Southwest Region Project Coordinator

  • Full-time

Company Description

The Forest Stewards Guild, a national organization of foresters and allied natural resource professionals, is dedicated to practicing and promoting responsible forestry as a means of sustaining the integrity of forest ecosystems and the human communities dependent upon them. The Guild has 600 members, over half of whom are professionals who manage over 42 million acres of forestland in the United States and Canada. The Guild maintains regional offices in New Mexico, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

Job Description

The Forest Stewards Guild is hiring a full-time position in the Southwest! The Southwest Region Coordinator will, 1) add capacity to the Southwest team by assisting Project Managers with existing programmatic efforts and forest restoration projects; 2) help grow the program in the Southwest region by contributing to proposal writing and project development; and 3) independently coordinate select projects across the Southwest landscape in New Mexico and beyond.

Candidates should be deeply rooted in southwestern ecology and communities, have education and/or experience in field forestry and conservation, and bring strong organizational and communication skills.

The successful candidate will have a degree in forestry, ecology, natural resource management, or related field with professional experience. This individual will have excellent organizational, communication, and written skills, possess the ability to work alone, outdoors, and in remote locations, and demonstrate a passion for advancing ecological forestry in the Southwest. The Guild has a strong base in the Southwest, and the ideal candidate will possess the drive to sustain and strengthen the Guild’s regional presence and impact. Previous experience in field forestry and wildland fire in the region, coupled with project management experience, is highly desirable. The successful candidate will have a passion for developing prescribed fire and promoting forest health, and a clear commitment to working with diverse populations in an inclusive environment.

The Southwest Region Project Coordinator will support activities in our current programmatic areas, which may include:

  • Socio-economic and ecological monitoring data collection and analysis for collaborative forest restoration projects
  • Assisting Guild partners with NEPA planning and scoping
  • Working with the Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition and Fire Adapted Communities New Mexico on building fire adapted communities, wildfire mitigation and forest restoration
  • Independently coordinating and implementing the Managed Fire Research project and the Forest Health Initiative
  • Assist in the implementation of the Forest Stewards Youth Corps program
  • Participate in burn operations at the direction of a burn boss to implement safe low complexity prescribed burning with minimal smoke impacts 

The Coordinator will work closely with our Santa Fe-based team and collaborate with Guild staff across regions.

The successful individual will:

  • Communicate with project partners and collaborate with teams using software such as Asana, SharePoint, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.
  • Assist Project Mangers with tracking budgets, match, metrics, and deliverables for projects.
  • Maintain relationships with diverse project partners across multiple states.
  • Represent the Guild at professional conferences or events and occasionally perform public speaking, such as PowerPoint presentations or panel discussions.
  • Develop and facilitate education and outreach activities for private landowners and natural resource professionals.
  • Convene and facilitate collaborative and community meetings.
  • Perform grant writing and reporting to a variety of different funders, including private foundations and government grants.
  • As projects require, work in variable weather conditions, in remote locations, on difficult or hazardous terrain, and in other physically demanding environments
  • Assist with the collection and analysis of ecological monitoring data using forest, rangeland, and water resources protocols

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Knowledge and experience in southwestern forest ecosystems and communities
  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in fire ecology, forestry, or other natural resources management related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
  • Experience collecting and analyzing ecological monitoring data.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Strong organizational skills
  • Ability to work both independently and with a team
  • Effective knowledge of common software applications such as Microsoft office
  • Working knowledge of ArcGIS
  • Valid driver’s license
  • The drive to strengthen and expand forest stewardship in the Southwest
  • Ability to pass a pack test and earn Wildland Firefighter certifications
  • Based on qualifications of applicant, participate in or lead resources during burn operations at the direction of a burn boss to implement safe low complexity prescribed burning with minimal smoke impacts

Preferred Qualifications:

  • NWCG qualification as a Wildland Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss).
  • Grant writing experience
  • Experience in facilitating meetings and large groups

Additional Information

Additional information

The position pays $20 per hour. Paid leave and paid holiday benefits are provided. Employer sponsored comprehensive health care and dental care coverage is available on the first day of the month following 30 days of continuous employment. Participation in a retirement plan with an employer match is available after 90 days. The Forest Stewards Guild is an equal opportunity employer.

The Guild is dedicated to providing an open, transparent, and just organization and workplace. We strive for clear, open, and kind communication and are committed to recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and supporting practitioners from underrepresented communities. We are dedicated to building a work culture that recognizes the inherent value of our employees, supports a healthy work-life balance, and provides an environment that supports personal growth.

Location

The position is based in Santa Fe, and the candidate should be prepared to work remotely for a time pending the resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact Us

Interested applicants should visit this job posting on SmartRecruiters.com, and click “I’m Interested” below to submit one-page cover letter, resume, one-page writing sample, three professional references, and earliest available start date by 3/25/21. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Note: After clicking “Next” on the initial application page, you will have an opportunity to upload the cover letter and reference documents.

Also note: The one-page writing sample format is flexible. It can be on a natural resource subject of your choice; it can be a press release, newsletter article, research brief, or other sample of your writing capabilities.

Questions can be directed to Esmé Cadiente at (505) 470-0032 or esme (at) forestguild.org.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.