Executive Director

Start Date: August 1, 2020

The New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) Board of Directors is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Executive Director.  The position includes a competitive salary (based on full-time/exempt status) and benefits including health and life insurance and paid leave.

• Applicants should have a passion for social and environmental justice, an appreciation of the inequities inherent in the application and practice of law, and an understanding of land-based cultures, colonization-related impacts, tribal systems, and social justice movements.
• Applicants should have a passion for leading a public interest law firm that seeks to ensure social and environmental justice and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within local communities and a clear vision of how their leadership can expand the work of the NMELC statewide and build or work with a national coalition of similarly situated organizations.

The NMELC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors and prohibits retaliation against individuals who oppose unlawful discrimination or participate in an employment discrimination proceeding. Persons of color, women, persons with disabilities and LGBTIQ+ candidates are encouraged to apply.

NMELC Overview

The NMELC was founded in 1987 and currently focuses its efforts on working with communities to address disparities in environmental protection and exposure to pollution that result from racist and classist legal and social frameworks. The NMELC has two goals of equal priority:  The first is to provide legal representation primarily to low-income communities and communities of color to address the environmental pollution issues those communities have identified as important; and, the second is to partner primarily with environmental justice communities to impact environmental laws, regulations, and policy.

To accomplish its goals, the Law Center represents clients in litigation and administrative hearings; provides legal counseling and referrals as well as technical and legal assistance on legislative and regulatory issues; trains community and environmental groups who seek to influence governmental bodies on environmental concerns; and educates the public about assaults on the environment, disparate environmental impacts, and the ways in which the public can contribute to addressing environmental degradation and environmental racism.

Executive Director Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for nurturing an organizational culture that is reflective of the communities served and respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences.
• Responsible for deliberately leading, motivating, and empowering staff to further the NMELC mission and vision while implementing processes to improve efficiencies, create open communication and ensure accountability.
• Responsible for working with the Board, staff, and community partners to develop, implement, and monitor a strategic plan and organizational vision which will ensure ongoing growth and relevance by identifying client-directed priorities and providing a clear path toward the future.
• Responsible for engaging community partners and staff, as well as non-profit, government, and business leaders to further NMELC objective of improving conditions for impacted communities in New Mexico.
• Responsible for overall financial management and integrity of the organization, including operating within the approved budget, utilizing resources efficiently, and identifying and securing funding necessary for the operation and long term financial stability of the organization.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree minimum
• Extensive organizational leadership and personnel management experience (Non-profit preferred)
• Financial oversight experience
• Experience working with New Mexico communities
• Excellent analytic, interpersonal and public speaking skills
• Fundraising and grant proposal experience
• Public policy and legislative experience
• Fluency in a second language (Spanish, Navajo, Tewa languages preferred)

Application Deadline is June 5, 2020.

Applicants should submit resume, cover letter, and references electronically to ApplyNMELC@gmail.com. All required documents must be submitted electronically. Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Initial interviews will be conducted via online video conference platform. Final interview format will be determined based on guidance from government/health agencies at that time.