Full-Time Stewardship Coordinator
Job Description
Stewardship Coordinator
Organization
Bluegrass Land Conservancy is a community-supported, nonprofit, accredited land trust working to protect land in Kentucky’s bluegrass region through permanent conservation easements.
We envision a thriving community where land is protected to sustain our identity, economy, and quality of life.
We seek to ensure a future where the region’s distinctive soils, cultural heritage, scenic vistas, natural resources, and farms are preserved forever. By working with landowners who want to place Conservation Easements on their land, providing technical expertise to other conservation programs, and educating and engaging the public regarding the value of land conservation, we fulfill our mission.
For more information, please visit www.bluegrasslandconservancy.org
Objective/Role
Reporting to the Director of Conservation, the Executive Director, and the Board of Directors, the Stewardship Coordinator assists in the implementation and advancement of Bluegrass Land Conservancy’s land protection, conservation, and stewardship programs which consists of active conservation project work, stewardship, enforcement, and compliance with our land protection and stewardship policies and procedures and accreditation requirements, as necessary.
Desirable Attributes
The Stewardship Coordinator should be an experienced, enthusiastic individual of high integrity, amiable personality, and a passion for the mission of Bluegrass Land Conservancy, with a demonstrated ability to be creative, solve problems, listen, collaborate, take direction, and be able to represent the organization in appropriate situations while engaging and participating with the staff team.
The Stewardship Coordinator may often represent Bluegrass Land Conservancy to existing landowners and supporters and/or in public. It is imperative that he/she have the skill needed to interact with others in a way that adheres to the integrity of the organization, the goals of the land protection and stewardship program, and the requirements of the Land Trust Alliance while inspiring support, confidence, and public trust.
Responsibilities/Duties
Stewardship (95%)
– The Stewardship Coordinator works to build and maintain productive relationships with existing, former, and future conservation easement landowners to ensure that Bluegrass Land Conservancy is recognized as a preferred, reliable partner for providing protection and stewardship services, to enhance compliance, and for supporting conservation efforts on a regional and local scale.
– Assists the Director of Conservation and Conservation Coordinator by coordinating all basic aspects of easement stewardship, including baseline update reports, easement portfolio management, and annual easement monitoring in compliance with LTA Standards and Practices.
– Under the direction of Counsel and the Director of Conservation, and in conjunction with the Conservation Coordinator, responds to notices and approvals by landowners, while complying with legal requirements for responding to requests to exercise reserved rights.
– Refines and updates, as needed, a meticulous recordkeeping system for conservation easements in compliance with LTA Standards and Practices and BLC policy.
– Assists Counsel and the Director of Conservation in completing conservation easement amendments, managing TerraFirma insurance, and assuring BLC is meeting LTA Accreditation requirements.
– Assists Counsel and the Conservation Coordinator in managing easement enforcement and compliance issues, including helping with claims during an enforcement action.
– Assists the organization in preparing grant requests when needed and/or related to stewardship.
– Continues build, grow, and maintain a highly functional and up-to-date GIS database of conservation easement properties, regional resources, conservation data, PVA information, and other local, regional, and state data to enhance BLC’s conservation, communication, and development efforts.
– Continue to develop and maintain an accurate and up-to-date GIS database of all existing and active easement projects including, but not limited to, ownership information, contact information, boundary data, most recent aerial photography, documented structures, acreage, executed and non-executed reserved rights, and soil and land characteristics.
– Serves as the coordinator of BLC’s GIS mapping program, including data management, map production, and inner-organizational accessibility.
– Under the direction of the Director of Conservation, assists with the due diligence research and evaluation of conservation values for new easement projects. Prepares baseline documentation reports for new easements including written, photo and GPS documentation, as well as GIS mapping.
– Assists with entering data related to easement inquiries, stewardship, and projects. Willing to learn new databases for land protection and stewardship, as needed.
– Assists Director of Conservation and other Land Protection and Stewardship staff with preparing materials for Land Protection and Stewardship Committee meetings and Board meetings.
– Develops beneficial relationships with resource-related professionals, organizations, governmental agencies, and non-profits related to stewardship and/or mapping.
– Coordinates with the Executive Director and the Director of Conservation to ensure local involvement and awareness of local issues as they pertain to farming, land ownership, and community in relation to stewardship.
– Serves as one of the points of contact for public/community relations for stewardship issues and assists in creating a cross-functional response to complaints and inquiries.
– Supports outreach efforts, if needed, through event participation, grant strategizing and input, and other activities as directed.
– Works with the Director of Conservation and communications and events staff to assist in developing appropriate communications regarding current protected properties, current and past landowners, and stewardship program language.
– Develops and maintains an interactive, compelling, and informative website map.
– Develops and maintains an interactive, accurate, and easy-to-use internal mapping system that allows office staff to view and explore protected properties and relevant data.
– Cultivates and maintains data sharing relationships, where possible, with city and county planning, PVA, state agencies, and engineering departments across the Bluegrass Region.
– Creates relevant, engaging, and persuasive maps for cultivation events, donor solicitation, community programs, outreach partnerships, and landowner meetings.
Community Outreach, Education, & Events (5%)
– The Stewardship Coordinator assists other staff during Land Trust events such as annual Auction and Friends of Bluegrass Land Conservancy events, as necessary.
– Works with Communications and Events staff to coordinate community outreach efforts and community programs in relation to land protection, conservation, and stewardship programs.
Fundraising (as needed)
– The Stewardship Coordinator assists with events and relevant grant scoping, applications, and management, as needed.
Management (as needed)
– The Stewardship Coordinator has the ability to assist with general office management and function during times of transition and/or need.
Qualifications
The Stewardship Coordinator will be thoroughly committed to Bluegrass Land Conservancy’s mission. He/she should have concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications including:
– Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in natural resources, computer programming, GIS systems, business, land-use planning, law, communications, or related field.
– Minimum of 2 years of experience with GIS mapping or appropriate school experience.
– Experience with GPS data units, data capturing, and data conversion.
– Excellent oral and written communications skills.
– Impeccable organization and file keeping abilities.
– Ability to interact well with a wide variety of people, including a diverse Board of Directors, landowners, local, county, state and federal officials, members of the press, business professionals, real estate and tax professionals, attorneys, scientists, and the general public.
– A capable professional with a style of open communications, accountability, and engagement in generating ideas.
– Ability to travel the Bluegrass Region and drive on rough terrain when needed with a valid driver’s license.
– Ability to walk long distances in rough and/or muddy terrain when needed.
– Proficiency with photography preferred.
Details
Administrative Support
Limited. This position must be prepared to handle his/her own correspondence, filing, records, and report formatting. This position will work closely with the ED, Director of Conservation, Conservation Coordinator, Office Manager, and other staff for any appeals or large mailings related to landowners, as well as easement donor or owner information databasing and filing.
Supervision
Reports directly to the Director of Conservation.
Salary, Benefits, and Schedule
Salary
– Annual salary commensurate with experience, with starting range of $35,000 – $40,000.
– Salary increases based upon performance determined by the Director of Conservation, ED, and/or the Board of Directors.
– Year-end bonus and retirement contributions at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
Benefits
– Benefits include full employee health and dental insurance.
– Paid vacation, holidays, personal days, and sick days as detailed in the BLC Personnel manual.
Schedule
– Full-time, salaried employment.
– Flexible schedule and compensory time off, at the approval of the ED.
Bluegrass Land Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer.
Please send cover letter and resume to Jessie Wilder at [email protected]. Applications accepted through April 1, 2018. Position will remain open until filled.
How to Apply
Please send cover letter and resume to Jessie Wilder at [email protected]. Applications will be accepted through April 1, 2018. The position will remain open until filled.Apply for this Job
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