Project Manager

~ The Washington Water Trust (WWT) is a nonprofit leader in river and stream flow restoration throughout Washington, with offices in Seattle and Ellensburg. Using voluntary, market-based approaches and partnerships, we develop water management alternatives that produce environmental, economic and social benefits for Washington’s communities, while serving our mission of improving flows in Washington’s most endangered rivers and streams. ~

Position Summary

WWT seeks an experienced professional to join our team as a Project Manager. This full time position requires a person who will partner with landowners, tribes, conservation districts, land trusts, local, state, and federal agencies to implement and fund innovative programs and projects with lasting benefits to endangered fish, streams, and local economies.

Project Management methodology must include a collaborative, consultative approach in addition to a technical and scientific skill set so that high quality services are delivered which leverages flexible funds for each project.

Background

The Project Manager joins a talented technical team whose members bring many years of experience in collaborative natural resource management, stream and flow restoration, and multi-stakeholder conservation projects. The WWT team includes recognized statewide experts in the fields of water law, instream flow transactions, water banking, and funding and implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities and Expectations

• Develop effective working relationships that result in projects and/or proposals with water rights holders, public agencies, tribes, local governments, conservation and irrigation districts, and salmon recovery funders in WWT’s targeted basins
• Identify opportunities , have discussions about active water management, water rights, hydrology, and ecological priorities, and develop projects that will demonstrate meaningful and measurable benefits
• Manage collaborative projects which contain a level of complexity commensurate with Project Manager’s (PM) experience and expertise; entry level complexity might be a single entity, a single landowner, or less complex constraints and issues within the project
• Research and prepare, for internal review and approval, ecological, economic, financial, legal and political data for inclusion into regional flow restoration and water rights acquisition strategies and water rights agreements
• Prepare fact sheets for Board approval, with input from other PMs, for seeking outside funding for project proposals and offers
• Provide technical representation and convene stakeholder groups to develop strategic watershed plans that identify and prioritize restoration activities. Demonstrate that outreach activities have been developed and are leading toward a project proposal
• Negotiate basic acquisition agreements
• Help develop new funding and program opportunities for organization’s priorities and partner with other agencies to clarify priorities
• Participate in WWT compliance monitoring of agreements, flow outcomes, and help coordinate and communicate with partners on flow and project effectiveness monitoring
• Complete performance metrics reporting
• Manage project files, databases and all supporting scientific and economic information
• Represent and support WWT’s mission and be a passionate spokesperson

Qualifications

Skills and Attributes:

• Working knowledge of Washington state water management and water law
• Understanding of biologically-based flow needs and flow-habitat relationships
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including task management, developing timelines and schedules, developing and tracking budgets, managing project files
• Be self-directed as well as able to collaborate and coordinate among stakeholders and team members
• Ability to develop and make persuasive presentations and influence negotiations
• Able to manage project data, spreadsheets, and databases, provide succinct and persuasive reports and scientific summaries using analytical tools
• Able to read and interpret GIS maps
• Able to assess simple water/land use to determine who owns water rights and how the water is being used; understand the data associated with stream and land management
• Ability to write simple contracts; research and close simple water rights transactions
• Demonstrated critical thinking and creative problem solving
• Ability to write basic grants, technical reports, scientific reports, proposals
• Ability to learn quickly on a steep learning curve
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills that articulate the WWT mission and goals
• Willingness to travel frequently throughout Washington state

Preferred Experience and Education:

• Working knowledge of western water rights law
• Understanding of agricultural practices
• Understanding of hydrology and watershed restoration
• Working knowledge of water markets/banking, real estate acquisition, or conservation easements
• Understanding of alternative funding strategies for market-based natural resource conservation
• Demonstrated negotiation expertise, including at least one year’s experience negotiating real estate or water right acquisition agreements for conservation purposes, or equivalent experience
• Understanding of local communities in rural Washington highly valued
• Experience in the use of ESRI ARCVIEW or equivalent GIS software preferred
• Experience establishing and promoting conservation markets (water banks or alternative ecosystem service models) a plus
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required; graduate degree a plus

Salary and Benefits

WWT offers competitive compensation commensurate with qualifications and experience.  We also offer a generous benefits package which includes:  100 % paid coverage of health, vision, and dental insurance; 12 days of paid holidays; and paid vacation/sick leave.

WWT is an equal opportunity employer.  We provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual preference, gender identity, marital status, physical disability or veteran status.

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to email (or mail) a cover letter and resume which addresses the skills and attributes needed for this job to Susan Adams:

Susan Adams, Executive Director

1530 Westlake Avenue N, Ste 400

Seattle, Washington 98109