Utah Watershed Resilience Manager, Resources Institute

Utah Watershed Resilience Manager, World Resources Institute

Organization/Grantor:World Resources Institute

Position/Title/Fund:Utah Watershed Resilience Manager

Type/Term:Full-time, Permanent

Salary:$96,000 - $105,000 per year

Description: WRI’s U.S. Forests and Water program, part of the global Cities4

Forests initiative, works to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, restore degraded forests, and protect watersheds across the U.S. The program focuses on designing, implementing, financing, and scaling projects with local partners to build disaster resilience, strengthen water security, protect and enhance infrastructure, create jobs and recreation opportunities, and boost rural prosperity.

The Utah Watershed Resilience Manager will help lead the growth and implementation of WRI's watershed restoration portfolio in Utah, working at the intersection of forest restoration, water security, infrastructure protection, and innovative conservation finance. This role combines strategic partnership expansion, project management, fundraising, and conservation finance to advance the Utah Resilience Fund as a nationally recognized model for watershed resilience.

Working closely with WRI's Research & Project Development Manager, Utah Watershed Coordinator, and the broader U.S. Forests and Water team, the Manager will lead complex multi-partner initiatives, expand strategic partnerships, advance innovative financing strategies, support Utah’s long-term scaling strategy, and help secure new funding opportunities.

The successful candidate is an entrepreneurial self-starter who enjoys building relationships, coordinating diverse stakeholders, and translating ambitious ideas into measurable outcomes. They will be equally comfortable leading meetings with partners, managing complex project work streams, contributing to fundraising and strategic planning, and ensuring projects move from concept to implementation. This position offers the opportunity to help shape one of the country's leading watershed resilience partnerships while contributing to innovative approaches that can be replicated across the western United States.

Responsibilities
:

Portfolio Management & Coordination (40%)

• Lead the implementation of C4F's watershed resilience strategy for the Great Salt Lake Basin and help scale lessons across Utah and other western states.
• Serve as the primary coordinator and relationship manager for Utah partners, including utilities, state and federal agencies, Tribes, NGOs, universities, consultants, and local governments.
• Help move restoration projects from concept to implementation by coordinating work plans, deliverables, funding strategies, and partner engagement.
• Represent WRI in regional collaboratives, steering committees, and partner meetings.

Conservation Finance & Beneficiary Engagement (40%)

• Identify and cultivate relationships with current and potential beneficiaries and investors, including water and power utilities, municipalities, corporations, the recreation industry, healthcare organizations, property and health insurers, and other stakeholders to fund forest and watershed resilience.
• Support development and/or contextualization of innovative conservation finance strategies (e.g., Forest Resilience Bonds, revolving loans, endowments, green bonds, and other local revenue streams) that generate sustainable funding for watershed restoration and wildfire risk reduction in Utah.
• Help articulate the economic, ecological, and community benefits of forest and watershed investments by translating technical analyses into compelling materials for utility executives, corporations, funders, and decision-makers.
• Support the development of project budgets, work plans, agreements, monitoring, and reporting frameworks.

Fundraising, Writing & Communications (20%)

• Lead the drafting of grant proposals and funding applications to support the work in Utah.
• Develop and steward opportunities and relationships with current and prospective donors.
• Represent WRI and the Utah Resilience Fund at conferences, workshops, utility meetings, and stakeholder events.
• Develop presentations, reports, case studies, and…