Job Listing
🔗Director of Special Initiatives
Website Partners for Sacred Places
Partners for Sacred Places (Partners) is the only national, non-sectarian, non-profit organization in the United States devoted to helping congregations and their communities sustain and actively use older and historic sacred places. Partners’ approach is consistently entrepreneurial and interdisciplinary, embracing a range of expertise and knowledge from historic preservation, community development, philanthropy, and faith. Founded in 1989, Partners is headquartered in Philadelphia with additional senior and project staff across the nation.
POSITION: DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL INITIATIVES
DESCRIPTION & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director of Special Initiatives (DSI) is a senior member of Partners’ team who provides direction and leadership for a unique portfolio of programs and projects that deploy Partners’ tools and services in new ways and emerging contexts. The DSI works closely with Partners’ executive and senior organizational leadership to work with ongoing projects and explore new opportunities for grant-funded and fee-for-service projects that enlarge Partners’ reach, deepen existing relationships and collaborations with core audiences, and advance Partners’ approach to the stewardship, community value, and future of historic religious properties.
RESPONSIBILITES
The DSI reports to the Senior Director of Programs. On an ongoing basis the DSI will collaborate with staff to develop new ideas and manage and lead complex projects and staff teams nationally in efforts that represent growing edges of Partners’ market. These projects may include training, grant-making, and hands-on work with congregations and judicatories, individually or in cohorts. These projects may include both grant-funded programs and fee-for-service clients. Examples of current programs include:
· Central Appalachia Program: funded by a grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Partners’ staff work with cohorts of congregations whose properties represent examples of significant architecture or history in the region. The program includes training in assessing property issues and community engagement, re-grants for capital projects, and funding for folk art.
· Playing and Preserving: a Philadelphia area program focused on significant pipe organs. The program involves surveying instruments in the city and their condition, re-grants for repair and preservation of the instruments, concerts featuring the organists and other musicians, and community engagement among neighbors to increase awareness of neighbors about local sacred places and their congregations.
· New Dollars/New Partners: a core training program of Partners that builds the capacity of groups of congregations around communication, community engagement, fundraising, and property use.
Partners for Sacred Places provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
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NCPE Internships: Eligibility & How to Apply
Benefits
All NCPE interns received an hourly stipend, the rate is listed at each position description. Additionally, interns receive paid time off (PTO), paid Federal holidays if working full-time, and access to NCPE's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for career and personal counseling, coaching, and referrals. Project sites may also offer a housing allowance and/or commuting stipend; this information is also listed in the description or offered during the interview.
As an organization operating under Public Land Corps Act (PLC) authority, many NCPE positions qualify the intern for Federal Hiring Preference if (1) they complete a minimum of 640 hours at one or more qualifying conservation project(s); (2) are between the ages of 16 and 30 years (35 if a veteran); and (3) apply for a Federal position at USAJOBS with PLC noted in the announcement within two years of completing the internship. Find out more about this hiring preference during the interview or contact manager@preservenet.org for details.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must be currently enrolled in a degree-seeking academic program or recently graduated (within the past 12 months) and be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. Interns are not eligible to work more than 1200 hours total in the program; previous interns must stay within this overall limit. The length of an internship can vary from 10 to 30 weeks if full time (40 hours per week) or longer if on a part-time schedule. If selected, the exact starting date will be determined by you and the NPS supervisor. The stipend rate is $17.00 per hour unless otherwise listed.
The successful candidate is responsible for finding and paying for travel to and housing at the internship location; some exceptions apply. The supervising office may be able to assist in locating housing but it is ultimately up to the individual accepting the internship to find accommodation.
The National Council requires all interns working in-person at Federal facilities and/or with Federal employees receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Please be advised that you may also be required to wear a mask, depending on the protocols adopted by your work site. Also be aware that, due to Government-wide security requirements, a background check will be required if you are selected for a position. This will include providing information about recent housing and employment history. The position supervisor will have more information about these requirements and procedures at the time of hiring. You may direct any questions to NCPE's Internship Program Director, Julee Johnson, at manager@preservenet.org.
Please note that interns are not NCPE or NPS employees. Stipends are academic awards and taxes are not withheld, nor are social security contributions made on your behalf. These funds may be taxable, however, so consult a tax preparation professional if you have questions.
How to Apply
You may review NCPE's internship opportunities during the Summer and Winter application rounds without registering. Use the search function to find listings by location, keyword, or area of interest/category. Once you identify one or more positions of interest, there is a 3-step application process.
Step 1: Click on the Apply for Job button, then select Universal Application. Click on Register to create a User Account, which requires a username and email. A link will be sent to you from manager@preservenet.org to create a password. We suggest that you add this email to your safe senders list so you don't miss receiving this important link. You will be instructed to Log In to Preservenet using your user name or email and password, which will take you back to the Universal Application.
Step 2: The Universal Application is required to apply for all NCPE internships. You fill out this form only once. In addition to contact information, educational status, work history, and experience, it requires two attachments: (1) the 2 most recent years of academic transcripts. These may be unofficial transcripts if official versions are unavailable. PDF only, labeled Your Last Name_Your First Name_Transcript. (2) a resume or CV (curriculum vitae). Please limit to a maximum of 4 pages; 2 pages preferred. May be .doc, .docx or PDF. Label Your Last Name_Your First Name_Resume. This form may be saved as a draft and completed later. Use the link provided to return to the form.
Step 3: Once you submit the Universal Application, you may browse and apply for NCPE internships using the link provided. Complete the application process by clicking on the Apply for job button found at each internship listing and upload the required Essay. Use the essay to explain why you are applying for an internship, including how your interest areas will benefit the National Park Service (NPS) and how the internship will further your studies and career goals. Be as specific as possible; there is a 400-word maximum length. Submit the essay to finish the application for that position. You may apply for a maximum of 6 internships during this application round. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
Once the deadline for submission has passed, NPS supervisors will review the applications and may contact candidates for a phone interview. Candidates who are not selected will be notified. Please allow about 4 weeks after the deadline before inquiring about the status of your application.
Quick Tips on How to Apply
#1 If you feel you need to bolster your resume or expand your knowledge base in a certain area, consider offering research assistance to an authority at your university and/or design a 1-credit reading course with an eminent scholar or practitioner.
#2 "Experience" is more than paid work. It is any activity that gives you the knowledge and ability to do something well. So include in the Universal Application all relevant research projects, academic extracurricular activities, and volunteer interests to show your initiative, leadership, and competency.
#3 Proofread everything. The qualification most sought after for any job or internship is strong communication skills so start off on the right foot with no spelling or grammatical errors in your application.
Logging in with a Registered User Account and completing the Universal Application is required to apply for NCPE Internships. Please visit the Universal Application page to register for an account and complete the form. After logging in and completing the form, refreshing this listing will display the Job Application to apply online.