The Tuolumne River Trust River Parkway Project Manager Modesto

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT River Parkway Project Manager
The Tuolumne River Trust has an immediate opening for a River Parkway Project Manager. With a clear vision, a successful track record, and the resources to add several new staff, the Trust is ideally poised to leverage greater support for the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway. This is a great opportunity to join a dynamic team working to take a successful organization to the next level during an exciting period of growth from an existing staff of 7 to a staff of at least 12. The full-time position will require work in Stanislaus County plus occasional travel to Sacramento, San Francisco, Sonora and other places in the San Joaquin Valley.
Working under the supervision of the Central Valley Program Director and the Deputy Executive Director, the River Parkway Project Manager manages and coordinates all aspects of protection, science, stewardship, community and government relations for the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway, an initiative to implement a mosaic of public and private habitat and recreation projects along the 52-mile reach of the lower Tuolumne River. S/he serves as the principal contact to government agencies, other conservation organizations, foundations and the academic community for conservation and park-related projects. Specifically, the Project Manager’s activities encompass a broad array of tasks, including strategic planning; partnership building; land management and science; real estate acquisition; fundraising for the parkway including securing government grants; management of government and other contracts; cultivating support and involvement among key local stakeholders, landowners, corporations, private individuals, donors, and community and institutional leaders; representing the Trust in a wide variety of forums; fostering compatible land use practices throughout the project area. S/He will work closely with the Deputy Executive Director, Central Valley Program Director, and Education and Outreach Director.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Strengthen the Trust as the major conservation organization within Stanislaus County. 2. Lead the Trust and the Tuolumne River Coalition, a loose collaborative of local governmental and non-governmental organizations, in implementing the vision for the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway.
3. Capitalize on existing resources to leverage additional government and private funds for parkway projects, including grant preparation.
4. Foster key partnerships with public and private organizations to develop innovative solutions and tangible results for parkway projects.
5. Cultivate local community support for local conservation efforts. 6. Refine conservation and park priorities along the lower Tuolumne River.
7. Assist in negotiating complex and innovative solutions with government agencies and landowners to conserve and protect key pieces of land.
8. Strengthen government relationships to build political support for the parkway and individual parkway projects.
9. Act as a spokesperson for the parkway to the media to effectively generate positive stories about the parkway.
10. Additionally, the Project Manager may work on land transactions by assisting and/or leading negotiating, documenting, and closing real estate transactions with the assistance of legal and finance consultants and partners by:
o Researching and carrying out all phases of land pre-acquisition projects from initial outreach and landowner negotiation through supervision of appraisers, surveyors, and other consultants.
o Identifying funding opportunities for land acquisition projects.

o Identifying and negotiating with public agencies or other permanent stewards for final project acquisition.
11. Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Qualifications 1. Advanced degree in engineering, biology, hydrology, landscape architecture, or other related field. 2. 2-4 years experience in the environmental field, preferably including background in working with land trusts, California’s Central Valley environmental issues, government relations, and land conservation. 3. Prior experience and ability in building relationships and working with people from different backgrounds and perspectives.
4. Experience in working with diverse coalitions of stakeholders to advance community visions. 5. Excellent written and oral communication skills.
6. Prior successful experience in grant writing, contract management, and budget management.
Additional Details
The salary for this position is in the range of $55,000-$60,000 and depends heavily on experience. Excellent benefits. The Trust is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse staff. The full-time position is based in Modesto and will require work in Stanislaus County, plus occasional travel to Sacramento, San Francisco, Sonora and other places in California. This job offers excellent potential for professional growth.
The position will be open until filled. The first round of interviews will occur in late-June or early-July. Please send an email (with cover letter, resume, three references, and 2-page writing sample as attachments) with subject heading "River Parkway Project Manager" to Karyn Carr at karyn@tuolumne.org. No phone calls please.
Organizational Background
The Tuolumne River Trust promotes the stewardship of the Tuolumne River and its tributaries to ensure a healthy watershed, from Yosemite National Park to the San Joaquin River and the San Francisco Bay-Delta. Founded in 1981, the Trust is the only organization working throughout the watershed, linking Sierra and Valley conservation issues and forging strong ties between rural mountain and valley regions and Bay Area urban communities. The Trust has an annual budget of more than a million dollars, a cadre of consultants, and offices in San Francisco, Modesto, and Sonora. We currently have eight staff with funding to add at least four more in the coming months.
The Trust won permanent protection for 83 miles of the Tuolumne River in 1984 and defeated a proposed hydroelectric project on the Clavey River in 1994. Our Central Valley Program was launched in the early 1990’s when we joined 10 other parties as signatories to a negotiated Settlement Agreement that increased river flows and required river restoration with the objective to increase the remnant wild salmon population. More recently, the Trust led a collaborative effort to develop a vision for the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway, a mosaic of habitat and park projects along the 52-mile stretch of river in the Central Valley. In 2001, the Trust launched the Bay Area Program and convinced the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to drop plans to expand the Hetch Hetchy system that would have increased their ability to divert water from the River by as much as 50%.
Current projects include: a) establishing the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway—a mosaic of projects that will enhance the recreational, economic and environmental value of the River, b) improving flows in the lower Tuolumne for fish and habitat; c) seeking Federal Wild and Scenic River designation of the Clavey River, d) leading a collaborative Clavey Watershed planning process, e) promoting sustainable alternatives to San Francisco’s ongoing efforts to divert more water from the Tuolumne, and f) building
public support for watershed stewardship by connecting the public to the River through education and outreach.
By linking mountain, valley, and Bay Area conservation issues, and connecting people to the River through outings and education, the Trust is building broad support for watershed stewardship. Our strategic approach melds advocacy, education, collaboration, scientific inquiry, and litigation when necessary to address threats and take advantage of conservation and restoration opportunities.