Organization Description:

Founded in 1993, Potomac Conservancy believes the foundation of healthy, sustainable, and vibrant communities starts with clean water. As the region’s leading clean water advocate, we ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and connected communities. You will be joining a small but growing team who works every day to fight for clean water through building a local, inclusive movement of impassioned safe water advocates.

 

The Safe Water Conservation Collaborative (SWCC) is a partnership of land trusts, watershed groups, regional nonprofits, and state and federal agency partners working to accelerate land conservation and water quality protection and restoration in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Together, partners are working with interested landowners and communities to bring the resources and expertise to achieve shared goals in water quality, agricultural vitality, and wildlife habitat.  Potomac Conservancy is a SWCC member and lead coordinator and administrator for the coalition.

 

The Position. The Manager is the facilitator and organizer of the collaborative’s work, advancing the shared goals of SWCC members by building the collaborative’s capacity and coordinating implementation of conservation programs and practices. The Manager is an employee of Potomac Conservancy, will occasionally work on Potomac Conservancy-specific land conservation projects, and reports to the Director of Land Conservation. This is a new two-year position, funded by a grant award from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with an opportunity to extend beyond two years as resources are available.

 

Specific Duties: 

Build the collaborative capacity of the SWCC (35%)

Coordinate SWCC by working with partners to:

  • facilitate agreement regarding partner roles and contributions
  • establish shared processes for communications, decision-making, and conflict resolution
  • coordinate quarterly steering committee and work group meetings
  • increase the shared expertise of SWCC partners by facilitating cross-training in conservation skills including implementation of federal and state cost-share programs, land protection and stewardship of conservation easements
  • create systems of evaluation and adaptation for improving SWCC progress towards conservation goals
  • identify new opportunities for SWCC to accelerate water quality restoration and land protection in West Virginia beyond the initial two-year grant cycle

Manage landowner outreach and conservation program implementation (45%)

Facilitate outreach and recruitment strategies that encourage and empower landowners to conserve and protect more land by:

  • coordinating SWCC prioritization and strategy choices to maximize landowner participation
  • planning and implementing landowner outreach activities, such as targeted marketing, one-on- one meetings, field days and farm tours, or farmer-to-farmer outreach
  • Engaging partners as appropriate for technical needs, funding opportunities, and conservation programs
  • Compiling and sharing a toolbox of conservation programs and services available to landowners in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and the northern Shenandoah Valley
  • Supporting partners’ efforts to secure funds through grant writing, fundraising or other financing to enable landowners to implement conservation practices or conservation easements

Manage the administration of the SWCC (10%)

  • Administer the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant, including tracking and reporting on nutrient reductions, documenting matching funds, and managing partner sub-awards and contracts
  • Developing activity reports, financial reports and annual reports to describe the work accomplished, planned and initiated

Support Potomac Conservancy’s land conservation program (10%):

  • Participate in Land Conservation Committee meetings, quarterly Board meetings, and Board cultivation events relevant to the Land Conservation program as necessary
  • Contribute to whole organization Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice work
  • Assist in drafting fundraising pitches and grant reports for individual, corporate, government, and foundation funders with the support of Potomac Conservancy’s development team

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in relevant area of study or equivalent experience
  • Experience and/ or education in leading collaborative processes such as facilitating interest-based negotiation and managing productive conflict processes
  • A demonstrated interest in protecting the extraordinary landscape and natural and cultural resources of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and Northern Shenandoah Valley, with a focus on Berkeley and Jefferson counties
  • Experience working with agricultural and forest landowners in rural communities
  • Experience and/ or education with land protection, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Soil and Water Conservation District landowner cost-share programs, and/or natural resource restoration and stewardship
  • Initiative to grow the impact and durability of a place-based collaborative from its early stages
  • Ability to engage in systems thinking is a plus
  • Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Office; while not required, applicants with experience working in ESRI ArcGIS will be given special consideration
  • The position will require travel within the region, as well as some evening and weekend work with advance notice

Compensation

  • Salary range is $48,000-53,000 depending on experience;
  • Benefits include medical and dental coverage, with 80% of premiums covered by the Conservancy;
  • 18 days paid time off and 11 holidays per year;
  • Flexible work schedule;
  • 403 (b) matching and flex spending accounts;
  • Working with bright, fun coworkers; and interacting with a supportive board of directors.
  • The Conservancy follows a hybrid remote- in-person work environment, with options to work primarily remote, primarily in our Winchester office, or somewhere in between. Co-location at an SWCC member office in West Virginia may also be available. Quarterly in-person gatherings are required.

 

To Apply

Email a cover letter and resume to Avery Siler at siler@potomac.org with Safe Water Conservation Collaborative Manager in the subject line. Applications are only accepted electronically and should not include any personal photos. Priority consideration will be provided to those who apply before September 2, 2022.  Potomac Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer.

 

We recognize the environmental movement has not been an inclusive one and has a history of excluding historically discriminated communities — including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), people from working class backgrounds, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. Because of this, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other communities that have been historically excluded from the environmental movement.

For the health and safety of our employees, their families, and our community, all Potomac Conservancy staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This mandatory vaccine requirement applies to all staff working remotely, in a hybrid work arrangement, and on-site. Effective June 2, 2022, new hires will be required to provide proof of full vaccination with a government-approved vaccine as a condition for employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations or exceptions related to medical or religious reasons will be considered. Candidates are NOT required to state their COVID-19 vaccine status in their application.