Title: Watershed Programs Manager Date: 10/11/2024
Reports to: Four Corners Program Director
Starting Salary: $26.58 - $27.38 per hour, depending on experience, education, and skills relevant to the position. Please note that the indicated starting salary range describes the range for an incumbent in this position. Most new staff generally start at the beginning of the range percentile to ensure internal salary equity.
Location: SCC Four Corners – Durango, CO
Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Benefit Eligible: Health, Vision, Dental, Long-Term Disability, Retirement, Paid Time Off, per Personnel Policies
Program Summary:
The Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) is a program of the non-profit service organization, Conservation Legacy, that is built on the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that operated from 1933 – 1942. SCC provides youth and young adults opportunities to complete conservation projects on public lands. While serving with SCC, members receive training on job skills, conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork, and environmental stewardship. Programs are developed using a step ladder approach to provide a progression of skill development based on a member’s needs. Members receive a weekly living allowance, training, and an AmeriCorps Education Award (for qualifying individuals).
Position Summary:
The Watershed Programs Manager (WPM) position collaborates with various non-profits to support local watershed restoration initiatives. The WPM also manages small teams that work on river restoration, invasive species removal projects and vegetation monitoring throughout Western Colorado and the surrounding states.
The WPM is responsible for the coordination and management of the Dolores River Restoration Partnership (DRRP) activities, Watershed small teams, and other crew operations run out of SCC’s Four Corner’s Office that support watershed restoration. The WPM’s primary DRRP responsibilities involve implementation planning including strike team, corps crew, and volunteer projects; fundraising, budget management, and grant reporting; rapid monitoring program management; and partnership outreach. The WPM also oversees operational support of crews that work with the DRRP and other watershed restoration groups, participates in crew leader and member orientations and trainings, fundraises for watershed restoration work that supports SCC programming, manages the SCC herbicide program, provides GIS support within SCC, and ensures Watershed crews are both supported and prepared to maintain safety, program integrity, and quality projects in the field by providing pre-field and in-field guidance.
Essential Responsibilities and Functions:
Program Staff Supervision and Functions
Supervise and support the recruitment and outreach of positions, interview process, hiring and evaluation of all crew leaders, CLDPs and other field staff. Help to manage all hiring paperwork, including AmeriCorps and Non-AmeriCorps enrollment, database management, and selection paperwork
Outreach, Interview and select Program Coordinators and Field Supervisors with selection committees
Supervise and mentor all Watershed programs staff, as needed, including Program Coordinator, Field Supervisors, Crew Leaders, CLDPs, CMs as directed by the PD
Program Administration
Implement and evaluate effective recruitment strategy for small team crew leaders and crew members
Implement risk management procedures and trainings in the field and ensure they continue throughout the field season
Manage program/project schedule once initial scheduling has been established by FC Director to ensure that all partner specific needs are being met.
Collect, manage, and disperse program paperwork. Verify accuracy of all paperwork (timesheets, project accomplishment summaries, etc.).
Communicate with Partners to develop project specifications and prepare all necessary documentation in the database prior to and at the conclusion of project work.
Implement, monitor, and enforce all Conservation Legacy/SCC Policies and Procedures
Participate in Risk Management team meetings and other management team meetings as needed, track incidents and generate reports
Review incidents, workers comp claims and process accordingly as per Conservation Legacy protocols
Implementation planning for Dolores work including funding management, coordination with partners, and scheduling
Assist with DRRP outreach/communication initiatives (workshops, annual report, etc.) and partnership meetings
Field Support
Conduct project site visits and finalize Project Specs; provide technical assistance to key partners as needed to ensure project specs are complete and appropriate for crews.
Facilitate and develop trainings for small teams and other SCC Programs in GIS Work, and Herbicide work
Provide technical (related to invasive species management and restoration work) and programmatic assistance to crews in the field as needed.
Train monitoring crew on plant ID and Rapid Assessment data collection protocols
Assist with regular check-ins, supervision, and feedback of Watershed crews. Gather accomplishments data from the field for reporting.
Participate in rotating On-Call system and respond to field emergencies as needed
Facilitate technical, policy-based, outdoor living, and soft skills trainings at Crew Leader training.
Mentor field staff and provide technical expertise, guidance, emotional and programmatic support and identify positive working solutions to crew management issues for crew leaders.
Coordinate fieldwork and projects for the Dolores River Restoration Partnership. Perform site visits and assist DRRP partners with project objectives, work plans, and logistics for field crews
Ensure collection of spatial data for all DRRP activities by providing set-up, training, support, and post-processing of field data collected through GIS and rapid monitoring data reports
Program Development
Work with the Dolores, Escalante, and Verde Watershed partnerships to develop a multi-watershed monitoring coordination and action plan within each partnership
Attend other watershed partnership meetings and provide technical support to them as needed
Research and seek opportunities to develop relationships and partnerships with other watershed restoration groups and initiatives
Collaborate with RiversEdge West and DRRP to develop and support volunteer events with schools and local community members
Budget Management and Funding Development
Supervise and mentor assigned field staff on appropriate budgeting and expenditures
Responsible for DRRP grant management and reporting. Manage spending for specific watershed partnership grants. Keep track of and report out on project accomplishments
With assistance from the FC Senior Program Director, SCC Executive Director and CL Grants Team lead the development of an annual grant strategy to continue to support DRRP and other partnership work (Escalante, Verde, Animas and others as possible).
Take the lead on presenting to various existing and potential funders and partners in support of existing and potential requests for funding.
Help manage agreements and approve program invoicing
Manage the administration of the overall annual DRRP budget
Continuously collaborate with and steward DRRP and other watershed restoration project partners to identify projects, develop agreements, and create project plans
Work with Conservation Legacy staff to ensure program is compliant with funder and administrative requirements
Organizational Advocacy
Successfully engages, leads and supports an inclusive work environment for those of underrepresented populations within the organization and the communities we serve
Leads and/or participates in organizational-wide teams, projects and initiatives that support the work of the Strategic Plans goals
Reports any potential harassment or grievances within the organization as identified in the Personnel Policy Manual
Assists or leads other responsibilities, as assigned.
Other “Hats” You May Wear: Customer Service, Relationship Development, Marketing, Administrative, Supervision or Mentorship to Others, Facilitator, Trainer, Facilities, Human Resources, Supervisor