2-3-2 Partnership Coordinator

The Forest Stewards Guild, a national organization of foresters and allied natural resource professionals, is dedicated to practicing and promoting responsible forestry as a means of sustaining the integrity of forest ecosystems and the human communities dependent upon them. We use innovative, science-based solutions to meet the challenges of forest conservation and management. The Guild has over 700 members, over half of whom are professionals who manage over 42 million acres of forestland in the United States and Canada. The Guild maintains regional offices in New Mexico, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The Forest Stewards Guild is seeking a dynamic, personable, and highly collaborative professional to support the 2-3-2 Cohesive Strategy Partnership, a collaborative that brings together diverse partners—federal, state, and local agencies; Tribes; nonprofits; community groups; and private landowners—to build wildfire resilience, promote ecological forest management, and advance community wildfire adaptation.

The 2-3-2 Partnership Coordinator will play a key role in advancing collaborative natural resource management across southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. This position has three main areas of focus: (1) building and strengthening relationships with partners in the San Luis Valley, (2) supporting the operational and logistical aspects of 2-3-2 meetings and events, and 3) advancing partnership communications through newsletters, website maintenance, and other creative means.

This position will focus on building and strengthening relationships with partners in the San Luis Valley while ensuring their voices and priorities are well integrated into the broader 2-3-2 Partnership’s landscape-scale strategy. This will include active participation in local collaborative efforts such as the San Luis Valley Wildfire Council and Rio Grande Basin Roundtable, as well as the creation of new projects as opportunities present.

The Coordinator will work as part of a team to support effective communication, organize meetings and events, and foster connections among agencies, organizations, landowners, and community groups working to improve forest health, watershed resilience, and community well-being. Acting as a bridge between local and regional efforts, this position will help align place-based initiatives with shared priorities, increase visibility of San Luis Valley partner accomplishments, and promote collaborative solutions to natural resource challenges.

This is a highly collaborative role that requires strong communication and organizational skills, comfort in representing the Partnership at public events, and the ability to work with diverse partners to achieve shared goals across boundaries. The ideal candidate will be an excellent communicator—equally comfortable writing newsletters, speaking at events, or picking up the phone to connect with a community leader. They should be willing and comfortable traveling throughout the 2-3-2 Partnership area—including to the San Luis Valley, Pagosa Springs and the Rio Chama watershed—to represent the Guild and the 2-3-2 Partnership in meetings, tours, and community events. The successful candidate will have a degree in science communication, forestry, ecology, natural resource management, or related field with professional experience. This individual will have excellent organizational, communication, and written skills and a desire to support ecological forestry and forest dependent communities in the Southwest.

Key Responsibilities

Build and strengthen partner relations in the San Luis Valley, Colorado (approx. 40%).

• Represent the 2-3-2 Partnership in the San Luis Valley by attending relevant meetings, workshops, and community events. Contribute to discussions on resource planning, project implementation, and monitoring, and share updates back to the partnership.
• Support integration of San Luis Valley place-based groups and projects with the 2-3-2’s broader landscape-scale strategy by helping to align local initiatives with regional priorities and facilitating information exchange between groups.
• Act as a liaison between San Luis Valley partners and the full 2-3-2 Partnership by maintaining strong and consistent communication with the Guild’s Southwest Partnership Manager, Executive Committee, and Rio Chama CFLRP team. Help ensure that local priorities are represented in regional discussions, and that regional strategies are communicated clearly to local partners.
• Identify and engage key partners including value holders, community leaders, land managers, and decision-makers to broaden participation and ensure that diverse voices and perspectives inform the partnership’s work.

Support operations and logistics for 2-3-2 meetings and events (approx. 20%).

• Assist the SW Program Managers in facilitating the 2-3-2 Partnership collaborative activities by supporting event logistics, coordinating field tours, and preparing materials for meetings. Help with scheduling, partner outreach, meal and activity planning to ensure events are inclusive and well-documented.
• Provide coordination support to the 2-3-2 Executive Committee by taking clear notes in meetings, tracking follow-up actions, and assisting the Southwest Partnership Manager with scheduling, agenda setting, and documentation to keep the committee’s work organized and moving forward.

Advance Partnership communications through newsletters, website updates, and other creative means (approx. 30%).

• Coordinate 2-3-2 partnership communications by managing website content, drafting and distributing newsletters, and proactively sharing updates through media outlets and other information-sharing networks. Ensure that communications align with the mission and vision of the 2-3-2 Partnership to highlight collaborative successes, opportunities, and upcoming events to strengthen partner and public engagement.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships and networks that support collaborative communications, including fostering relationships with local media outlets, community-based organizations, agencies, landowners, and other partners.
• Develop and craft communications products that elevate the work of various 2-3-2 Partners to multiple audiences. This includes working with established and new partners.

Other duties as assigned (approx. 10%)

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in natural resources, forestry, ecology, environmental studies, communications, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including comfort with public speaking, taking detailed notes, and compiling clear reports.  Experience with newsletters, websites, and partner communications.
• Flexibility, problem-solving ability, and willingness to take initiative.
• Experience working with diverse partners, including landowners, agencies, nonprofits, and community leaders.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Willingness to travel across northern NM and southern CO (San Luis Valley, Rio Chama, and Santa Fe areas).
• Self-motivated, personable, and comfortable reaching out directly to new partners or community members.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Effective knowledge of common software applications
• Valid driver’s license

Additional Desired Qualifications:

• Proficiency in WordPress
• Experience with collaborative conservation, wildfire mitigation, community engagement, or landscape-scale partnerships.
• Experience writing grant proposals
• Spanish language skills
• Master’s degree in science communication, forestry, environmental science, or other applicable field, or seven years equivalent experience of professional work
• Forestry and wildland fire knowledge or experience in Southwest forest ecosystems

Compensation and Benefits Package 

• $27.46 – $29.98/ hour, 36-40 hours/week
• Paid leave is accrued monthly from the first day of employment 
• Paid sick leave 
• 12 paid holidays per year (4 hours per holiday at half time)
• Employer-sponsored comprehensive health and dental care coverage is available after 30 days of continuous employment with the employee contribution at 50%    
• Accidental death/dismemberment and life insurance policies paid by The Guild after 60 days at 20 hours per week
• Flexible compensation plan available after 60 days   at 20 hours per week
• Retirement plan with an employer match is available after 90 days
• Family Leave after 12 months, including up to 3 weeks paid leave with the remaining time unpaid up to 12 weeks total.

Location 

This position is based out of Northern NM or Southern CO, within or immediately adjacent to the 2-3-2 Partnership landscape. Broadly, this ranges from Santa Fe, NM to Chama, NM to Pagosa Springs, CO to Alamosa, CO and everywhere in between. A San Luis Valley-based coordinator is preferred. A hybrid work schedule is acceptable and travel throughout northern New Mexico and southern Colorado is required. Some overnight travel is required if travel distances make it necessary. All travel costs from the Guild office in Santa Fe are covered, including the use of a Guild vehicle.

How to Apply 

Applicants should submit a 1-2 page cover letter, resume, one page writing sample and three professional references through the application portal – please note that you will need to combine these into one PDF or email them to Cody Dems. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Contact Us 

Questions about this position can be directed to cody at forestguild dot org.

The Guild is dedicated to providing an open, transparent, and just organization and workplace. We strive for clear, open, and kind communication and are committed to recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and supporting staff from underrepresented communities. We are dedicated to building a work culture that recognizes the inherent value of our employees, supports a healthy work-life balance, and provides an environment that supports personal and job growth. 

We believe that a diverse workforce reflects the strengths of all members of our community. The Forest Stewards Guild strives to create a collaborative, supportive, and respectful setting for all employees and partners. To meet this goal, we recognize and celebrate the wide range of differences that characterize our members, employees, partners, and collaborators. Indeed, it is those differences that enhance our organization and help us to meet our mission and vision. The Guild values diverse forests because they are more productive, more resilient, more adaptable, and better able to recover from disturbances. Similarly, our community is healthier when we are inclusive of a diversity of people and perspectives.