Administrative and Executive Assistant

Summary

Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness is seeking a full-time Administrative Assistant. This position will work closely with the Operations Director to ensure the smooth running of the Friends office and provide a welcoming environment. The Administrative Assistant will also provide support to the Executive Director and the Board of Directors, with time split evenly between administrative work and executive assistant work. This position is full time and located in the Friends’ Saint Paul office.

Primary Relationship
  • The Administrative Assistant will report directly to the Operations Director.
  • Works effectively with all other departments within the Friends
Responsibilities
  • Maintain inventory of and order office supplies
  • Manage office equipment including printer, postage meter and phone system
  • Provide administrative support to all staff including printing, copying, and mailing
  • Setting up for meetings and presentations
  • Ensure an organized, clean, and welcoming office environment
  • Maintain electronic and physical filing systems
  • Greet and assist office visitors
  • Collect and sort incoming mail and accept deliveries 
  • Assist the Executive Director with correspondence, scheduling, filing, and other tasks as needed
  • Record and maintain Board of Directors meeting and committee meeting minutes
  • Assist the Executive Director in creating and distributing Board meeting materials, including materials for the annual Board Retreat
  • Provide backup for the Operations Director as needed

Qualifications

  • 3-5 years’ experience in an administrative or executive assistant role
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Excellent time management skills and an ability to multi-task and prioritize work
  • Attention to detail
  • Good judgment and problem solving skills
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Passion for preserving the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its ecosystem.

Compensation and Benefits

  • $45,000 – $55,000 per year salary
  • Paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance, and a 403(b) retirement plan.
  • In addition to paid vacation and sick leave, the Friends provides a $300 stipend and five additional paid vacation days to each employee to take time off and recharge in the wilderness.
  • Hours of unpaid leave for parents to attend a child’s school conferences, classroom activities, childcare or any other childhood program.
  • $50 per month transportation allowance for public transit or parking.
  • We encourage life-long learning and ongoing professional development.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and references to:

Ms. Bree Sikorski
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
2250 University Ave W
Suite 180S
Saint Paul, MN 55114
bree@friends-bwca.org

In the subject line of any electronic communication, please put “Administrative Assistant Position.”

Applications will be accepted until August 19, 2021.

At the Friends, we have a clear vision to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay, and do their best work. The Friends is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. 

Duluth Internship Coordinator

Summary

Friends of the Boundary Waters and the College of St. Scholastica are seeking an internship coordinator for the 2021-2022 school year. This is a 9-month, temporary position that serves as a communication liaison between the Friends education staff and St. Scholastica professors. This position will office at St. Scholastica, but will be under the supervision of the Friends. This position will serve as a connector between the two organizations in the management of student interns to complete a curriculum project funded by the Heritage Partnership Program with the Minnesota Historical Society during the duration of the school year.

The internship coordinator will help to facilitate the selection and task management of a team of two interns, and will assist on the research, lesson-writing, and curriculum creation. The internship coordinator will also connect interns with school outreach visits within the Friends educator network.

This internship program would lay the groundwork for the research, inclusion, and piloting of Indigenous materials in the Friends curriculum, producing thoroughly researched, culturally updated, and state-standard-aligned content for middle school students on outreach trips in communities and classrooms in the No Boundaries program. The internship will benefit both partners after the completion of the curriculum through local teaching opportunities to workshop and implement the curriculum.

Responsibilities
  • Report regularly to both Friends of the Boundary Waters education staff and St. Scholastica professors on the progress of the project and suggestions for next steps.
  • Facilitate the assignment of tasks and responsibilities to interns in the program.
  • Coordinate the logistics of contacting Anishinaabe Elders (with contact provided by the college) and scheduling meetings.
  • Schedule recording rooms with CSS (College of St. Scholastica) to archive meetings and Elder contributions and stories.
  • Guide interns in lesson planning that fits within the goals of the curriculum for both organizations. Assist in synthesizing research and recordings into a curriculum plan and the included lessons. Edit and revise as needed, with input from Friends staff and CSS faculty.
  • Schedule pilot sessions of the curriculum in local Duluth schools within the Friends education network, as well as recruiting new schools to participate in the pilot program.
  • Provide feedback for interns and revise curriculum as necessary.
  • Assist in compiling information for grant updates throughout the year.

Qualifications

Minimum:

  • Bachelor’s degree in education, Native studies, sustainability, environmental studies or other applicable field (or at least 4 years of relevant work experience).
  • Experience writing curriculum and lesson plans.
  • Experience coordinating a long-term project or program.
  • Experience teaching youth.

Preferred:

  • Experience teaching youth in 6th-12th grade.
  • Familiarity with Anishinaabe culture and community.

Hours and Compensation:

  • This position will take place within the 2021-2022 school year, with a start date of September 7th and an end date of May 27th.
  • This position will be compensated at $20/hour, roughly 25 hours a week.
  • Mileage paid at the IRS rate.
  • Paid sick time, vacation, and holidays. In addition to paid vacation and sick leave, the Friends provides a stipend and addition paid vacation days to each employee to take time off and recharge in the wilderness.

To Apply

Please send cover letter, resume, and 3 references to:

Ms. Bree Sikorski
bree@friends-bwca.org

Applications will be accepted until August 13th, 2021.

At the Friends, we have a clear vision to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come and do their best work. The Friends is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status.

Opening – Board of Directors

Summary

The Board of Directors determines the mission, strategic direction, and programming for Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness (“Friends”). A Director ensures and nurtures adequate human and financial resources and actively monitors and evaluates the Executive Director’s performance and the Friends’ financial results. A Director approves and systematically implements policies to ensure achievement of the mission of the Friends.

Primary Relationship
  • Reports to the Board Chair
  • Works closely with the Executive Director and other staff to ensure the achievement of the mission
  • Works closely with and gets to know other Board and committee members and builds collegial working relationships that contribute to consensus
  • Serves as a spokesperson outside the organization and delivers consistent, compelling messages on mission, programs, and finances, and encourages civic participation
Leadership Responsibilities
  • Knows and commits to the Friends’ mission, vision, and values
  • Provides leadership continuity by ensuring Board succession, including identifying, recruiting, and orienting new members
  • Is knowledgeable about Friends’ policies, programs, and operations, and oversees their implementation and evaluation
  • Is accessible and responsive to other Directors and staff
  • Actively seeks out financial and other resources for the organization
Management Responsibilities
  • Engages in strategic planning
  • Approves written policies and procedures governing the work and actions of the Friends’ employees and volunteers
  • Hires, sets the compensation for, and annually evaluates the performance of the Executive Director
  • Reviews the overall compensation structure for staff and establishes policies on employee benefits, vacation, and sick leave
Fiscal Responsibilities
  • Approve the annual operating budget; at least four times per year assesses the organization’s financial performance
  • Assists in developing fundraising plans and actively participates in fundraising initiatives each year
  • Makes an annual gift to the Friends as circumstances allow. There is no minimum contribution amount, but the Friends should be in a Director’s top three charities for annual giving.
  • Ensure that an internal review of the Friends’ compliance with legal, regulatory, and financial reporting requirements is conducted annually
Board Meetings and Committees Responsibilities
  • Regularly prepares for, attends, and participates in Board meetings
  • Participates actively in at least one Board committee
Committee Chair Description
  • The Committee Chair presides or assigns someone to preside at all meeting of the respective committee. The Committee Chair has general supervision, direction, and active management of the committee’s affairs, working in partnership with staff and volunteers. The Committee Chair reports to the Board Chair.