hiring Stewardship Program Manager.

*Volunteers pose after cutting a log off the Arizona Trail during a Wild Arizona Veterans in Wilderness weekend event*

Wild Arizona hiring Stewardship Program Manager

Position Title:	Stewardship Program Manager
Supervisor/Reports To:	Executive Director
Classification:	Full-Time, Exempt
Location:	Arizona (Program hub is Tucson)
Date Opened:	Immediately
Interview Dates:	Rolling review, interviews begin Feb. 10, 13, 14
Date Position Begins:	As early as March 1, 2023

WILD ARIZONA MISSION STATEMENT & BACKGROUND

Wild Arizona’s mission is to protect, unite, and restore wild lands and waters across Arizona and beyond, for the enrichment and health of all generations, and to ensure Arizona’s native plants and animals a lasting home in wild nature.

We organize and amplify multi-community voices of support for legislation and special designations; advocate for conservation science-based environmental policy and planning; and cultivate stewardship, social/environmental awareness, and well-being through outdoor volunteerism, science, and education.

We seek employees who demonstrate high standards in work quality, diligence, reliability, compassion, excellent judgment, and a desire to care for the environment.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Stewardship Program Manager (SPM) works with the Executive Director, Field Operations Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, and Media Manager to lead and implement the Wilderness Stewardship Program (“Wild Stew”) of Wild Arizona. The SPM is responsible for maintaining and scaling Wild Stew projects, staff, and funding; providing internal and external education about the conservation purpose and goals of stewardship projects; and nurturing our WildAZ family culture of caring and purposeful teamwork, excellence, health, creative leadership, integrity, and curiosity. This position requires the ability to work successfully in team settings, and create and maintain partnerships with agencies, colleagues and other key partners. The SPM represents a public face for Wild Arizona and needs to convey an engaging approach to developing a conservation constituency. The SPM will report to the Executive Director and, together with the Field Operations Manager, will supervise other Wild Stew crew leaders, interns, volunteers, and students.

Key Responsibilities of the Position:

Lead Wild Arizona’s statewide Wilderness Stewardship Program:

Develop and implement Wild Arizona’s Wilderness Stewardship Program (Wild Stew) engaging diverse underserved communities, especially Hispanic/Borderlands, Indigenous, veteran, and youth, in a wide variety of stewardship projects including, but not limited to, trail maintenance, sign installation and education, inventory and assessments, and invasive weeds treatment and revegetation projects to restore riparian ecosystems.
Develop, manage, and oversee the Wild Stew Field Crew and projects in Wilderness and other public lands. Coordinate project activities with public lands managers and other project partners by drafting and managing all relevant budgets, reporting, and agreements.
Acquire funding, through project grant writing to federal, state, and foundation granting programs, to support Wild Stew staff and projects. Prepare and manage annual program budgets by projecting the cost of each project based on staffing, equipment, and supply needs. Collect data, analyze project needs, and recommend actions to maintain a balanced budget for each project.
Strategize, develop, and draft proposals for new and ongoing projects, or propose revisions of existing plans or activities, and recommend actions. Coordinate with land managers and other partners to ensure there is a mutual benefit between cooperators when developing and implementing projects. Coordinate with federal partners to ensure appropriate actions, such as NEPA, are being drafted as the project develops.
Lead coordination with agency partners and other nongovernmental groups to develop and implement partnership programs to increase capacity and reach mutually beneficial goals and objectives. Provide expertise to the USFS on the development of annual and long-range management plans and strategies.
Develop and manage complex agreements to provide opportunities for partnerships, collaboration, and youth engagement with local, state, and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and private entities at a variety of scales.
Draft and maintain USFS Region 3 Master Challenge Cost Share Agreement and Participating Agreements to improve the efficiency to which projects can be developed and implemented across the state of Arizona.
Maintain and expand Wild Arizona’s Residential Youth Conservation Corps program through well-developed partnerships with the USFS and other partners.
Develop and implement projects specifically for Veterans and Military families. Continue to build the program through the development of partnerships with organizations providing a similar service to veterans.
Seek to expand Wild Arizona’s Wilderness Stewardship Program to include multi-year, landscape-scale restoration initiatives, including projects within Glen Canyon NRA and Grand Canyon National Park.
Coordinate with USFS staff to develop and advance Wilderness Stewardship Performance scores through the development of strategies, procedures, and protocols to implement on-the-ground activities associated with Wilderness Stewardship Performance directives including recreation surveys, data collection, solitude monitoring, wilderness narratives, education, and trail assessments. Provide expertise in Wilderness Stewardship Performance training in-person and virtually for FS staff, on an as-requested/agreement basis.
Lead focused strategic planning efforts and assist in a broad range of complementary planning work to develop and implement volunteer and partnership programs that leverage resources and help achieve recreation and natural resource goals.
Develop partnerships with other conservation focused NGO’s and colleges in Arizona to increase opportunities for place-based internships, shared stewardship, and funding opportunities.
Demonstrate strong time management and authoritative judgment in coordinating, developing, and maintaining relationships between federal and non-federal partners.
Recruit, hire, manage, train, and supervise Wild Arizona staff, to holistically and inclusively strengthen the connectivity of our organizational structure and inspire future conservation leaders.
Perform other duties as assigned by Executive Director

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Education, Experience and Ability:

Strong interpersonal skills, team-oriented approach, and ability to work with people from different backgrounds and experiences
Excellent written and oral communication skills, comfortable and effective with public speaking
Intermediate computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite and ArcGIS; database experience is highly beneficial
Ability to hike for up to ten hours with a 25-pound backpack and ability to sit for up to four hours at a time. Must have personal hiking and camping equipment and be comfortable and self-sufficient in the backcountry, whether with a group or alone
At least four years’ experience or equivalent leading groups in challenging outdoor settings
Knowledge of tools and techniques for public lands restoration including trail work, invasive species control, and ecological monitoring
Ability to organize group projects in wilderness, abide by agency requirements, and maintain safety for all participants and resources
Ability to work successfully in team settings with staff, volunteers, agencies, colleges, and in rural, urban, and culturally diverse communities
Ability and willingness to travel across the state and work weekends
Current Wilderness First Responder or higher certification
Valid Arizona Driver’s License or ability to obtain within 30 days

Desirable Education, Experience and other Qualifications:

Masters degree (or equivalent professional experience) in Natural Resources, Outdoor Education, Environmental Studies or related field
State of Arizona Commercial Pesticide applicator’s license or ability to obtain within 30 days (required for use of weed control chemicals)
Knowledge or experience regarding specific natural resource disciplines, such as botany, forestry, wildlife biology, etc.
Knowledge or experience with specific outdoor recreation activities and user groups
USFS Crosscut and/or Chainsaw certification
Leave No Trace certification
Interest in ongoing learning and innovation in leadership, multi-cultural engagement, and social/systems change

Pertinent Position Considerations:

This position requires occasional weekend and holiday work
This position requires extensive work outside of Tucson. Office space in our Tucson headquarters may be available for administrative duties or hybrid work. Elsewhere, the office-based portion of the position would be structured to work from home.
You must own or have access to a suitable vehicle. Mileage will be reimbursed at the current federal rate. There may at times be a WildAZ vehicle available for use.

Compensation

Salary: Negotiable starting from $62,500, depending on experience and qualifications

Benefits: Ample holiday schedule. Health (BCBS Arizona, HSA group plan) and short-term disability insurance available after 60 days. Mileage and food reimbursements are available for approved travel.

Employment at Wild Arizona is exclusively based upon qualifications and competency. We are seeking candidates who have a commitment to engage with us to create a just and inclusive work environment and world. Wild Arizona provides all people with equal employment and volunteer opportunities and does not discriminate against anyone in treatment, hiring, training, assignment, compensation, promotional opportunities, employee benefits, recall from layoff, discharge and discipline, or any other term and condition of employment, on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, color, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, parental status, veteran status, union activity, political affiliation, physical or mental disability unrelated to an individual’s ability to perform the job with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other basis prohibited by law. We encourage all people with the essential skills/qualifications and commitment, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, to apply.

To learn more about Wild Arizona’s work, see our website at www.wildarizona.org

To apply, applicants must submit 1-2 page writing sample, cover letter, resume, and 3 references (PDF format) to: Kelly@wildarizona.org

Incomplete packages will not be considered.

We will be accepting applications until the position is filled.

Download/print PDF of this job announcement.