Network Coordinator

Northeast Wilderness Trust’s (the “Organization”) mission is to conserve forever-wild landscapes for Nature and people. We safeguard over 115,000 forever-wild acres across New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Northeast Wilderness Trust is the only regional land trust focused exclusively on rewilding through forever-wild conservation. We believe in the immense value of wilderness, both for its intrinsic value and for its unique role to reverse the biodiversity crisis, mitigate climate change, and provide solace to the human spirit. 

The Opportunity:

The Network Coordinator (the “Coordinator”) will serve two primary purposes: 1) Coordinating multi-organization efforts that came out of the Volgenau Climate Initiative (VCI) Convening ‘Unlocking Northeast Forest Potential as a Natural Climate Solution Convening’  and 2) supporting the Wildlands Research and Ecology Network. 

This is a two-year opportunity, based at our Montpelier, VT office, with the possibility of extension.

VCI Coordinator (90%)

The Network Coordinator serves as a connector, facilitator, and organizer, helping participants stay engaged, share information, advance collaborative efforts, and identify opportunities that emerge from network activities. The Coordinator will support communication, project coordination, learning, and reporting while serving as a liaison between network participants and the VCI.

Network-specific priorities, projects, and opportunities may evolve. The Coordinator will work collaboratively with VCI and network participants to support the network’s goals and strategic direction.

Northeast Wilderness Trust is the Host Organization for the Coordinator. The Organization will onboard the Coordinator to the network and will provide ongoing oversight and strategic guidance throughout the contract period. Recognizing that the Coordinator serves the broader network rather than any single organization, the Host Organization will support the Coordinator in maintaining a network-wide perspective and advancing collaboration among participants, projects, and partners. The Host Organization will ensure successful execution of the grant deliverables and support the Coordinator in advancing the goals of the network and related projects.

What You Will Do:

Working with the President and CEO you will:

• Maintain strong relationships across the network.
• Engage new and existing participants.
• Coordinate and facilitate regular communication between participants.
• Ensure visibility of key activities, needs, and opportunities.
• Serve as a thought partner to VCI with insights about the field from the network.
• Support project leads with coordination and engagement to advance their projects as needed.
• Participate in VCI’s Peer Coordinator learning sessions.
• Convene and facilitate an annual virtual meeting with network participants to provide updates, strengthen relationships, and explore next steps.

Communications & Reporting:

• Share regular updates (minimum of quarterly) with VCI and network participants (at least quarterly) documenting progress, resources, opportunities for involvement, and collaborative efforts.
• Highlight collaborations, partnerships, and additional funding secured through network-related activities.
• Communicate challenges, delays, or significant shifts to VCI.
• Contribute information for reporting as requested.

Information Management:

• Maintain updated contact lists for network participants.
• Maintain shared materials and resources in a central resource hub.

Monitoring & Evaluation:

• Support basic tracking of metrics and impact across the network.
• Contribute information for updates and final reporting.
• Participate in evaluation activities coordinated by VCI or its evaluation partner.

Convening and Grantmaking Collaboration:

• Support early thinking around potential future convenings.
• Collaborate with VCI and planning partners on future convening efforts if they move forward.
• Help identify strategic opportunities that arise as network-related projects evolve.

Deliverables

• Monthly Network Updates: Distribute regular updates (at a minimum, quarterly) to VCI and network participants summarizing activities, progress, highlights, resources, opportunities for involvement, and developments across network-related projects and initiatives.
• Meeting Facilitation & Documentation: Organize and facilitate regular virtual meetings with network members and project teams; maintain engagement and share summaries or notes with participants as appropriate.
• Updated Contact List & Resource Hub: Maintain and share an up-to-date contact list and centralized resource folder for network participants.
• Final Report: Submit a final report by September 31, 2027, detailing accomplishments, use of funds, and lessons learned from the grant period.

Wildlands Research and Ecology Network (10%)

Northeast Wilderness Trust launched the Wildlands Research and Ecology Network (WREN) in 2026.  WREN aims to grow the science of wildlands ecology—the study of forests allowed to function with minimal human management. WREN supports research on unmanaged, rewilding, and recovering forests across New England and New York, on topics including old-growth structure, carbon dynamics, biodiversity, natural disturbance, climate resilience, and wildlife connectivity. Its pilot Forest Ecology Small Grants Program funds projects that pair a technical research output with a story-driven communications piece, building both scientific knowledge and a community of researchers who can speak to the value of wild places. Over time, WREN aims to sustain researcher and ecologist positions within organizations advancing wildlands science. 

What You Will Do:

Working with the Wildlands Ecology Director you will:

• Build out communications: Make the network worth joining with a job board for jobs and funded research, an online forum (e.g., Discord) for sharing questions and findings, a full mailing list, and regular newsletters (likely quarterly).
• Grow the network: Recruit researchers already doing this work, not just WREN grantees, using set criteria.
• Gather information and improve processes: Consult universities on aligning with their timelines and costs before the program funds PhDs and post-docs, and write a best-practices guide.
• Help design the next phase: Use the 1-2 year fundraising period to outline the next phase, build documentation and processes, and set timelines informed by the university outreach.
• Manage current grantee contracts: Track deliverables, deadlines, final reports, and communications.

What You Will Bring:

• A commitment to candid and transparent communications.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and team-oriented work environment.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills to meet deadlines and be self-starting.
• Adaptability and openness to evolving responsibilities as the network evolves.
• Reliable home internet connection to stay connected with staff over email and Zoom for remote days.
• Ability to pass a background check.