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, the majority 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, and Wisconsin.

The Forest Stewards Guild is hiring a full-time position in the Southeast! The Manager will be responsible for managing the Guild’s Southeast program, budget, and membership, from the bottomland hardwoods of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley to the upland forests of the Southern Appalachians. The successful candidate will help fulfill the Guild’s mission of ecological forestry in the Southeast United States and advance existing projects. Candidates should have strong project management skills, including grant writing and administration, knowledge and experience in field forestry and conservation, and the ability to think strategically.

Position Description

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, the ability to work alone outdoors in remote locations, and a desire to support ecological forestry in the Southeast. The Guild has been rapidly expanding in the Southeast, and the ideal candidate will possess the desire and leadership skills to sustain and strengthen the Guild’s regional presence and impact. The ideal candidate will play an active role in promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice both within the Guild and with our partners.  Previous experience in field forestry and fire management in the Southeast, coupled with project management experience, is highly desirable.

The Southeast Region Manager will manage existing forest conservation projects across the region, with a focus on four programmatic areas: 1) shortleaf pine restoration, 2) bottomland hardwood management, 3) wildlife forestry, and ) connecting sustainable supply chains to positive conservation impact (www.foreststewardsguild.org/southeast-region/). The Manager will be responsible for managing all project activities and deliverables, maintaining partner and funder relations, and identifying and pursuing new funding and partnership opportunities. The Southeast Region Manager will work closely with our Southeast Region Coordinator and collaborate with Guild staff across regions.

The successful individual will:

•    Track budgets, match, metrics, and deliverables for projects.
•    Maintain relationships with a diversity of project partners and funders across multiple states in the Southeastern United States.
•    Manage project work-flow and collaborate with a team using software such as Asana and Microsoft Teams.
•    Co-lead and facilitate education and outreach activities for private landowners and natural resource professionals with the Southeast Coordinator.
•    Convene and facilitate collaborative and community meetings.
•    Represent the Guild at professional conferences or events and perform public speaking, such as PowerPoint presentations or panel discussions. 
•    Perform grant writing, administration, and reporting to a variety of different funders, including private foundations and government grants. 
•    Oversee and support the delivery of technical forest and fire management services with other Guild staff and/or contractors (e.g. management plans, burn plans).
•    As needed and desired, may support Guild partners’ prescribed fire operations.
•    As projects require, work in variable weather conditions, in remote locations, on difficult or hazardous terrain, and in other physically demanding environments.
•    Engage Forest Stewards Guild members through conference calls and meetings alongside the Coordinator.
•    Maintain and grow partnerships for Southeast programs.

Minimum Qualifications:
•    Clear verbal and written communication skills
•    Ability to work both independently and with a team
•    Project management experience
•    Leadership/mentorship skills and self-direction
•    Master’s degree or equivalent experience in forestry, environmental science, fire ecology, or other natural resources field
•    Effective knowledge of common software applications
•    Grant writing experience 
•    Forestry knowledge or experience in Southeast forest ecosystems
•    Strong organizational skills
•    Valid driver’s license

Preferred Qualifications:
•    Fire management experience and/or desire to learn 

The position pays $25 per hour. Paid leave and paid holiday benefits are provided. Employer sponsored comprehensive health care and dental care coverage is available after 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 will be based in Asheville, North Carolina, but the candidate may work remotely for a time. A proven record of successful independent remote work and collaboration is desirable.

Start Date

The Southeast Region Manager will ideally be committed to the job and present for our 25th Anniversary Guild Gathering in Asheville, North Carolina August 19-21, 2021.

Contact Us

Interested applicants should visit the job posting on SmartRecruiters.com and click “I’m Interested” to submit one-page cover letter, resume, one-page writing sample, three professional references, and earliest available start date by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 27, 2021. 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 Amanda Mahaffey at (207)432-3701 or amanda (at) forestguild.org.

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