Regional Stewardship Manager – Mount Desert Island

• Are you interested in a career with an organization whose focus is on protecting and caring for vital lands on the coast and contributing to community well-being in Maine?
• Do you like to get dirty working outside in all weather conditions, but can also appreciate a day in the office collaborating with your team?
• Are you looking for an opportunity to build relationships with the community you work in?
• Do you dive into your work with a sense of enthusiasm, curiosity, and determination?

If you answered yes to these questions, maybe you’d love to work in our Mount Desert Island, ME office as the MDI Regional Stewardship Manager at Maine Coast Heritage Trust!  We would love to hear from you.

About Us:

At Maine Coast Heritage Trust, our mission is clear and profound: We advance the conservation of lands and waters in Maine to ensure ecological wellbeing and foster thriving communities.

We recognize that caring for land and water is a lasting responsibility and a privilege, critical to the health of our communities, our state, and the wider world.  ​

As a team, we embrace diversity and believe that, like in nature, our varied identities and experiences build resilience. Our culture is built on empathy, commitment, and collaboration, where every team member is valued and encouraged to bring their unique perspectives.

The Opportunity:

Maine Coast Heritage Trust is seeking a versatile individual who possesses the skills to create the vision and land management plans for our Mount Desert Island preserves and who can establish collaborative relationships with neighbors, community members, state and local officials, funders, partners, the media, and landowners, as well as other land trusts across the state.

Essential Job Functions:

• Develops the vision and strategy for the management of new properties in assigned region. Leads post-acquisition efforts to determine future uses, infrastructure needs, carrying capacity, and appropriate visitation for new preserves. Initiates and leads community and stakeholder engagement related to land use and management planning. Has authority to work independently with landowners, community officials and members, and other stakeholders. Develops and cultivates partnerships on behalf of MCHT.
• Manages and oversees all aspects of land management in the assigned region, for up to 35 separate preserves. Monitors public use of preserves. Develops and implements strategies to resolve land use issues, including conflicts between different users, overuse of fragile areas, illegal activities and encroachment on the properties such as timber trespass, theft, structures, etc. Ensures the maintenance of stewardship-related equipment, vehicles and boats, and work and storage areas.
• Hires and supervises seasonal staff and work crews, developing job descriptions, and organizing and assigning tasks. Creates volunteer opportunities and recruits, cultivates, and trains volunteers.
• Leads community and school programs and/or events in selected areas in order to build public understanding of and support for MCHT’s preserves, including walks, talks, boat trips, workshops, and other programs developed in collaboration with the Community Outreach Manager. Leads trainings and workshops and prepares materials for MCHT’s statewide Land Trust Program.
• Represents MCHT in complex negotiations with communities and landowners related to property issues, equity, and sensitive environmental issues, and with the media. Develops and maintains relationships with State and Federal partners, neighbors, town officials, other organizations, and a wide variety of community members. Serves as a resource to landowners, local governments, local land trusts, and other staff. Convenes meetings and other interactions as needed to accomplish goals.
• Initiates grant proposals and manages research, restoration, and community projects that receive funding. Actively participates in fundraising activities to generate support for stewardship efforts.
• Creates, manages, and is accountable for the annual budget for the assigned region. Plans and implements annual work plans, maintaining compliance with annual budget. Negotiates and manages contracts with construction, scientific, and maintenance vendors for various projects. Oversees and facilitates work performed and ensures quality outcomes within budget.
• Develops and maintains complete records for each preserve, including information on ownership, communications, monitoring, and work performed. Develops, implements, and monitors data collection plots for scientific and carrying capacity studies at selected sites. Populates the Stewardship database and maintains paper and digital property files in a prompt and ongoing way, collecting and utilizing GIS data.
• Manages conservation easement stewardship following LTA and Terrafirma standards, maintaining excellent relationships with hundreds of private landowners, and taking legal action where necessary, working with our legal team.
• Performs other unique functions as assigned, such as pesticide application (which includes maintaining a commercial pesticide applicator’s license) or acting as boat captain (which includes safely transporting visitors, staff, contractors, volunteers, and materials, and facilitating and overseeing boat maintenance). Performs special projects and other related duties as required, directed, or as the situation dictates.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Hires, trains, and supervises volunteers, interns, and/or seasonal staff within the assigned region.

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree in a natural resources-related field with five to seven years of direct work experience, preferably natural resource-related (conservation planning, land trust/land protection work, natural resource management). In lieu of education, 7 to 10 years of previous experience in land conservation or other relevant experience.

Qualifications:

Excellent field skills, including expertise with map, compass, and GPS systems, handling and maintaining tools and equipment, reading terrain, and identifying/understanding natural resource sensitivities/constraints.

• Familiarity with the region and its communities, both on land and water.
• Working knowledge of Maine geography, culture, flora and fauna.
• Basic carpentry skills and familiarity with land management tools.
• Requires boat handling skills with small and medium sized boats, including navigation and basic boat mechanics. If necessary, training will be provided.
• May require forestry or arborist training, pesticide application and invasives management experience.
• Strong organization, problem-solving, and multi-tasking skills with attention to detail and deadlines.
• Good physical fitness required to perform duties.
• Must possess excellent judgment and the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, preferably including public speaking skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to effectively operate computers and assigned software, including MCHT’s Stewardship and Lands Database, Microsoft Office, Excel and other applications.
• Flexibility and willingness to work some nights, weekends, long days.
• Willingness to operate alone in remote places, use power equipment, work on islands and from boats.

How and Where You Will Work:

Field work is performed outdoors in all weather conditions and requires climbing, walking, bending, crouching, lifting heavy objects (over 50 lbs.), reaching, and other physical capabilities.  Operates GPS, compass, camera, boats/marine vessels, trucks, tractor, trailer, lawnmower, chainsaw, table saw, and related power tools, hand tools, and equipment, often in remote locations that can require long hikes carrying equipment.  Regular travel is required. Weekend and night work is common.

This position is based out of our Mount Desert Island office. Office work is performed in a normal office environment not subject to extremes of noise, temperature, odor, etc.  Operates computer, printer, and other office equipment.

This is a permanent, full-time position with a generous benefits package including insurance, vacation and sick time, 14 paid holidays and a retirement plan. The annual starting salary range for this role is $68,800 to $76,500 and will depend upon experience.

To Apply: Please send your resume and a cover letter outlining your experience and passion for our mission to search@mcht.org  by November 12, 2024.  Please use “MDI Stewardship Manager” in the subject line.

Maine Coast Heritage Trust is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to creating an inclusive culture where employees from diverse backgrounds can thrive and support our mission. We recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate, and administer all personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sex stereotyping, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, ancestry, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to do this job.  The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

*External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans With Disabilities Act, must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case by case basis.