Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF or Federation) is America’s largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than six million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes. The Federation’s mission is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change.

We believe that in order to save wildlife and ourselves, we need to ensure that everyone in America has clean air and water, safe communities, easy and equitable access to the daily benefits of nature, and protection from the effects of climate change. These basic needs, equally necessary and urgent for all people, are foundational to bringing the conservation movement and ethos into the 21st century.  To meet our needs we are seeking a full-time Public Lands Counsel. 

The successful candidate will be the organization’s lead counsel on public lands issues, including reviewing federal administrative actions and proposed policy and helping to shape and inform the public lands agenda for the National Wildlife Federation.  You will be an integral member of our cross-organizational public lands team and will work with our affiliates and other departments across the organization.  Your areas of focus will include, but not be limited to: conserving and enhancing wildlife corridors; energy development on federal lands; conserving important landscapes critical for wildlife; and expanding protected lands through administrative and legislative action. You will also serve on NWF’s litigation team that assesses when and how the organization should take legal action.  The position reports to the Associate Vice President for Public Lands.  

In this role you will:

• Serve as NWF’s advisor on the actions of the Department of Interior and the Forest Service and other federal or state agencies that affect public lands. Review administrative actions as well as proposed laws to assess their potential effects on public lands, waters, and wildlife and advise the public lands team on how best to respond. Prepare technical comments on agency actions, and occasionally prepare written testimony or letters for hearings on Capitol Hill. From sage grouse conservation plan amendments, to oil and gas lease sales, to environmental impact statements, to land management plans, this is the person anyone on the public lands team or from our affiliates will turn to in order to ask, “what does this really mean?” or “does this adhere to NEPA [or fill in the blank on the law]?”
• Coordinate strategy with and provide NWF leadership among colleague organizations and coalitions in conservation communities.
• Serve as the client contact for public lands litigation that NWF becomes party to.
• Represent NWF before administrative agencies, tribunals, and federal courts as circumstances warrant.
• Review NWF materials and communications for accuracy. Write blog posts as needed.