Chapter Director, Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter

The Sierra Club is recruiting a Chapter Director for its Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter. The Chapter covers a remarkable and diverse landscape, from the National Forest Wilderness areas of the San Ynéz Mountains to Channel Islands National Park in the Santa Barbara Channel. Roughly half the land in the two-county area is federally owned, and the Chapter’s work spans both classic Sierra Club conservation priorities and the urgent urban and energy challenges of a rapidly changing region. Current priority campaigns include protecting federal lands and waters; transitioning from oil and gas by advocating for responsible decommissioning of abandoned wells and offshore platforms; building a clean energy future through renewable energy and climate advocacy; protecting air and water quality from the Santa Clara watershed to the Santa Maria groundwater; and educating members and the public on sustainable food, health and agriculture.

The Chapter Director leads the design and implementation of priority campaigns and programmes adopted by the Chapter Board. The primary focus is hands-on environmental advocacy, fundraising and supporting volunteer leaders across the chapter’s local groups. The role also supports the Board and volunteer committees, works with the Chapter Treasurer to manage finances, and drives digital communications and member engagement. A key priority is growing and diversifying Chapter membership, including building relationships with university environmental groups and environmental justice advocates.

Responsibilities include advising and supporting the Chapter Board and volunteer committees in adopting annual strategic, programmatic and financial goals; working with the Chapter Treasurer to develop an annual budget and ensure regular financial reporting; managing chapter staff including weekly check-ins, performance appraisals and ongoing coaching; leading a comprehensive Chapter fundraising programme including major donor cultivation and stewardship, grant writing, membership growth and coordination with regional and national Sierra Club staff on joint fundraising opportunities; supporting and developing volunteer leaders across the Santa Barbara, Ventura Network and Conejo local groups; representing the Chapter in public settings; leading the Chapter’s digital communications including managing the website, social media channels and email marketing programme; supporting the production and distribution of the Chapter’s award-winning newsletter The Condor Call; and coordinating closely with regional and national Sierra Club staff.

Required skills include grassroots organising experience (training and motivating volunteer teams, coalition building, lobbying); staff management experience including managing interpersonal and organisational conflict; demonstrated success in organisational fundraising including major donor cultivation, grant writing and membership growth programmes; excellent written and oral communication skills with comfort speaking before large and small groups; demonstrated experience with digital marketing including email marketing platforms, website content management and social media; commitment to continuously deepening and evolving understanding of systems of oppression; understanding of environmental and social justice issues relevant to California; and proven effectiveness working independently and cooperatively to manage complex projects.

The strongest candidates will demonstrate extensive expertise in federal public land management, wildlife and energy issues; extensive fundraising experience; working knowledge of tools such as Google suite, Salesforce, NetSuite and Marketing Cloud; working knowledge of social media platforms; and experience working with marginalised or underrepresented communities. The Sierra Club values applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous and other minoritised groups; women; and queer, transgender, gender non-conforming and gender fluid people.