Reconnected Rivers Program Associate

Overview

The Reconnected Rivers Program Associate is a key position for the growth of The Nature Conservancy’s Reconnected Appalachian Rivers Strategy, serving both the West Virginia Business Unit and the Appalachians Program. This position accelerates freshwater restoration across the Appalachians by advancing projects that reconnect rivers, improve aquatic habitat and benefit communities. The Program Associate will work with TNC staff, partner organizations and agencies, engineering firms, contractors and community groups to restore connectivity to enable aquatic organism passage and enhance flood resilience in high-priority streams and rivers.

The role advances the Appalachians Free Rivers Accelerator to accelerate dam removal and river reconnection in the Appalachians.

West Virginia: 50% of responsibilities focus on building a new Reconnected Rivers program for the West Virginia Business Unit by working with key partners to identify, envision, develop, oversee and support dam removal, culvert replacement and floodplain restoration projects in priority landscapes. The Appalachians Program: 50% focus on supporting the Free Rivers Accelerator by advancing dam removal projects in two or three additional Appalachian states.

• Build trusted relationships with partners and serve as a collaborative problem-solver across organizations and interests.
• Manage external relationships, budgets, subcontractors, timelines and tracking progress and outcomes.
• Work within and manage complex budgets to complete projects.
• Be ready to travel as needed to TNC and partner offices and project sites within the area of work and to safely and occasionally work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.
• Coordinate communications between West Virginia and Appalachians staff.
• The Program Associate may be required to negotiate, draft and manage contracts for engineering design, project construction and manage contractors to obtain project completion.

• BA/BS, law, or business degree and 5 years’ experience in natural resource management or related field, OR equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally.
• Proficiency in GIS and standard office applications (Microsoft Word, Excel).
• Flexibility to adapt and change course as program requirements dictate.

• Knowledge of freshwater conservation practice and conservation science.
• Specialization in aquatic habitat restoration, freshwater ecology and/or fisheries restoration.
• Experience with dam removal and culvert replacement/aquatic organism passage projects.
• Experience coordinating multiple and complex projects, setting realistic deadlines, managing timelines and completing tasks independently.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements.
• Experience managing, coordinating and tracking projects, budgets, contracts and subcontracts.
• Experience building trust and working effectively and respectfully with a variety of partners in government agencies, indigenous communities, non-profit organizations, local communities, businesses, landowners and the public.
• Completing tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Ability to travel and work in remote field conditions, including rugged terrain and variable weather.
• Excellent written, verbal and visual communications skills.
• Experience developing and implementing equitable conservation strategies with local communities and a variety of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex ecological information for non-technical audiences, including landowners, partners and donors.

This position requires a valid driver’s license and compliance with The Nature Conservancy’s Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of…