Whole Watershed Restoration Program Coordinator, Community Ecosystem Services Program

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Title: Whole Watershed Restoration Program Coordinator, Community Ecosystem Services Program
Location: Portland, OR
Reports to: Director of Forests and Watersheds
Date: Posted April 26, 2010 – Closed May 7, 2010

Summary:
Ecotrust's mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic, social and environmental well-being. Among Ecotrust's many innovations are co-founding the world's first environmental bank, starting the world's first ecosystem investment fund, creating a range of programs in fisheries, forestry, and food and farms, and developing new scientific and information tools to improve social, economic and environmental decision-making. Over nearly 20 years, Ecotrust has converted $60 million in grants and investments into more than $300 million in capital for local communities.

Ecotrust has been working on whole watershed restoration efforts in the Pacific Northwest for more than a decade. In 2006, we launched the Whole Watershed Restoration Initiative (WWRI) in partnership with state and federal agencies in an effort to direct public funding for restoration to watersheds with the highest conservation value. The goal of the WWRI is to restore the natural functions of whole watersheds in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho and to amplify community-based partnerships focused on the strategic restoration of Pacific salmon and steelhead ecosystems.

Our planning and prioritization process takes a Protect the Best approach, by focusing restoration activities in a few important watersheds per basin. We identify the most needed work through watershed analyses. The goal of our restoration activities is to restore and protect the major ecological functions by removing risk factors and restoring damaged habitat-forming processes in the watershed, across all ownerships. Once work has been completed restoring the major ecological processes in the watershed, we move on to focus restoration efforts on the next priority watershed. We believe that by concentrating and coordinating restoration efforts where there is strong community support, collaboration, and high ecological value, we achieve measurable and sustainable recovery faster than when our efforts are spread randomly across the landscape.

The Whole Watershed Restoration Program Coordinator is an integral part of the Community Ecosystem Services (CES) team which takes an integrated approach to supporting conservation science, emerging ecosystem service markets, community access to (and rights in) natural resources, and transformative and entrepreneurial leadership.

Ecotrust works closely with numerous public, private, and tribal restoration focused organizations. Some of the public agencies that contribute to the WWRI fund include the USDA Forest Service PNW Region, NOAA's Community-based Restoration Center, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and the Bureau of Land Management. The Whole Watershed Program Coordinator will build and maintain strong working relations with all of these agencies and our tribal, nonprofit, and private entity partners.

The primary role of the Whole Watershed Restoration Program Coordinator is to manage all of the sub-grants and relationships with sub-grantees. The Coordinator will work closely with the WWRI funders and the Director of Forests and Watersheds to help increase the efficacy of the WWRI by expanding the partnership's re-granting fund and network of key supporters. The Coordinator will be extremely attentive to detail, possess excellent communication skills, and be capable of managing multiple projects at once.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated project and relationship management skills, accounting, fundraising, and project management skills, a strong ability to work collaboratively, and superior communications skills. Familiarity with all phases of the watershed restoration process will be a significant plus.

Duties:

• Manage and track more than 30 public and private contracts, grants, and pass-through projects
• Coordinate annual Request for Proposals for new WWRI funding cycle, including evaluation team meetings to review proposals and select projects for funding
• Maintain regular communications with sub-grantees
• Work closely with the Finance Department to maintain accurate and current accounting of restoration funds
• Review and process all invoices from and payments to sub-grantees
• Write and submit project reports, proposals, and program-related outreach material
• Coordinate activities with other Ecotrust programs
• Assist with the development of new partner relationships, especially in Washington and Idaho
• Travel within the Pacific Northwest is expected to be approximately 20% time

Qualifications:

• Travel within the Pacific Northwest is expected to be approximately 20% time
• Experience working independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated experience with and enthusiasm for collaborative work. Specifically, the ability to develop and maintain strong and constructive working relationships with other organizations (e.g., NGOs, government agencies, and other research entities)
• Experience with watershed restoration project design, funding, implementation, monitoring, and outreach
• Bachelor's degree (in related field preferred, such as conservation or environmental science, forestry, fisheries, etc.)
• Proven ability to manage complex projects with numerous partner organizations
• Successful experience with public and private grant writing, reporting, and managing
• Attention to detail and ability to follow through
• Experience in basic accounting procedures and/or basic grant accounting preferred
• Computer proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite and other commonly used software programs
• Commitment to natural resources conservation and the mission of Ecotrust

Salary competitive depending on experience and qualifications, excellent benefits package including retirement plan match, medical and dental insurance, flexible spending account; life insurance and disability coverage provided.

To apply, complete application on Ecotrust website (available above) and forward with a cover letter, resume, and short relevant writing sample via email with WWRI Program Coordinator in the subject line.

No phone calls please