Stewardship Manager/Project Manager

Lancaster Conservancy

Department: Stewardship
Reports To: Senior Vice President of Stewardship
Status: Full-time, exempt

Who we are and what we do:

The Lancaster Conservancy is a 501(c)3 private, non-profit land trust accredited by the Land Trust Alliance. The Conservancy has been successfully preserving and stewarding natural lands in Lancaster & York Counties for over 50 years, culminating in a portfolio of 8,000+ acres across 50+ nature preserves. Recently, the Conservancy has significantly increased its pace in preserving the remnants of interior forest and other natural landscapes within the Susquehanna Riverlands and Pennsylvania Highlands bioregions of Lancaster and York Counties. The Conservancy’s greatest success is its proven ability to connect individually preserved parcels into broad conservation areas; it has done so through strategic land acquisitions, stewarding existing forest, and restoring degraded ecosystems.

Position Description

The Conservancy is seeking a skilled project manager to manage stewardship projects from concept to completion in relation and addition to management plan development as well as the maintenance of databases for our in-fee and conservation easement portfolios.

Primary Duties

  • Maintain databases and geodatabases including, but not limited to:
    o In fee portfolio
    o Conservation Easement portfolio
    o Inventories, project and task trackers
  • Baseline Documentation Reports, including but not limited to:
    o Co-develop Baseline Documentation Reports with Land Protection Coordinator
    o Track Baseline Documentation Report development and associated management plan needs
  • Preserve Management Plans including, but not limited to:
    o Develop and update preserve management plans including narratives, spreadsheets, and asset inventories, maps and graphics
    o Compile work of other team members and present in a singular voice
  • Project development and management including, but not limited to:
    o Cut sheet development including defining project scope, budget, timelines, and developing project maps, schematic designs and graphics annotated with project details
    o Grant writing, tracking, and reporting
    o Research ordinances and develop permit applications for local and state jurisdictions
    o Develop Request for Proposals and contracts
    o Advance and track projects through benchmarks to completion
  • Work closely with GIS Technician to:
    o Manage and maintain technology, systems, and equipment for field data collection and cloud sharing between field and office
    o Manage data collected in the field to merge into permanent stewardship geodatabases and project documents
    o Provide technical support to Stewardship field staff
  • Other duties as assigned: the Conservancy is a small but rapidly growing land trust that requires all employees, at times, to step into other areas of need.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture or design, project management, natural resource management, parks & recreation management, GIS or other related field. Master’s degree preferred
  • Familiarity with accreditation standards
  • Demonstrated proficiency in project development and project management including cut sheet development, grant writing and reporting, deed and zoning research, permit applications, request for proposal development, and contract execution
  • Demonstrated proficiency in managing and tracking projects through benchmarks to completion
  • Demonstrated proficiency in Excel and/or project management software
  • Demonstrated proficiency with ArcGIS Pro along with ArcGIS Online and related suite of applications including Survey 123, and Field Maps
  • Demonstrated proficiency in using GIS for mapping, analyzing, inventorying, modeling, compiling and documenting data as well as transferring data between office and field including in real time and converting file types (such as CAD surveys to GIS shapefiles)
  • Proficiency with mobile field data collection technology, including troubleshooting and supporting field-based teams
  • Proficiency in flying drones with FFA Part 107 license or willingness to acquire license within one year
  • Demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Suite, including Illustrator or InDesign and Photoshop
  • Proficiency in managing GIS file structures and in creating and managing complex geodatabases
  • Experience managing a conservation easement portfolio and/or familiarity with the Land Trust Alliance’s re-accreditation standards as they relate to conservation easement programs
  • Demonstrated success in grant writing, grant management, and grant reporting including state and federal grants
  • Familiarity and comfort working with municipal, county, state, and federal agencies as well as contractors for collaborative opportunities, funding, permitting/regulations, and oversight
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills (including technical writing) and strong interpersonal skills; must have the ability to work successfully in groups and independently
  • Goal oriented, self-directed, and attentive to details, with excellent organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities
  • Familiarity with land trusts, parks and recreation, or public lands management and displaying strong conservation ethics
  • Willingness to perform field work and the ability to hike long distances over varying terrain in all weather conditions, coupled with experience in orienteering using a map and compass as well as GPS devices
  • Experience providing for risk management including developing risk management plans
  • Experience with orienteering using a map and compass as well as GPS devices.
  • Must possess a valid PA driver’s license.
  • Must provide proof of compliance with PA child abuse background checks (the Conservancy is willing to assist).
  • Familiarity with Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices.

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with competitive pay and benefits. The Lancaster Conservancy is headquartered in Lancaster City, PA. This position allows for some remote work and also requires work being performed on Conservancy preserves across Lancaster County and areas of York County. Additionally, at times, this position may work from our regional stewardship facilities. Travel is reimbursable.

How to Apply

Interested, qualified applications should send a cover letter and resume to Brandon Tennis, SVP of Stewardship at [email protected] (Beth Hacker, Operations Manager & Executive Support) by Sunday, August 21st, 2022 by 11:59pm. Please list your last name and ‘StewardshipManager’ as the email’s subject line (i.e. LastnameStewardshipManager).

Lancaster Conservancy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.