Community Volunteer Ambassador - Chamizal National Memorial

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2025 Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references. 

Position Title:  Community Volunteer Ambassador – Chamizal National Memorial - AmeriCorps 

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements 

Site Location: El Paso, TX 

Application Timeline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early November. Final deadline is Sunday, December 8, 2024. 

Terms of Service: 

Start Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2025 

End Date: Friday, December 19, 2025 

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour  

 Purpose: 

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.  

The Chamizal National Memorial CVA will help the park re-energize and organize its volunteer program, allowing it to support the park's mission and provide a way for the community to engage with their national park more deeply. To do this, the CVA will work in managing the park's volunteer program, preparing volunteer opportunities in the park, connecting to new volunteer communities, supporting volunteer events and recognition, and helping the park plan strategically for the future of volunteering at Chamizal National Memorial.  

Site Description  

Chamizal National Memorial is an urban park located right on the US-Mexico border between El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. The park commemorates the diplomatic solution to a specific century-long boundary dispute between the two countries. It serves as a living memorial to learn about and experience not only this history, but also US and Mexican culture through visual and performing arts, language, and other cultural elements. Volunteers contribute to the mission by working in visitor services, maintenance, IT, and special events, providing language skills, researching, and writing for our websites.  

Description of Duties: 

Work with supervisor to complete and maintain a current local volunteer policy  

Create SOPs and job aids as necessary to help volunteer supervisors  

Update forms and SOPs for managing volunteer program, including access and use of Volunteer.gov  

Maintain volunteer records  

Inventory volunteer uniforms and recognition items and identify sources for ordering additional items  

Update volunteer handbook (for volunteers)  

Identify sources of relevant public-facing training for volunteers  

Use new eDOIU public facing learning platform to create training opportunities as needed for Chamizal volunteers  

Work with Interpretation team to create social media and website messaging related to volunteer activities  

Attend outreach events to promote volunteer opportunities and awareness of volunteer program  

Work with the leaders of various park teams to become familiar with their operations and help to identify volunteer positions that could support them  

Assist volunteer supervisors in writing volunteer service descriptions and risk analyses for volunteer positions  

Develop relationships with local volunteer organizations and identify mutually beneficial opportunities for the park  

Develop standards for volunteer recognition items  

Plan volunteer recognition event(s)  

With park leadership, identify the vision of the volunteer program  

Write a strategy for achieving volunteer program vision  

Qualifications: 

Honest  

Organized  

Outgoing  

Has good writing skills  

Is comfortable with Word, Excel, and other common computer applications  

Listens well  

Follows directions  

Is motivated by a job well done  

United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien 

Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award  

Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.  

Participate in the CVA National Early Service Training in March 2025 (date TBD) 

Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old) 

Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position 

Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete a MVR check 

 Preferred Qualifications:  

Local applicant  

Skilled communicator  

Has experience leading people  

Strategic thinker  

Bilingual English-Spanish  

Physical Requirements: 

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. 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. 

 Time Requirements: 

This position is expected to serve a 40-hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary and will be set by host site.  

Lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hours.  

Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term. 

Orientation and Training: 

Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities. 

Week-long, in-person training on NPS volunteer program management and leadership skills. 

Year-long continuum of learning supporting professional development 

$1,200 in Professional Development Funds   

Additional Information: 

Travel to nearby parks for training or collaboration with their volunteer programs may be required. A drivers license is required for travel to other parks, to outreach events in the local area, and to meet with local volunteer organizations. Work schedule will frequently include Saturdays.  

Benefits:  

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395 

Living Allowance of $600 per week. 

Additional Benefit of $150 per week, if housing is not provided. 

Healthcare Coverage  

Childcare Coverage  

Loan forbearance  

Interest Payments  

$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. 

Evaluation and Reporting: 

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service. 

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking. 

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 Tuesday, January 21, and run for 48 weeks until Friday, December 19, 2025.  

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-winter-2025 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 8, 2024. 

For Application Questions: 

Please contact James Gasaway, Program Director at jgasaway@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. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps 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.