NW Cascades Project Manager

Trout Unlimited (TU) is a national organization with 350,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts, and scientists, who work out of more than 25 offices across the country.  Our mission is to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams, so our children can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon.

position Summary

TU’s NW Cascades Program aims to improve native fish habitat within Washington’s Cascade Mountains on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBSNF). In 2023, the MBSNF kicked off a new landscape-scale restoration effort in the foothills of Mt. Rainier – the Snoquera Landscape Initiative. This first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary US Forest Service restoration program seeks to restore 191,000 acres of forest land at the watershed scale with a strong focus on salmon and steelhead recovery. TU’s role in Snoquera is focused on addressing fish passage barriers, restoring instream habitats, reconnecting floodplains, and restoring degraded riparian zones. After only 3 years of operation, our program has 15 projects underway, and our work portfolio continues to grow. Project types include a diverse mix of planning, design, and implementation with a variety of daily work tasks and annual professional growth opportunities.

This exciting new position will primarily support the NW Cascades Program (70% time) but will also be asked to assist other Western WA TU Programs, particularly the Chehalis Restoration Program, as needed (approx. 30% time). Chehalis Program support duties and project types will be similar where there are currently 9 restoration projects underway.

The position location is flexible within Central or South Puget Sound (i.e., between Seattle and Olympia, WA). Regular regional travel is required, and company vehicles are not provided. Travel reimbursement (mileage, lodging, & per diem) is provided for all qualifying work-related travel. The position is currently 100% remote (work-from-home or in the field).

TU has secured two years of funding for this position. The successful applicant will work with their TU supervisor, other TU staff, and program partners to secure additional funding for project activities and to cover core operational costs to sustain the program through future years.

Duties and Responsibilities

With support from their TU Supervisor, the successful candidate will:

• Manage on-the-ground watershed restoration/reconnection projects, including project planning, permitting, implementation oversight, and monitoring.
• Perform project-specific administrative duties, including drafting RFPs/RFQs/bid documents, contracting, grant reporting, invoicing, and budget management.
• Manage and collaborate with hired consultants/construction contractors on technical design and implementation of projects.
• Collaborate with U.S. Forest Service staff, city/agency officials, private landowners, and other key program partners to provide project status updates, navigate inter-departmental logistics, and ensure cohesion between co-occurring projects on the landscape.
• Attend Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 9 (Duwamish/Green) and 10 (Puyallup/White) salmon recovery Lead Entity meetings to coordinate with implementation partners and agency staff. Attend Chehalis Basin Strategy and Lead Entity (WRIAs 22 & 23) meetings as requested.
• Execute project and program outreach work with TU Communications staff, including creating content for TU’s social media platforms; drafting blog posts, magazine articles, press releases, and webpages; and attending congressional, press, film, or other media-focused field tours.
• Work with local/regional partners and TU staff to fundraise for both program and project support, including identifying potential funding sources, drafting grant proposals, and developing relationships with funders.
• Participate in WA TU Council meetings and periodically participate in regional WA TU Chapter meetings or events with grassroots volunteers.
• Coordinate with TU staff and TU members to support science-based advocacy for salmon and steelhead conservation, as needed.

Job Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in biology, natural resources, or related field, plus at least 3 years of relevant professional experience in fisheries, natural resource management, or ecological habitat restoration.
• Strong understanding of natural resource management issues related to conservation of salmon and steelhead in Washington State.
• Experience with river restoration principles, methods, and practices, including a solid understanding of engineered design and construction concepts is required.
• Experience with project permitting related to aquatic restoration projects and in-water work windows (i.e., federal and state permits) desired.
• Budget management experience preferred.
• Demonstrable success working with diverse suite of landowners, agencies, and project stakeholders required; Success building new project partnerships desired.
• Experience working with non-profit organizations is preferred.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills are required. Grant writing experience desired.
• Ability to problem-solve and think creatively. Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Self-motivated; Willing to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrable ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly across the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the Chehalis River basin, Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia Metro Areas, and occasionally farther across Washington for field visits, project implementation oversight, staff meetings, conferences, etc.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable personal vehicle are required.
• Extensive experience with MS Office Suite required; additional software experience (e.g., ArcGIS, R, Canva, mobile data collection apps, etc.) preferred.

Salary and Benefits

Staff and leadership at TU understand that life outside of work is important to personal health, and we strive to create a healthy and family-friendly atmosphere. This is a full-time, year-round position with a generous benefits package. The salary range is $30.29 – $32.21 per hour, plus benefits. Title and compensation decisions are dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, an individual’s qualifications and experience level, internal equity, and alignment with market data.