Director of Programs, Watershed Stewardship Program Director

~ Wallowa Resources (WR) is a community-based 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, established in 1996 with leadership from Wallowa County Commissioners. ~

Since then, WR has worked to bring people together to empower rural communities to create strong economies and healthy landscapes through land stewardship, education, and job creation. We strive to balance rural economic well-being with the stewardship and conservation of its resources, preserving each rural area's heritage of making a living from the land. WR's Watershed Stewardship Program (WSP) coordinates and invests in the maintenance of public and private working lands to sustain and enhance local communities and watersheds.

The Wallowa Canyonlands Partnership (WCP) is a WR program that provides weed control management to reduce the impact of noxious weeds in Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington. Wallowa Resources is nationally recognized for its leadership and on-the-ground results in land stewardship, watershed restoration and education.

Position Overview

The Director of Programs/Watershed Stewardship Program Director is responsible for two key roles at WR. As Director of Programs, the position coordinates across all WR programs to help advance the organization's mission and operations. The Director oversees and hires staff, manages inter-program relations, engages regularly with partner organizations, agencies, and contractors, and provides oversight to program fundraising and financial management. The position serves as the Deputy Director of WR and as a key member of the WR's Management Team. The position plays an important role in developing and executing strategic and work plans, and ensuring achievement of organizational goals and outcomes.

As Watershed Stewardship Program Director, which is WR's largest single program area and generally the primary focus of this job, the position is responsible for leading and implementing all aspects of WR's WSP and WCP programs. The position advances WR's vision for landscape-scale watershed restoration and rural community revitalization in northeast Oregon. The WSP Director designs and advocates for high-performing and forward-looking partnerships, strategies, and policies that establish the pre-conditions for healthy and resilient native aquatic habitats, secure and sustainable working lands, diversified economic opportunities, and resolution of resource-based conflicts. The position also oversees and hires WSP and WCP staff.

Hours: 

Typical office hours are full time from 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m., Monday through Friday. The Director also travels extensively and frequently may be required to work extended hours. This includes evenings, weekends, and holidays and requires the necessity to be on call 24 hours a day.

Reports To: Executive Director

Responsibilities

Director of Programs:

• Serves on the WR Management Team. Participates in organizational strategy development, assists programs and project planning, and offers advice on program decisions and systems.
• Develops, updates, and implements work planning tools and templates for program managers to record current plans and funding, explore of new project opportunities, and complete of organizational budgets and performance evaluations.
• Coordinates inter-program strategic planning and program implementation; enables peer-to-peer learning and offers ongoing mentoring; and facilitates interaction among Program Managers, the Communications Coordinator and Development Director, and the Management Team to assist program performance and staff satisfaction.
• Tracks program budgets ($1,000,000+) and expenditures to anticipate and initiate proactive targeted and joint fundraising to meet program-specific funding needs and ensure timely completion of grant deliverables. 
• Hosts a Program Manager's meeting at least monthly.
• Reports regularly to the Executive Director on program work.

Watershed Stewardship Program Director:

• Serves as WR's lead staff, technical expert, strategist, and planner for watershed restoration across private and public land in Northeast Oregon. Manages the design, development and implementation of stewardship contracting projects, and the integrated weed management initiative. The noxious weed program is known as the Wallowa Canyonlands Partnership (WCP).
• Conveys direct technical assistance to staff and partners in drafting of strategic action plans, restoration strategies, and permit submittals, and in interpreting and integrating new science, technologies, and policies.
• Works with diverse public and private partners to develop new programs, policies, and funding for long-term protection of working lands and capturing their full range of values.
• Maintains strong and effective relationships with WR partners including landowners, non-profit organizations, tribes, conservation groups, state and federal agency personnel, and elected officials and staff.
• Helps create communications strategies and materials that effectively promote and sustain support for all aspects of the WSP.
• Provides financial management for the WSP, including development and update of the annual program budget ($600,000+ annually), processing of invoices, and tracking of revenue and expenditures on a monthly basis.
• Responsible for all contracts, agreements, and associated statements of work with contractors and subcontractors.
• Coordinates hiring, management, and performance evaluations of staff, interns, and contractors as appropriate. Supervises staff and performs supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
• Engages in programmatic and organizational fundraising, including research, donor cultivation, communicating with program officers and other donors, grant writing, reporting, and participating in WR's fundraising events and campaigns.
• Represents the program in public and private settings, including partnerships, conferences, and meetings with agencies, academic institutions, funders, and decision-makers.
• Participates actively in staff, development, strategic planning, and other organizational meetings and activities.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• This job description is a summary of the essential duties and responsibilities for this job, and it does not necessarily represent an all-inclusive list of duties, responsibilities, tasks or procedures.
• Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instruction or assignments.
• Nothing in this description restricts WR's right to assign or reassign duties at any time.

Qualifications

The following are desired to successfully perform the Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities.

• A Master's degree in a natural resources field, or relevant equivalent experience, is required.
• A valid Oregon Driver's License and an acceptable driving record according to WR's auto liability policy requirements.
• 5 years of experience working in watershed restoration, preferably in senior level positions. The experience must reflect strong knowledge of the standards and practices of watershed systems and restoration strategies, working lands management and operations, landscape-scale planning, and federal, state, and local watershed-related programs and policies.
• 5 years of experience in a management level and/or leadership position, with direct experience managing staff, organizational operations and administration, and finances and budgets.
• Familiarity with Native Americans and tribal issues.
• Familiarity with forest/range management practice, energy efficiency and renewables development, and associated programs and policies.
• Demonstrated experience and training in conflict resolution, facilitation, negotiation, strategic planning, and collaborative processes.
• Proven success developing lasting partnerships and coalitions in a rural context, including private landowners.
• Proven track record of managing multiple programs or projects of strategic importance to achieve appropriate milestones and tangible outcomes.
• Demonstrated experience and skills raising funds from foundations, government, and private donors.
• Exemplarily written and oral communication skills.
• Must consistently demonstrate teamwork and positive day-to-day work relationships and interactions with staff, board members, members of the public, and community stakeholders.

Working Conditions, Environment and Physical Requirements: 

• The Director of Programs/WSP Director works primarily in an office environment; however, the position frequently visits field locations including parks, forests, farms, ranches and other outdoor locations.
• Those outdoor locations are subject to a variety of extreme weather conditions including rain, snow, wind, and dust.
• The position frequently requires extended overnight travel by car and commercial airlines.
• The Director interacts constantly with staff, visitors, program participants, government agencies, and others.
• The position sits, stands, walks, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during working hours.
• The incumbent must be able to lift, push, pull and move files in excess of 15 pounds.

Additional Information

Accommodation Statement: 

Essential job duties and responsibilities are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform the job successfully, an incumbent or applicant must possess the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform each essential duty and responsibility proficiently. If you require an accommodation in order to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this job, please contact the WR Executive Director.

Compensation: Salary Starts at $55,000 to $70,000 DOE With Full Benefits.

FLSA Status: Exempt

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to upload your cover letter, resume and three professional references to Joni Maasdam, Finance Administrator or mail to:

~ Wallowa Resources is an Equal Opportunity Employer  ~