Habitat and Stewardship Program Manager

Title:                Habitat and Stewardship Program Manager

FLSA Status:   Salaried Exempt

Reports to:      Executive Director

Pay Rate:         $55,000 – $65,000 (dependent on yrs of experience, land management / GIS skills, education type)

This position is available for immediate hire. 

Essential Function: The Habitat and Stewardship Program Manager (HSPM) is a mid-level position primarily responsible for habitat management.  The goal is to utilize management of the Preserve with K-Gray learners and partners to build a stewardship ethic that results in restored, enhanced, and conserved lands that benefit the public and wildlife in the coastal zone. This would include restoration and monitoring; maintaining and installing boundary signage and fencing, education and access amenities; recruiting and managing volunteers (Sea Citizen leaders and groups); planning and evaluating stewardship based learning programs for youth or adults; working with a Technical Advisory Council and executive staff to plan and implement goals; and managing workforce crews or seasonal technicians for the purposes of enhancing Artist Boat’s growing Coastal Heritage Preserve (1,039 acres with a potential growth to 1,400 acres) for flora and fauna and people. The HSPM will be responsible for fostering partnerships with a variety of entities to develop and implement habitat management, monitoring tactics, and education/public access plans at the Coastal Heritage Preserve. The HSPM will engage in restoring habitats through chemical and mechanical applications to remove invasive species, planting and maintaining a prairie plant greenhouse and nursery, maintaining records of actions and monitoring via GIS maps, maintaining records of events, meetings, volunteer time, and demographics, and assist with grant applications and reporting.

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and personality traits:

• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in habitat stewardship and management
• Fluent skills in invasive species removal, tractor mowing to mimic fire, chemical herbicide application, chainsaw tree removal, fence line management, and safety/OSHA Protocols associated with these tasks.
• A highly motivated and organized leader that fosters collaboration and partnership, communicates promptly and provides accountability while seeking a high level of performance in the field of conservation.
• Able to utilize and adopt technology readily for communication of spatial knowledge.
• Competent at application of science for monitoring and restoration of coastal prairies and wetlands
• Competent with grant management, grant writing, and grant reporting
• Must enjoy working with volunteers and partners in the field and in the office.
• Experience managing habitat technicians.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Visioning, Planning, and Development

• Identify monthly, quarterly, and annual program goals with the Executive Team and strategies to achieve them.
• Develop and track clear plans, budgets, timelines, and task lists aligned with grant deliverables to achieve annual management goals for the Coastal Heritage Preserve and programs.
• Communicate through a variety of tools to recruit volunteers, foster partnerships, and tell success stories.
• Evaluate effectiveness of programs and grants to adaptively manage the Coastal Heritage Preserve and ensure goals are met.

Program and Plan Implementation

• Work with Technical Advisory Committee, Grant Officers, Artist Boat program managers and crew members, and Sea Citizen Volunteer Leaders to manage and restore the Coastal Heritage Preserve, deliver off-site restoration programs, and develop further engagement in service learning.

Budgeting, Fundraising, and Grant Management

• Assist with development of application for grants with state, federal, and local agencies or foundations to directly support the habitat management and restoration of the Coastal Heritage Preserve and Habitat Restoration Programs.
• Assist with managing program budgets and resource allocation.
• Assure grant reports and monitoring reports are written and delivered on time.
• Ensure deliverables and grant goals are met on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis
• Assist with land acquisition tasks as needed and as opportunities occur.

Communications

• Utilize website and other marketing tools to recruit volunteers, inform the public, and create a high profile for the Coastal Heritage Preserve.
• Supply current and quality content for the creation of newsletters, press release, and social media.
• Assure timely, accurate, and direct communications with grant officers, Sea Citizens, Habitat Management Committee, the Executive Director and partners.

Supervisory

• Assures monitoring and reporting for USACE mitigation properties of Artist Boat.
• Establish mechanisms for volunteer leadership roles to foster stewardship of coastal ecosystems.
• Foster, maintain, and grow relationships with partners of Artist Boat, including other non-profit organizations, schools and school districts, funding agencies, local businesses, consultants, legislators, city and county governments, property owner associations, parks departments and boards, federal agencies, property owner associations, and others.
• Directly supervise the design, implementation, delivery, and statistical record keeping of Habitat Restoration and Stewardship programming and the Eco Art Educators, Habitat Specialists and Seasonal Technicians working on those programs.
• Model high professional standards of program delivery for Eco-Art Educators, Habitat Specialists and Seasonal Technicians working on Habitat Restoration and Stewardship.  Delegate clearly and concisely so they are accountable and responsible for delegated tasks and can achieve success.
• Responsible for all components of safety as it relates to OSHA standards and act as Safety Officer.

Other

• Willing and able to drive own vehicle to destinations through out the Galveston Bay region if needed.
• Able to drive a standard truck and tow habitat trailers.
• Comfort in the field alone leading groups of 10 -15 participants.
• Able to utilize personal cell phone to communicate with co-workers, partners, volunteers, teachers, and some participants while in the field.
• Able to work in the field during all seasons and lift 60lbs.

Requirements

• Minimum Bachelor of Science
• 3 years of experience in land or range management, managing volunteer programs, and supervising small to medium-sized teams, coordinating land management projects with various stakeholders, and leading environmental education programs.
• Advanced skills in GIS, Microsoft Office Suite, and database management.
• Exceptional writing and interpersonal skills.
• Grant writing and grant management

Please submit complete application package via email package to executive.assistant@artistboat.org. The package should include cover letter, resume, college transcripts if degreed, and three contacts or letters for professional references/recommendations. Complete application packages will be reviewed in full and interviews based on meeting the qualifications described below. Packages may also be mailed to Artist Boat at 13330 Settegast Road, Galveston, TX 77554.

Artist Boat is an Equal Opportunity Employer