Montana Career Opportunity – Sustainability Director for the Sustainable Business Council

Interested in connecting business and community? Missoula’s Sustainable Business Council (SBC) is seeking a highly motivated individual to direct its programs and increase its influence. Must have genuine desire to promote sustainable business practices. Experience with small business a plus. Job requires bonafide management and communication skills and the ability to raise operational funding. Candidates should be comfortable at overcoming challenges and working in a leadership role. See full job description below and also posted at http://www.sustainablebusinesscouncil.org. Application deadline is May 17, 2008.

Susan Anderson
SBC Board Chair

Sustainability Director for the Sustainable Business Council

Overview: The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) is currently seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial-minded person for the position of Sustainability Director. The Sustainability Director (SD) will work with the SBC’s Board of Directors to promote sustainability and sustainable business practices in the Missoula area and foster the SBC’s financial and operational sustainability. The SD’s primary responsibilities in the first year will be membership development, Buy Local campaign management, fundraising, and coordination of all SBC activities.

SBC Vision/Mission Statement

We envision a network of vibrant local economies and caring communities that are based on renewable resources and clean, efficient practices and that lead to a healthy environment, rewarding employment, and a high quality of life. To foster that vision, we will provide education and technical assistance to help businesses, organizations, and individuals in Montana adopt sustainable practices that protect and enhance the environment, the region’s economy, and our local communities.

Description of the SBC
The SBC was formed in 2002 to provide education, networking, and technical assistance to Missoula area businesses and organizations interested in sustainable business practices. The SBC has been providing an annual sustainability lecture series, a web site, various electronic and printed publications for businesses and consumers, and representation on or assistance to other groups involved in sustainability issues. The SBC is currently developing a Buy Local Campaign (the first of several Buy Sustainable campaigns), a sustainability assessment tool for businesses, and a series of fact sheets on sustainable business practices. We are also developing our capacity to provide fee-for-service lectures and events for other organizations.
Since inception, the SBC has been staffed entirely by volunteers. SBC completed a 3-5 year strategic plan in spring of 2007. A key component of the plan is the hiring of an employee to coordinate and expand the SBC’s programs and outreach.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

We are looking for a person who can help us take the SBC to the next level, someone who can build this amazing grassroots organization into a significant contributor to the development of a sustainable local economy and community. The SD will be charged with increasing membership and member involvement, finalizing development and implementation of the Buy Local campaign, and securing consistent funding for SBC operations. Additionally, the SD will be the primary spokesperson (or “face”) for the organization, will set the tone for the overall organization and SBC culture, and will coordinate the activities of the organization. The primary responsibilities of the SD in the first year include:

Membership

· Membership recruitment, and new member prospecting,

· New member welcome, data gathering, and website integration,

· Membership renewals,

· Development and publication of the biannual newsletter, the monthly sustainability calendar, other communications with members

· Development of member marketing materials and publications

· Community and member outreach including tabling and speaking at events

Buy Local/Buy Sustainable Program

· Work with the Buy Local committee to finalize and implement the Buy Local campaign.

· Verification that the materials reflect the SBC’s image and message and increase the awareness of the SBC and sustainability in the community.

· Development of a long term plan for the Buy Local/Buy Sustainable program .

Fundraising

· Work with the Fundraising Committee to develop and implement a fundraising plan that provides sustainable funding for the organization.

· Identification of major donors, fundraising opportunities, grants, and other revenue streams.

Entrepreneurial Nature of the Position

Just as an entrepreneur starting a new venture might, the SD should be willing to passionately pursue the SBC mission and take responsibility for the success of the organization. Base compensation, benefits and bonuses (discussed below) will be dependent on the SD’s ability to add long-term value to the SBC by developing new products, services, and funding.

Supervision and Work Environment

The SD will report directly to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee will evaluate the SD’s performance and work with the SD to achieve the SBC’s goals. Because the position is new, evaluations will occur at 3 and 6 months and at not greater than 12-month intervals thereafter.

A cell phone, computer and Internet access will be provided to the SD for use on SBC work. However, the SBC’s budget does not provide for office space at the present time.

Attributes and Competencies

The SD should possess the following attributes or competencies:

· Energy and Enthusiasm

· Positive Attitude

· Outgoing, Professional Demeanor

· Self Motivation

· Genuine Interest in Small Business

· Committment to Sustainability

· Desire to relocalize the economy

Qualifications and Skills

The SD should possess the following qualifications or skills.

· Fundraising skills and proven experience raising money to meet the budgetary needs of a growing organization and should include familiarity with major donor relations, charitable giving campaigns, grant writing, sponsorships and fee-for-service activities

· Marketing skills and experience

· Public relations, media relations, and public speaking skills and experience

· Experience in small business or coursework related to small business

· Degree in Business, Communications, Community Development and Planning, or similar fields preferred, relevant experience will be considered in lieu of a degree

· Knowledge of sustainability and sustainable business practices

· Excellent verbal, written and spoken communication skills

· Experience with computers including word processing, page layout, and web based programs

Desired skills include:

· Management Experience, preferably in the non-profit setting working with volunteers and paid staff

· Financial management skills and experience including preparing and working with budgets and financial statements

· Experience with providing educational programs and content

Salary and Hours:

Initial base salary for this position will be $18,000 per year with potential for benefits and earned bonuses based on the SD’s ability to raise operational funding and meet other specifically identified performance targets. We expect the position to take at least 30 hours per week including 5-10 hours of direct contact with members, media and the public.

Application Procedures:

Send a resume, three references, and a brief written response addressing the following questions:

· In your own words, what does it mean to be sustainable?

· Based on your understanding of sustainability, how do you think the Sustainable Business Council can help businesses?

· How would you approach revenue generation for the Sustainable Business Council?

Application Deadline: May 17, 2008

To:

SBC

P.O. Box 7991

Missoula, MT 59807

Or [email protected]

Additional Information about the SBC is available at: http://www.sustainablebusinesscouncil.org

You may direct questions to [email protected]

Note: References of applicants who make the first cut will be contacted. This will assist the hiring committee in determining those to interview. To assist the process, please submit names and contact information for your references. Additionally, we will conduct a complete background check and obtain application forms and pre-employment certification of accuracy of information for all final candidates.