Application Guide
How to Apply for Chapter Director
at Sierra Club
🏢 About Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the U.S., uniquely combining 64 local chapters with national advocacy power. Working here means joining a 130-year legacy of environmental protection while advancing intersectional justice across climate, racial, economic, and gender issues. This role offers the chance to lead meaningful change at the state level within a respected national movement.
About This Role
As Chapter Director for Sierra Club Wyoming, you'll be the operational leader responsible for translating national environmental justice goals into local impact. You'll manage staff, guide volunteer boards, and build fundraising programs specifically for Wyoming's unique conservation challenges. This role is impactful because you'll directly shape how Sierra Club protects Wyoming's natural resources while building inclusive community power.
💡 A Day in the Life
Your morning might involve coaching staff on volunteer engagement strategies for a methane regulation campaign, followed by reviewing grant proposals with development staff. Afternoon could include meeting with Chapter Board committees about strategic priorities, then preparing talking points for media interviews about protecting Wyoming's public lands. You'll likely end the day connecting with national staff about aligning local efforts with Sierra Club's broader climate justice goals.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Sierra Club Is Looking For
- Has 3+ years of grassroots organizing experience specifically with volunteer-driven environmental or social justice campaigns in Western states
- Demonstrates successful staff management in nonprofit settings, with experience coaching teams through complex political environments
- Proven track record of raising $100K+ annually through donor cultivation and grant writing for environmental causes
- Can point to specific examples of building coalitions with diverse stakeholders (ranchers, tribal nations, recreation groups) in rural communities
📝 Tips for Applying to Sierra Club
Quantify your grassroots impact: Instead of 'organized volunteers,' write 'trained 45 volunteers who collected 2,300 petition signatures on clean energy legislation'
Highlight Wyoming-specific knowledge: Mention if you understand issues like methane rule implementation, sage-grouse habitat protection, or Powder River Basin energy transitions
Use Sierra Club's intersectional language: Frame your experience through 'environmental justice' and 'just transition' rather than generic conservation terms
Address both board relations and staff management: Show you can navigate the dual leadership structure of working with volunteer boards while managing paid staff
Include fundraising metrics: Specify amounts raised, donor retention rates, or grant success percentages relevant to environmental nonprofits
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your philosophy on empowering volunteer-led organizations while providing professional staff leadership', 'Specific examples of building political power in rural or Western states through coalition work', "How you've advanced racial and economic justice within environmental campaigns", 'Your approach to fundraising in politically challenging environments for progressive causes']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Sierra Club Wyoming's current campaigns (check their chapter website and recent press releases)
- → The 'Beyond Coal' campaign's specific impact on Wyoming communities and economy
- → How Sierra Club's 'Equity, Inclusion, and Justice' framework translates to chapter-level work
- → Wyoming's political landscape regarding environmental legislation and key stakeholders
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using generic environmental language without addressing Sierra Club's specific justice framework
- Focusing only on national environmental issues without demonstrating understanding of Wyoming's context
- Presenting as purely an executive without grassroots organizing credibility
- Not having concrete examples of working effectively with volunteer governance structures
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!