Community Volunteer Ambassador - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Position Details: 

Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train a diverse group of emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to communities. 

By leveraging interests, skills and abilities of diverse individuals and groups, the (CVA) Community Volunteer Ambassador of Great Smoky Mountains National Park supports people and park! Field projects will be organized and led by the intern, in cooperation with ranger staff.  ‘Smokies Service Days’ and other volunteer initiatives facilitate the upkeep of natural, cultural and recreation resources throughout the park. The CVA will conduct outreach to deepen dialogue and connectivity with under-reached communities (schools, universities, youth groups, outdoor clubs, senior centers, religious institutions, people with special needs, ESL groups, art schools, wellness programs, area businesses, and online audiences).  

With the support of a CVA, the park looks forward to extending its network to inspire engagement by new groups - locally, regionally, and nationwide. The park will continue to work with established partners (Discover Life in America, Great Smoky Mountains Association, Friends of the Smokies, Keep Sevier Beautiful, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, National Parks Conservation Association, National Park Foundation, GSM Institute at Tremont). The CVA Intern will use online tools (volunteer.gov and social media), as well as Conservation Legacy’s community-mapping tools to grow public awareness of shared stewardship and learning opportunities. CVA administrative duties in support of the Parkwide Volunteer Program include: processing and filing paperwork; volunteer placement; data entry; data analysis; email/phone/in-person communication; organization and upkeep of inventory; planning and leading presentations; preparation and collaborative facilitation of small and large-scale volunteer recognition events. 

Site Description: 

Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited National Park in the NPS system. In 2022, the site welcomed 12,937,633 guests from the U.S. and points all around the globe. GRSM is fortunate to also host one of the most ambitious and operationally integrated (VIP) Volunteer-In-Park Programs in the country. In 2022, the park benefitted from outstanding support by 2,050 dedicated youth and adult VIPs. An ever-growing and increasingly diverse cadre of Smokies Volunteers provides critical resource stewardship and essential visitor services throughout the park, which straddles 522,427 rugged acres across Tennessee and North Carolina. GRSM preserves more than 90 historic structures including churches, schoolhouses, farms, gristmills, cemeteries and homesites. It is one of the most ecologically diverse and pristine natural areas in the East, offering breathtaking mountain scenery with panoramic views, sparkling streams, great abundance of wildlife, and mature hardwood forests that stretch as far as the eye can see. 

Position Responsibilities: 

• Assist with processing volunteer paperwork  
• Assist with entering, analyzing, interpreting info in the Volunteer (VIP) Database 
• Assist with communications to Volunteers and paid Staff  
• Coordinate activities for partners, businesses, youth groups, schools, visiting groups  
• Assist with organization / planning / co-facilitation of VIP Recognition Events 
• Help plan, develop, co-lead Training Opportunities for Volunteers and Supervisors 
• Help address Volunteer and VIP Supervisor questions and issues that arise 
• Help maintain inventory / provision of uniforms, tools, program supplies 
• Help develop in-park VIP Appreciation / Communication features (VIP Newsletter) 
• Help develop a ‘VIP Dashboard’ that ensures VIPs can access current information 
• Plan and Lead volunteer service activities 
• Coordinate with ranger staff to ensure safe, rewarding and productive opportunities for VIPs 
• Train with park staff, and demonstrate for VIPs how to efficiently perform assigned service activities  
• Work with Supervisor to increase service opportunities on Volunteer.gov 
• Brainstorm with Supervisor and community organizations to identify ways under-connected audiences (especially special needs groups) can actively recreate / enjoy the park, while benefitting from time shared with one another 
• Post regularly via social media (Facebook, Instagram) for visibility of Smokies Service Days Program 
• Work with Supervisor to improve VIP Program web pages 
• Communicate with organizers of regional fairs/festivals that invite outreach participation by the park  
• Identify park needs and develop active service-learning experiences for VIPs 
• Help develop and extend a ‘virtual volunteer’ program (for those who can’t join us in the park) 
• Outreach to colleges & local businesses (ie; service industry workers in Cherokee and Gatlinburg) to encourage weekend participation by families, working professionals and students 
• Network with organizations (places of worship, career centers, art hubs, special interest groups) to connect with people of diverse personal identities and cultural, ethnic, religious, creative backgrounds 
• Help develop an annual Special Day of Service that focuses on inter-generational volunteerism (possibly for regular/recurring VIPs to be shadowed by youthful friends, family, neighbors at their worksite) 
• Develop PowerPoint presentations and worksheets (flow charts, graphs, excel tools) that clearly demonstrate successes and challenges of the VIP Program (used to grow and adapt GRSM’s Parkwide VIP Program)  
• Work with Supervisor to develop a ‘vision plan’ based on ideas & feedback of Employees/Volunteers 

CVA Minimum Requirements: 

• Committed to and enjoy thoughtful communication/management of the more than 2000 VIPs who dedicate their time, energy and unique talents to make it shine.  
• Strong work ethic and be committed to excellence in all endeavors.  
• Enjoy working independently as well as with others 
• Be comfortable shifting between detail-driven administrative work and collaborative, creative visioning for special projects.  
• Helpful personal qualities to possess for this position include: an outgoing nature, having an affinity for diverse groups of people, excitement about both office & field projects, and commitment to detail in all endeavors.  
• Willing to drive on mountainous terrain, be confident working with technology and computer programs, and have an innate enthusiasm for both people and parks. 
• Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in late March/early April 2024 (date TBD) 
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.  
• Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old) 
• High School Diploma/GED  
• Pass fingerprint-based FBI, state criminal, and a national sex offender checks.   
• Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete a MVR check 
• Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Skill and experience working in Microsoft Office Suite  
• Ability to enter, analyze and interpret data using Excel spreadsheets 
• Experience creating and co-leading Powerpoint presentations  
• Ability to enter and analyze information (run queries) in a database 
• Confidence working with and analyzing numbers / statistics 
• Ability to creat flow charts, graphs, other forms or data presentation 
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills 
• Strong organizational and planning skills 
• Have a keen eye for, and strong commitment to detail 
• Interest in developing public speaking & outdoor leadership skills 
• Affinity for people of all identities, ages, interests, and backgrounds 
• Be comfortable working in both office and field settings 
• Possess the ability to 'shift gears' as needed to successfully complete projects and meet changing deadlines 
• Be consistent and able to follow work projects through to completion 
• Enjoy working independently and with a partner (or group) 
• Enjoy creative collaboration and event planning  

Additional Information: 

Position include some weekend work and on occasion long hours. There will be many opportunities to collaborate with park staff, partners and the Volunteer community. 

Benefits: 

• CVA will receive a weekly stipend of $600  
• Housing may be available on-site, if not CVA will receive an additional $150/week in housing allowance. 
• Limited health care/childcare benefits 
• The position is eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award $6,895.00 (pre-tax) upon successful completion of the program 
• $1,200 in professional development funds for training, networking, conferences, and/or travel.  
• Networking opportunities within the National Park Service and partnering organizations 
• Public Land Corps Hiring Authority 
• Week-long in-person training at NPS site with travel/meal expenses covered. 

How to Apply 

Please visit Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) to review “Member Positions” by region and find instructions on how to apply.  

The CVA position will start on Monday, January 22nd, 2024, and run for 48 weeks until Friday, December 20th, 2024. Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2024. Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references. 

Please ensure your cover letter addresses how your experience aligns with the CVA program, your experience working with diverse populations, and position details for this park/position. You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites you are interested in. 

Applications Deadline 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November. Final deadline is Sunday, December 10th, 2023. 

For Application Questions: 

Please contact Geoff Elliot, Program Director at gelliot@conservationlegacy.org 

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.