Parks Associate Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

We're protecting and enhancing America's National Park System for present and future generations.
National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is the nation's oldest and largest national parks nonprofit advocacy organization. NPCA has an exciting opportunity for a Texas Coastal Program Manager to join our Texas and Oklahoma Regional Office.
Grade: M Job Status: Full-time FLSA: Exempt
Department: Regional Programs
Location: Texas - Southeast or Upper Gulf Coast region (Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, or Tyler county preferred)
Immediate Supervisor: Cary Dupuy, Regional Director, Texas and Oklahoma
Manager's Supervisor: John Adornato, III, Deputy Vice President, Regional Programs
Salary: $62,000 - 72,000 (based on experience)
Incumbent / New Position: Incumbent
Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for this role including a four day, 32-hour work week, paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and paid sabbaticals for staff after seven years of service. Learn more about our benefits at npca.org/jobs.
Primary Purpose of the Position:National parks in Texas and Oklahoma awe visitors with their great diversity from the High Plains to the desert to the coast. The Texas Coastal Program Manager will support the protection of this incredibly diverse landscape by leading and supporting park protection campaigns throughout the region, with a specific focus on coastal national parks in Texas.
In collaboration with the Regional Director, the Program Manager will be responsible for identifying and managing campaigns, developing strategic implementation plans and playing a key role in building community around the Big Thicket National Preserve and Padre Island National Seashore. The Program Manager will also collaborate with the wider NPCA team across the country to advance campaigns to ensure national parks are protected, preserved and restored, connected to larger landscapes and enhanced for the enjoyment of current and future generations.
This role integrates wildlife and natural resource management, community engagement, and policy expertise to ensure sustainable stewardship of park resources. The position requires collaboration with federal and state agencies, local communities, NGOs, and other stakeholders to advance science-based conservation strategies.
Essential Functions:
Manage Campaigns to Protect Texas Coastal National Parks: 50%

• In collaboration with the Regional Director and Associate Director, develop and implement strategic campaign plans and related outreach and engagement strategies, and identify resource and budget needs for successful outcomes to protect parks and their resources. Provide leadership for and manage strategy and tasks related to priority existing and new campaigns specifically related to Big Thicket and Padre Island.
• Strategically develop and maintain relationships with elected officials, opinion leaders, decision makers and key staff within NPS and other relevant agencies in the region.
• Contribute to NPCA's systemic national park campaigns and strategic priorities including landscape conservation, hunting and fishing regulations, air quality, energy production and coastal resilience.
• Develop high-quality written materials in support of campaign work, such as campaign plans, technical comment letters, policy analyses, scientific literature reviews on park issues, action alerts, etc.
• Research, analyze and interpret policies and state and federal laws and regulations specific to coastal national parks and develop appropriate positions and courses of action.
• Support state and federal policy development and advocacy efforts for funding and conservation of coastal national park landscapes, including collaboratively drafting position papers, public comments and briefings.

Build Community Support for Texas Coastal National Parks - 30%

• Build and manage authentic and reciprocal relationships with a diverse and effective set of allies for national parks in southeast Texas and along the Texas coast, including gateway area businesses, chambers of commerce, Indigenous communities, social justice organizations and other conservation groups.
• Advance strategic partnerships with academic institutions and community organizations in support of national parks.
• Attend community meetings, conduct informational public forums, organize outdoor group experiences, and carry out other forms of community education and community building that promote and advance efforts to protect and enhance national parks in the region.

Communications and Administrative Support - 10%

• Coordinate and implement regional administrative activities and provide logistical support for events and meetings of the Texas Regional Office. Responsibilities include coordinating internal and external requests for information, facilitating the creation of regional newsletters, maintaining website and communication tools as requested and coordination of internal reports.
• Produce summaries of program work and campaign milestones/achievements for NPCA supporters and internal stakeholders.

Development - 10%

• In collaboration with Regional Director, Regional Development Director and other relevant staff, cultivate donors, including Regional Council members, and maintain excellent existing relationships with funders for support of NPCA. Collaboratively draft proposals and reports to foundations and major donors.

Other: Respect employees regardless of their position or background. Participates in developing department goals, objectives, and systems. Participates in administrative staff meetings, organization-wide meetings, staff committee meetings, training programs, and attends other meetings and seminars as designated by the supervisor. Coordinates with regional staff, Government Affairs, Development, Communications and other NPCA departments. Assists in evaluation of reports, decisions, and results of department in relation to established goals. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position.
Minimum Work Schedule: 32 hour work week. Flexible hours scheduled between 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Some weekend and evening work required. Regional travel is required for meetings and events as determined by business needs. National travel required approximately three - four times a year for meetings and retreats.
Minimum Qualifications, Competencies, Skills, Education, and Traits:

• 4-5 years' lived or work experience and/or Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as natural resources/environmental science, cultural resources, wildlife management, public policy, political science or communications.
• Familiarity with local, state and federal natural resource policies and regulatory frameworks affecting coastal parks, including land use policies and conservation funding sources in the region.
• Strong ability to understand scientific and policy documents and how proposals impact national parks and their resources.
• Experience with strategic or campaign planning preferred.
• Basic computer skills - proficiency with MS Word required, PowerPoint, and internet-based work is required.
• Excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills are essential.
• Proven ability to convene and work well with people of diverse backgrounds, communities, ally organizations, government agency staff or elected officials is necessary.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a close knit team of professional colleagues.
• Ability to work independently and maintain a highly organized work style to manage and meet deadlines and produce high quality work.
• Interest in and/or experience with public lands issues;
• Commitment to NPCA's Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Statement of Intentions.

Core Values
Live, honor, and own the organization's Core Values:
Commitment: We are passionate about NPCA and dedicated to achieving excellence through our work and mission. We seek to improve our performance by taking opportunities for professional and personal development and encouraging reasonable risk-taking and innovation.
Inclusion: We value diversity of thought, background, experience, and opinion. We create a culture of empowerment by welcoming and encouraging meaningful participation from all people and promoting an environment that embraces different perspectives.
Integrity: We hold ourselves accountable to each other, our members and partners, and our mission. We evaluate the impact of our work and strive for honesty and transparency across the organization. We operate ethically in the organization's best interests.
Respect: We collaborate in results-oriented teams based on trust and consideration for each other. We promote harmony between our work and our personal lives. We foster a healthy and positive workplace culture and work collaboratively with external partners.
Physical Effort and Dexterity: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is typically required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee may lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
Physical Environment: Work will initially be at a home office with the possibility of working in a local shared office space depending on funding and business needs. Travel in the southeast Texas region will be routine. Occasional travel to other parts of the region, Washington D.C or other parts of the country.
Employer's Rights: NPCA reserves the right to revise this position description at any time. The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the NPCA and employee and is subject to change by the NPCA as the needs of the NPCA and requirements of the job change. The above is in no way an exhaustive list of the requirements for the position.