Program Director, Southern Appalachians

 Trout Unlimited is a national organization with 300,000 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 is hiring a motivated and highly capable person to grow and manage our river restoration program in the Southern Appalachian states of NC, TN, SC, and GA.  This position will focus largely on restoration projects that improve coldwater resources and improve flood resilience on National Forests in the Southern Appalachians affected by Hurricane Helene. This position will work closely with our Forest Service partners on a suite of projects that will target fish passage improvements, floodplain and riparian restoration, and improvements to in-stream habitat. 

A successful candidate will conduct work professionally and effectively, be flexible and innovative with program activities, serve as a public representative for TU, and maintain excellent working relationships with staff and project partners. The location for this position is flexible but must be able to reasonably access TU’s Southern Appalachian Priority Waters, with preference given for communities in close proximity to project sites. The Southern Appalachians Program Director will report directly to the Mid-Atlantic and Southern Appalachians Regional Director. The Program Director will be required to travel frequently to project sites and to partner meetings throughout the region.  

Duties and Responsibilities

• Build and maintain a strong, integrated program team of 3-5 professionals who will execute strategies to achieve identified goals. Lead and manage the team, including aligning work plans and performance expectations, holding staff accountable, facilitating staff professional development opportunities, and creating an inclusive, supportive work environment. Candidate will work with Regional Director and existing program staff to recruit, hire and onboard additional staff positions for the program.
• Work with the USFS to conceptualize, develop, and implement habitat restoration and reconnection projects in designated Priority Waters affected by Hurricane Helene
• Work in coordination with the Regional Director and functional area staff (e.g., science, finance, human resources, and communications), to develop complementary goals, establish coordinated workplans, provide input on performance feedback and task prioritization and implementation.
• In coordination with the Regional Director, VP of Eastern jobshiringnearme.org and Development staff, identify and secure project funding from government, corporate and philanthropic sources, which entails writing grant proposals and communicating directly with funders.
• Establish and maintain productive and strategic relationships with decision makers and partners, such as key elected officials, policymakers, members of the media, resource managers, property owners, donors and conservation and sportfishing organizations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with TU’s members and grassroots leaders. Work collaboratively and coordinate with TU’s volunteer engagement staff on strategies and sharing of best practices.
• Manage  restoration and reconnection projects from start to finish, including project planning, permitting, design, implementation, and monitoring.
• Retain contractors through competitive bid processes, develop contractor scopes of work, and supervise contractors (engineers, construction contractor, etc.).
• Prepare grant and permit reports summarizing activities, deliverables, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Develop and maintain accurate budgets and manage projects within budgets.
• Cultivate successful partnerships to implement restoration projects.

Background check will be required prior to employment. This is not an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities.  

Requirements

• The ideal candidate will have 7+ years’ experience leading an interdisciplinary team within the field of conservation or non-profit, or similar experience in public or private sector.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in a field related to conservation a plus
• Demonstrated success in building, leading, and managing interdisciplinary teams, particularly in a remote work environment.
• Proven ability to fundraise and manage budgets.
• Experience managing contracts and funding agreements.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences.
• Ability to work with multiple and diverse partners in a highly collaborative and inclusive manner, even on contentious issues.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently.
• Understanding of coldwater fisheries conservation, including the concepts and practices of stream restoration and watershed function and understanding of natural resource policy and management issues related to trout conservation.
• Understanding of the political context in which TU’s conservation work is executed to enable the informed selection of goals, strategies, and tactics.
• Passion for the outdoors and Trout Unlimited’s mission.

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 position with a generous benefits package. 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.

At TU, we value a diverse representation of staff, and we actively seek candidates for this position who come from communities that have been historically under-represented in conservation and those who have been most impacted by degraded rivers and streams. We are committed to inclusion of all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome you to read more about TU’s equity practice and values https://www.tu.org/equity/.