How do you find good candidates for staff positions? Often the easiest way to locate someone is through word-of-mouth: Board members and other professional contacts may often know a likely candidate, or be one themselves. NAAEE's eePRO platform is another place to search that is close at hand. Be mindful of the fact, though, that reaching diverse candidates often requires searching beyond the standard outlets and "usual suspects." Contact organizations listed in the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice section of this Toolkit to broaden your search. Connect with local organizations that are linked to potential employees who have relevant skills but may be outside the environmental education realm.
Staffing
The NAAEE Affiliate Network has formally endorsed the SEEA eeGuidance for Equitable Pay and Hiring Practice in EE. We suggest refering to this document early and often when developing new positions, recruiting candidates, and designing the hiring process at your Affiliate to ensure that your search and practices are as inclusive and equitable as possible.
Ready to take the plunge into hiring staff? Here are some tips from other Network leaders!
- Consider having another Affiliate leader sit in on interviews or help with the review
- Be sure to connect your new hires to the Affiliate Network, particularly for the great opportunities for mentoring.
- Even better- write network participation into the job description as an expectation!
- Drill down on your Affiliate's needs and think about the phrasing of the role (i.e. Executive Director, Program Coordinator, etc.) titles hold power- particularly with external partners.
- Be sure to look into the rules on contractors in your state/ IRS rules. Executive Directors CANNOT be contractors under IRS rules.
- Have the infrastructure in place for payroll and other needs on day 1
Resources
- NAAEE eeJOBS Website >
- Article profiling nine environmental job boards >
- Tips on achieving better equity and inclusion in the hiring process from Environmental Education of New Mexico >
- Paid service that helps connect environmental employers with prospective employees >
- Job postings for nonprofits in Canada >
Resources for Transition from Volunteer Board to Paid Staff
- Passion Meets Professionalism: Transitioning from Volunteer Leaders to Paid Staff
- That Space Between: Navigating the Transition Between Volunteer-Run and Staff-Run Organizations
- Working Board vs Governing Board – Making the Transition
- Making a successful organizational transition from all-volunteer to volunteer + paid staff
- Is it Time to Hire an Executive Director?
- Hiring the First Executive Director for Your Organization
- Your Guide to Hiring Staff for Your Nonprofit
Managing Skills
Sample Job Descriptions from Affiliates *
Executive Director - USEE
Director of Development and Partnerships- KACEE
Program Staff
Communications & Relationship Manager -EENC
Communications Manger - RIEEA
Outreach and Communications Coordinator- Virginia Asso. for EE
Communications Contractor- Maine EE Association
Outreach Coordinator- MEES (MA)
Program Coordinator- EENC
Community Engagement Intern- COEEA
*These documents are for illustrative purposes, they have not been benchmarked or evaluated for content or against the SEEA eeGuidance for Equitable Pay and Hiring
Employee Manuals or Handbooks
Employee Handbook- AEOE
Employee Handbook- RIEEA
Employee Handbook- USEE
Program Procedures- USEE
Remote Work Policy- USEE