Campaign Director, Montgomery Countryside Alliance  

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The Montgomery Countryside Alliance, in collaboration with the Coalition for Smarter Growth, seeks a new Campaign Director to manage its programs in rural Montgomery County, Maryland.  

Mission and History

The Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA) was started in 2001 in response to a proposal for a second bridge crossing across the Potomac River which would have destroyed the nationally-acclaimed Agricultural Reserve, a region of the county dedicated to agricultural use. Since then, MCA has become the leading organization tracking the land use and transportation policies impacting the Agricultural Reserve. MCA also educates residents about the benefits and importance of farmland and rural open space.

The work of MCA is closely integrated with the work of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the leading comprehensive smart growth group covering the Washington DC Metropolitan region. Both organizations partner together to determine how and where our region should grow.  MCA’s Campaign Director works from CSG’s office and participates in many CSG staff activities.

Role Description
The Campaign Director is responsible for managing most of the elements of the campaign, including: grassroots communication and mobilization, educational presentations, relationship building, land use and transportation advocacy, and board development. The Campaign Director works directly with a board of directors in addition to the staff of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. The Campaign Director plays a key role in guiding the programs of the organization, maintaining visibility in Montgomery County, ensuring a strong board of directors and building strategic partnerships.

Primary Responsibilities include:

• Advocating for key land use and transportation policies, meeting with elected officials, and mobilizing grassroots membership on these issues
• Giving presentations on the Ag Reserve, seeking outreach opportunities and organizing public events
• Communicating with members through newsletters
• Building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, including farmers, civic leaders, elected officials and staff, media and members
• Managing board and organizational development, including planning and staffing board committees, managing board recruitment and other governance issues
• Managing the website and member database  
• Working closely with the fundraising staff member to coordinate fundraising efforts

Qualifications:
The successful candidate must have a commitment to the mission and regional goals of both MCA and CSG. In addition, we are looking for an individual with the following credentials:

• Strong communication skills, including writing and public speaking
• Strong organizational skills
• Experience managing others (interns, partners etc);
• Proven experience in project management and the ability to take initiative and follow through;
• Proven experience in grassroots/membership relations;
• Ability to juggle multiple projects and issues at once;
• Talent for working with multiple colleagues in a variety of contexts to create thriving, collaborative and effective partnerships;
• An ability to balance immediate & long term needs;
• Basic understanding of and experience with program budget development and management;
• Experience with nonprofit management and boards preferred but not required;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, an ability to work independently and as part of a larger team, a sense of humor, and availability to work occasional weekends and evenings;
• Knowledge of growth and transportation issues; and
• An understanding of Maryland culture and politics, and experience working in and knowledge of Washington area jurisdictions are preferred, but not required.

The salary range is dependent on experience and includes a generous benefits package.

If you are interested in this position, please email a letter outlining your interest and qualifications along with a resume, and 1-2 work samples (testimony, newsletter, marketing or other written materials) to: jobs@smartergrowth.net

For more information about Montgomery Countryside Alliance or the Coalition for Smarter Growth, please visit our websites at: www.RuralMontgomery.org and www.SmarterGrowth.net. 

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