter newsletters, including making newsletters available via the internet. - Develop systems for delivering trainings requested by members and chapters, including ability to provide trainings via webinars or on demand videos. - Set up and maintain a simple an affordable conference call capability for chapters and committees. - Set up and maintain an email listserv capability that is available to chapter leadership, committees, and for distribution of electronic bulletins and newsletters. - Set up and maintain web‐based, consolidated events calendar to provide information on chapter activities. Job Qualifications May Include - Bachelor’s with a minimum of two year of experience in a comparable position, or minimum of five years of experience in lieu of Bachelor’s degree. - Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work well with people of different backgrounds. - Excellent oral and written communication skills. - Experience writing and editing of a variety of messages, for various media, for a diversity of audiences. - Experience managing organizational outreach and communications using current electronic communication and networking tools, e.g. Facebook, Flickr, Flipboard, Twitter, YouTube, etc. - Demonstrated ability to be a self‐ starter, and to work independently or with a team. - Ability to independently and efficiently plan and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously. - Skill at working with volunteers and supporters to accomplish challenging projects, while keeping it a fun and fulfilling experience that builds joy and goodwill inside and outside the Society. Additional Desired Skills - Fluency in Spanish or other languages spoken in California. - Knowledge of CNPS, familiarity with native plants and plant communities throughout California, and a commitment to conservation. Physical Requirements The requirements described here are representative of those that must be met, and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This job requires prolonged sitting, use of computer and mouse, and ability to participate in field trips including traveling uneven trails with variable grade. Additional Job Requirements - Working with volunteers and partners requires travel throughout California. Work travel is reimbursed. - Some evening and weekend work is required to meet deadlines or to participate in meetings. - A valid California driver’s license and proof of car insurance are required, provided annually. Status This is an exempt, full time staff position eligible for benefits. Compensation and benefits This is a key position and compensation is generous, commensurate with qualifications and experience. CNPS offers benefits that are competitive with non‐profit organizations of comparable size, including full payment of employee health insurance premiums, life insurance, retirement match, and paid holidays and vacation. To Apply Please application to [email protected]. Subject line of email should read “Chapter job application.” This is a full time, Sacramento‐based position. Please explain in cover letter if you seek special arrangements such as location other than Sacramento area, job sharing, part time, or unusual working hours. Position is open until filled. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION Job Summary The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is seeking a full‐time Data Entry/Administrative Assistant (will consider two part‐time positions). This position requires a highly organized, detailed oriented, and computer savvy individual to maintain the CNPS membership database and provide administrative support to the Executive Director and other CNPS staff as needed as well as to provide administrative support to CNPS membership volunteer staff. The Data Entry Clerk/Administrative Assistant reports directly to the Finance and Administration Manager. Duties and Responsibilities Data Entry/Gift Processing (75% of the time) • Accurately process all incoming memberships and donations including entering payments, new contact information and corrections into the donor database • Maintain CNPS membership and directory database, including, but not limited to: data entry; generation of membership, donor, and directory reports • Maintain CNPS Directory and email lists • Weekly distribute gift acknowledgements and thank‐you letters, including querying database to develop mailing list, merging info into letters, and then printing and shipping letters Sales (10% of the time) • Process and ship books, posters and other merchandise General (10% of the time) • Provide reception services and serve as the first point of contact for CNPS • Open, date, and promptly direct incoming mail to appropriate staff and volunteers • Stamp and process outgoing correspondence • Set up and maintain an appropriate and reliable filing system of both electronic and paper files • Maintain positive and professional relationships with CNPS donors, volunteers, and staff • Manage office equipment ‐ copiers, fax machine and postage machine • Assemble and distribute materials for meetings • Order and maintain office supplies • When needed, provide support in setting up for meetings, both in and outside of office; including beverages and food • Provide administrative support to the Executive Director and other CNPS staff as needed Financial (5% of the time) • Record checks received • Assist with posting of accounts payable and accounts receivable Job Qualifications • Bachelor’s with a minimum of one year of experience in a data entry position, or minimum of two years of experience in lieu of Bachelor’s degree • Proven ability to perform timely and accurate data entry • Ability to handle large volumes of data with attention to detail • Proficiency with fundraising software/donor database • Knowledge and experience with PC‐based computer systems and Microsoft Office software; especially Word and Excel • Excellent interpersonal skills • Able to work well with people of different backgrounds • Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously • Enjoys working with non profit, grass roots organizations • Excellent oral and written communication skills Physical Requirements This job requires prolonged sitting and use of computer and mouse, as well as some standing and bending. It may require moving and handling small boxes of books to other parts of office with the assistance of a dolly. Additional Job Requirements • Work time is generally Monday through Friday with work to be performed between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm. • Work location is in Sacramento, California at the CNPS offices. • A valid California driver’s license and proof of car insurance are required, provided annually. Compensation and benefits The position pays $10‐15/hr, based on qualifications and experience. CNPS offers benefits, for full‐time employees, which are competitive with non‐profit organizations of comparable size, including health insurance, retirement match, and paid vacation. To Apply Please send cover letter, resume and contact information of three references to: Cari Porter Finance and Administration Manager California Native Plant Society 2707 K Street, Ste. 1 Sacramento, CA 95816 [email protected]
