Conservation Easement Stewardship Associate

~ The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) is a nonprofit organization that works with the community to conserve the farmland, forests, wildlife habitat, and rural character of Columbia County, strengthening connections between people and the land. ~

Position Overview

This position will be primarily responsible for providing support for CLC's conservation easement program, including ensuring that CLC's easements, policies, and practices comply with Land Trust Standards and Practices and federal and state regulations; supporting all easement stewardship activities; landowner cultivation and outreach; assisting with CLC's efforts to provide GIS and other data driven support to county partners and local municipalities.

Particular responsibilities include drafting baseline documentation reports, conducting site visits, GIS mapping, and providing key support for education and outreach to landowners/constituents to promote land and resource best management practices. 

Responsibilities

Conservation Easement (CE) Stewardship:

• Assists with the CE Stewardship program by coordinating monitoring visits; assisting with landowner outreach and correspondence; and managing archiving/record-keeping activities.
• Conducts site monitoring visits, both on the ground and from the air, and works with the CE Stewardship Manager to resolve and clarify possible easement misunderstandings, violations, waivers and/or amendments.

Land Protection Support:

• Responsible for the creation of Baseline Documentation Reports, including gathering and formatting materials, as well as drafting baseline letters.
• Works in conjunction with CE Stewardship Manager to complete supplemental baseline reports. 
• Responsible for drafting text for baseline photographs for review.
• Responsible for assessing, organizing, overseeing, creating and improving conservation easement notebooks.

Outreach & Community Relations:

• Assist with education and outreach to landowners to promote understanding and compliance of CLC's conservation easements, and land and resource best management practices.

Community and Special Projects:

• Assist with municipal GIS implementation; assist with updating county GIS data set; provide mapping and technical support for CLC's Community Projects Manager as well as county partners and municipalities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in applicable field; advanced degree a plus.
• Considerable prior experience and training may be substituted, if applicable.
• Considerable GIS skills required; basic GPS skills a plus.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Familiarity with Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices.
• Outstanding time management and organizational skills, excellent written and verbal skills, strong attention to detail, and basic computer skills.
• Occasional weekend work.  

Additional Information

Physical Demands:

• Outdoor work generally involves visits to properties and the ability to hear and see to interpret landscapes and natural features.
• The hikes through properties may or may not have developed trail systems and occasionally consist of steep terrain.
• Driving to sites requires use of personal vehicle. Ability to carry equipment up to 40lbs.
• Normal office duties as performed at a desk (may require long periods of sitting and computer typing).

Work Environment:

• Approximately 70% indoor office work and 30% outdoors.
• Office work is primarily sitting at a desk with a computer or in meetings.
• Most travel is within the county with occasional travel within the region and beyond for meetings, conferences, and trainings.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned
to this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. All
personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Compensation: CLC offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

To Apply

Please click below: "Apply Now Online!" to email your cover letter and résumé as a single pdf document with "CE Steward" in the subject line. No phone calls.

~ EOE employer. ~