NLC Representative Job Description & Key Responsibilities
The National Leadership Council (NLC) Representative serves as a vital link between their state council and Trout Unlimited (TU)’s national organization. This role focuses on fostering connections, sharing knowledge and ensuring that grassroots voices influence TU’s national initiatives. An NLC Representative’s key responsibilities include:
- Advocating for Local Voices at the National Level
- Represent your state council’s interests and concerns within TU’s National Leadership Council, ensuring that local priorities and perspectives are considered in national conversations.
- Understand and explain how TU’s National Conservation Agenda works, including how local issues can be elevated to national priorities.
- Serving on National Workgroups
- Participate in at least two workgroups that transcend geographical boundaries, addressing TU’s most pressing conservation challenges and organizational goals. These workgroups are collaborative spaces for volunteers across the country to engage in issues of national significance, such as climate change, diversity, native trout restoration, and more.
- Bridging Organizational Complexity
- Act as a resource for state council and chapter leaders, helping them navigate TU’s complex structure, funding models, and decision-making processes.
- Meet with key leaders in your state to explain TU’s operations, from how the organization is funded to the roles and responsibilities of various leadership bodies.
- Cultivating Leadership and Building Teams
- Identify and mentor emerging leaders within your state who may serve on national workgroups or assume leadership roles within TU.
- Support a culture of inclusivity by encouraging participation from individuals who may not come through traditional TU pathways, helping TU grow as a more diverse and welcoming organization.
- Play a significant role in shaping TU’s leadership by nominating grassroots trustees and voting for the NLC Chair and Secretary, who also serve on TU’s Board of Trustees, which has ultimate oversight of the organization.
Qualifications
- Must be a member of TU.
- A proven track record of leadership—whether within TU, other organizations, or professional settings—demonstrating initiative, responsibility and the ability to inspire and collaborate with others.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively share information, engage with diverse audiences, and foster understanding of TU’s mission and operations.
- A willingness to show up and work hard, actively participating in meetings, workgroups and other responsibilities as part of the NLC role. Note: NLC Reps are required to attend regular, digital business meetings and one in-person meeting annually (or semi-annually,) and a stipend is provided to support the cost of the travel to that required in-person meeting.
- A deep dedication to the principles of “One TU”, embodying collaboration across all levels of the organization—local, state, and national—to achieve shared conservation goals.
We welcome NLC Reps from all backgrounds, whether you’ve served as a chapter or council leader or are new to TU leadership. The most important qualities are curiosity, a willingness to learn, and a desire to contribute to TU’s mission of caring for and recovering our coldwater fisheries. This is not just a volunteer position; it’s an opportunity to be part of something bigger, to engage in meaningful work that shapes the future of TU and its impact across the nation.