Conservation Project Manager

~ The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County works cooperatively with both landowners and government agencies to find positive, mutually beneficial solutions. Our goal is to help prevent poorly planned development, protect drinking water sources, restore wildlife habitat and promote family farmlands and ranches. ~

Since 1984, we have permanently conserved over 24,000 acres of land in San Luis Obispo County. With your support, we’ll ensure that San Luis Obispo County has wild natural areas, productive family farms and ranches, clean fresh water, and stunning landscapes forever.

We conserve and care for the diverse wildlands, farms, and ranches of the Central Coast. We connect people to the land and to each other.

We envision a San Luis Obispo County that is composed of distinct communities surrounded by productive farms and ranches, beautiful scenery, and accessible natural areas. Clean water and local food nourish our population, wildlife thrives, and we celebrate our diverse heritages. Every generation is connected to the land, and people embrace conservation as vital to a healthy, vibrant future.

Position Overview

The Conservation Project Manager will join a dynamic land conservation program at The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County. They will work under the general supervision and direction of the Conservation Director, and will collaborate frequently with the Stewardship Manager and other Land Conservancy staff.

The Conservation Project Manager’s responsibilities include: land conservation project development, grant writing and research, drafting conservation easements, creating baseline documentation reports and land stewardship plans, monitoring conservation easements and fee-owned lands, conducting geographic analyses in support of conservation projects, and producing high-quality maps and reports.

The Conservation Project Manager will become familiar with The Land Conservancy’s Strategic Goals and Land Trust Alliance (LTA) Standards and Practices, The Land Conservancy’s suite of conservation properties, ongoing Land Conservancy projects, and the organization’s current Strategic Plan.

Essential Duties of the Job

Conservation Project Implementation – 70%

• Project background research, including land use potential; title investigation; natural, agricultural, and cultural resources.
• Develop project reports and presentations for Land Committee and Board of Trustees.
• Grant writing and project funding proposals.
• Grant management and maintaining relationships with funding partners.
• Organization and archiving of working files and essential permanent files, including project binders, digital files, and offsite archival storage in accordance Land Conservancy policies.
• Landowner outreach.
• Manage and develop geographic data using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Land Stewardship – 20%

• Assist with annual monitoring of Land Conservancy conservation easements.
• Assist with preparation and updating of Baseline Conditions Reports and Land Stewardship Plans.
• Assist Stewardship Team with maintaining relationships with landowners holding LCSLO conservation easements.

Accreditation – 5%

• Ensure that LCSLO maintains compliance with Land Trust Accreditation Commission requirements.
• Review, research, and preparation of land related policies and procedures.
• Assessment of permanent land files and records.

Ongoing Training and Development of Skills Related to Job Duties – 5%

• Workshops and conferences.
• Review of LTA webinars, e-books, and training opportunities.
• Personal skill development related to essential job functions.

General Duties:

• Develop and maintain a schedule of tasks to be completed on a regular basis and complete these tasks within the allotted time.
• Accurately follow job administrative procedures and maintain office files related to properties and projects.
• When necessary, provide own transportation to Land Conservancy field and office facilities, and to other communities within the County to manage projects and attend meetings.
• Be mindful of personnel policies and procedures.
• Be respectful and professional; avoid behavior that would interfere with the work of others.
• Maintain a professional separation between work and personal activities.
• Maintain positive attitude at all times.
• Take direction from supervisor; implement suggested changes in the job functions and procedures in a prompt and respectful manner.
• Identify problems and suggest solutions.
• Be conscious of safety hazards and report issues to supervisor immediately.

Qualifications

Required:

• An understanding of and commitment to the mission of The Land Conservancy.
• A Bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as geography, environmental studies or sciences, ecology, agriculture, natural resources, land use planning, public policy, or similar field.
• Excellent written, verbal, and graphic communication skills.
• A passion for land conservation and the outdoors.
• Experience in project and contract management.
• An understanding of conservation real estate transactions, including conservation easements and fee-owned lands.
• Ability to plan and implement land conservation projects including the coordination of materials and human resources.
• Ability to accurately budget time and efficiently complete tasks.
• Accuracy in the attention to job procedures and administrative procedures.
• Ability to contribute as a valued team member.
• Availability to work evenings and/or weekends on occasion in order to participate in public and community or advisory body meetings.
• Demonstrates initiative in undertaking independent research on what can be done to enhance The Land Conservancy’s completion of these job functions and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Proficiency with various computer programs, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, to successfully complete job functions.
• Fluency with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software sufficient to create maps and conduct spatial analyses.
• Versatility and adaptability in balancing the varied demands of the job so that all projects proceed in a balanced manner.
• A valid driver’s license and ability to provide own transportation to the office of The Land Conservancy and to other communities within the county to manage projects and attend meetings.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree related to geography, environmental studies or sciences, ecology, agriculture, natural resources, land use planning, public policy, or similar field.
• Professional experience in ESRI’s ArcGIS platform, including layout view, designing diverse and user-friendly cartographic outputs, spatial analyst, and python scripting.
• Experience with real estate transactions, business, and finance.
• Experience with preparing proposals and grant writing.
• Experience in the area of rangeland management, ecology, and natural systems.
• Familiarity with the basic principles of real property and land use law, environmental law, and water law.
• High aptitude for computer use, troubleshooting, and applications, including experience with Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Lightroom, and HTML.
• An interest and commitment to learning and developing personal skills.

Compensation

• Starting salary range is $18.00 to $25.00 per hour DOE,
• Benefits: Paid Time Off (vacation and sick leave combined), paid holidays, health, vision and dental insurance contribution, 401K matching program.

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email a cover letter, resume, and Employment_Application.
• Or, mail to P.O. Box 12206, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406.