The Chesapeake Bay Foundation seeks an experienced Operations Manager to support the administrative needs of the Vice President for Communications and operations needs of the department. The position is based out of CBF’s Philip Merrill Environmental Center headquarters in Annapolis, Maryland.

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION

Established in 1967, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest regional nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to saving the Chesapeake Bay, its rivers and streams, and the wildlife that call it home through education, advocacy, litigation, and restoration. Since 2010, CBF has engaged in a focused effort to defend and implement the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, a binding federal and state collaborative agreement aimed at reducing pollution to the science-based, legally-affirmed levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Blueprint is expected to be fully implemented by 2025. If the states and the federal government achieve Blueprint goals, the Bay will finally—after decades of failed efforts—be removed from the Clean Water Act’s impaired waters list. Successfully implementing the Blueprint depends on a well-informed, engaged, active, and diverse constituency of members, advocates, and volunteers who speak up and take action to save the Bay.

CBF has a staff of approximately 185 employees working in offices in Annapolis, Maryland; Richmond and Virginia Beach, Virginia; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C. as well as 15 field education program locations. Our staff and volunteer corps work throughout the region educating students and adults, advocating for clean water policies, restoring waterways, and litigating when necessary.
CBF’s headquarters office in Annapolis, Maryland is the Philip Merrill Environmental Center, the world’s first U.S. Green Build Council’s LEED platinum building. In 2014, CBF opened the Brock Environmental Center—one of the world’s most energy efficient, environmentally smart buildings—in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
CBF has an annual budget of approximately $26 million and is supported by more than 240,000 members and e-subscribers. For more information on CBF, please visit cbf.org.

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION

Communications’ charge is to market CBF and its policy agenda, educate and engage the public, and mobilize its support for priorities, including advocacy and member-development objectives. CBF defines marketing as actions which help to sell something. They can be through earned media (and all the elements which go into it such as relationships with reporters, press releases, other forms of communications, etc.); purchased media; direct communications with an audience such as through CBF’s many publications, our website, action alerts, and any other forms of direct or indirect communications with the public at large or a subset of the public, including our members. Communications also manages CBF’s brand, internal communications, and public opinion research.

CBF’s Communications activities are broken into four functional areas: Media Relations, Creative Services, Community Building and Digital Media, and Community Engagement. The Communications Operations Manager will report to the Vice President for Communications. This position will be based out of headquarters.

This individual in this position will perform duties including, but not limited to, executive administrative support, office management operations, and business activities for the Communications department. The person in this position also manages all aspect of the department’s budget, including forecasting, tracking, and preparing reports. In addition, the Operations Manager will fulfill asset requests, archive assets, including media clips and other assets, in addition to other document and publication management requirements.

Essential functions include:

Administrative Operations (40%)
• Performs administrative duties for the Vice President for Communications. Duties include monitoring communications (phone calls, email, etc.); coordinating meeting, travel, and event arrangements; drafting, proofreading, and distributing presentations, documents, and reports; managing electronic and paper filing system; and providing technical support when appropriate.
• Provides administrative support to other communications directors. These responsibilities include technical support, meeting coordination, and other duties per the request of the director.
• Supports department meetings and events. These responsibilities include notetaking, scheduling, and logistics management for department events including regular meetings, retreats, and staff life events (birthdays, retirement, etc.). Also provides support for institution-wide events, such as the quarterly staff meetings, in addition to other events as assigned.
• Acts as liaison to team of administrative professionals for the organization, with responsibilities including answering front desk phones approximately once a month.
• Fulfills external collateral requests.

Budget / Business Operations (40%)
• Manage all aspects of the Communications Department budget.
• Coordinate contract management for the department.
• Prepare monthly credit card reports, including accurate project coding, and timely turnaround to the Finance department.
• Coordinate and manage the online store.
• Coordinate and manage interns and volunteers.
• Facilitate hiring.

Office Management Operations (20%)
• Keep the office tidy and attractively organized.
• Manage physical and digital files of media clips, publications, and other collateral. These duties include formatting media clips for distribution, transferring relevant files to the digital library, and managing volunteers to support this effort.
• Act as liaison to the Information Technology (IT) department.
• Maintain office equipment, including color copier and other electronics.
• Other duties as assigned.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have/be:
• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year university, with at least five years of relevant experience supporting a senior management executive in a fast-paced environment.
• Discrete, knowing some communications are confidential
• The ability to work independently, and assertiveness/tact in high pressure situations.
• Experience in managing office processes and technology, including troubleshooting and training.
• Creative and high energy.
• Aptitude for managing details including scheduling, credit card reports, and contract management processes.
• Ability to interact effectively with other CBF leadership, staff, Board members, and other affiliated organizations.
• Experience in a mission-driven, environmental-advocacy, and educational organization is desirable.

To apply, please visit the link below and submit cover letter, resume, and salary history and requirements no later than July 6, 2018 at:

http://www.cbf.org/about-cbf/jobs-internships/jobs/communications-operations-manager.html

CBF offers a comprehensive benefits package to include: 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, health, vision, dental, life insurance, and a tax deferred annuity plan. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.