ABOUT BEA

Building Equity and Alignment for Environmental Justice (BEA) is a member-led organization whose mission is to foster authentic cross-sector relationships to advance the progress of the environmental movement toward a just transition. We shift power and resources from institutions to grassroots leadership to transform the environmental movement. BEA also manages the BEA Fund, which aims to model inclusive and equitable grantmaking practices by using a participatory grantmaking process and providing grassroots organizations with flexible, core support grants. 

BEA’s membership comprises organizations from three sectors – grassroots, national environmental or climate advocates, and philanthropy– participating in their respective caucuses. These caucuses meet periodically throughout the year to move BEA's overall mission to:

• See grassroots groups lead and inform environmental movements;
• See a transformational shift in power and resources from national environmental organizations and philanthropic institutions to grassroots groups; and
• Build a culture of equitable funding by fostering authentic and accountable cross-sector relationships between all three sectors.

ABOUT THE POSITION 

The Membership Consultant is an independent contractor engaged for an estimated four months to lead BEA through a process to clarify membership criteria, member expectations, and the vetting process for membership applicants. They will also create the documents necessary to codify these areas for future use. This role will be in close contact with the Director of Member Engagement & Organizing and the Governance Committee to produce outcomes with strong buy-in from current members.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in membership organizing, particularly for organizational entities. They have been at the center of creating or applying member programs in other Environmental Justice or mission-driven organizations, and they understand the challenges behind maintaining accessibility but encouraging intentional membership. We are particularly interested in bids from candidates who have held positions in Member Engagement, Member Organizing, or similar roles.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Facilitate meetings with BEA staff and a workgroup with representatives from all three caucuses to help anchor, draft, and provide periodic input on the new membership documents and processes. 
• Develop and execute a plan to define caucus membership criteria, resulting in clear, accessible, and comprehensive documents to be used by BEA.
• Develop and execute a plan to define membership expectations across issues like engagement, code of conduct, etc. Resulting in clear, accessible, and comprehensive documents to be used by BEA.
• Design a new, caucus-specific application form and process relying on BEA’s existing tools (ex. Monday or Google Suite).
• Develop a mission and values-aligned protocol for BEA representatives to vet potential members. 
• Meet with BEA staff at regular intervals to provide periodic updates.

The services outlined are not intended to be exhaustive. We are open to consultant input in the design of the ultimate scope of work.

ABOUT YOU

The ideal candidate will have most of the following professional experience and skills:

• People who are Black, Brown, Indigenous, and/or people of color and with lived experience in communities disproportionately impacted by racism and environmental injustice are strongly encouraged to apply.
• At least 5 years of experience in network or member-based spaces. Preferably made up of member organizations in Environmental Justice or other movements in the social justice space. 
• At least 5 years of experience developing or implementing membership criteria, protocols, and processes. Inclusive of, but not limited to, eligibility, accountability, code of conduct standards, application, and selection processes.
• Experience facilitating work groups and guiding divergent opinions to a place of consensus.
• Exceptional project management skills.
• Exceptional communication skills (verbal and written).
• Familiarity with the application of the Jemez Principles
• Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred but not required.

DETAILS AT A GLANCE

This is a contract with a budget of up to $30,000. To submit a bid, please submit a proposal containing: (1) a cover letter outlining your approach, (2) a resume outlining your qualifications, (3) a budget, and (4) a timeline via this form. Please also share any work samples similar to the deliverables described here.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of March 15, 2024. E-mailed proposals will not be reviewed.

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BEA strives to integrate values of equity and fairness into our work, which includes bringing an intentional racial justice analysis to our programmatic work and organizational structure. We are seeking candidates who have a commitment to engage in this ongoing process and work with us to create a just and inclusive work environment and world. BEA provides all people with equal employment and volunteer opportunities while also staying committed to providing accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. We strongly encourage applicants of color, in all their diversity, to apply for this position.

https://bea4impact.org/news/request-proposals-membership-consultant