Project Manager Caracara Trails

Cdcb seeks an enthusiastic community organizer and/or transportation planner Project Manager (PM) for the implementation and promotion of the Caracara Trails. Cdcb is partnering with the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the University of Texas School of Public Health – and the cities of Brownsville, Harlingen, Combes, Los Fresnos, Los Indios, Port Isabel, Rio Hondo, San Benito, South Padre Island, Laguna Vista and Rancho Viejo – the Caracara Trails comprises 428 miles of proposed trails – including 230 miles of multiuse trails, 120 miles of U.S. Bicycle Routes, and 78 miles of Texas Paddling Trails that will showcase the vast, expansive beauty of the region’s beaches, wildlife preserves, waterways, cultural sites and geographic landmarks.

• Develop and manage a coalition of stakeholders and advocates to develop and promote a seamless network of multimodal active transportation options. This includes:
  • Organizing and leading 4‑6 Caracara Trails Advisory Committee meetings a year
  • Coordinating quarterly, or as needed, Working Group meetings for the United States Bicycle Routes, Texas Paddling Trails, Marketing, Research, etc. Working Groups.
  • Other project or program specific collaborations/meetings with local government officials, community members, nonprofit groups, etc.
• Build upon the Caracara Trails Coalition by identifying and cultivating community and business leaders, partner organizations, to serve as liaisons/spokespersons for the project.
• Preparing for and facilitating public events (i.e. Opening Day for Trails, groundbreaking ceremonies, ribbon‑cuttings, etc.), community engagement, and workshops to educate and promote the Caracara Trails initiatives. Working with RTC Communications Staff.
• Close gaps in the existing trail network, with a focus on:
  • Conducting ongoing field work and outreach to gather GIS data and information on current conditions of trails, land ownership, rail corridors, public access, and other amenities.
  • Utilizing that data, working with local partners, RTC Trail Development Staff, and RGVMPO Staff to develop conceptual trail plans and implement strategic land acquisition planning to develop “shovel‑ready” projects.
  • Identifying and cultivating appropriate partners from the economic development, tourism, public health, and private sectors to support filling priority gaps.
• Working in collaboration with the Coalition to grow and diversify financial support by securing public and private dollars to implement the proposed trail network, including:
  • Seeking creative funding streams to support the vision at the local and state level
  • Partnering with fundraising team to develop funding proposals and associated budgets
  • Leading implementation of grant deliverables and reporting out on programmatic outcomes and impact.
• Represent the project and the organization before a variety of public audiences.

This position supervises the Caracara Trails Coordinator.

Qualified candidates will have a proven track record within one or more of the following areas of work: trail planning; bike‑ped/transportation planning; urban planning; landscape architecture; public policy/administration; active tourism, natural resource planning; project management; or economic development.

• Excellent skills in building and maintaining collaborative and strategic relationships with a variety of stakeholders, such as local and state government officials and agencies; transportation, planning, economic development, conservation, and health organizations; and community‑based nonprofits.
• Strong people and group‑facilitation skills and experience with coalition building
• A solid understanding of the process of moving a trail plan from concept through to the design‑build phase
• Advanced project‑management skills and experience, including ability to take multi‑faceted project plans from conception through to completion and the ability to develop/manage complex budgets
• Outstanding oral and written communication and strong interpersonal skills; ability to work at all levels of the organization
• Excellent presentation and…