Land Acquisition Program Manager (Freshwater Flows)

Job Title: Land Acquisition Program Manager (Freshwater Flows)

Reports to: Director of Land Acquisition

Ready to apply your skills and interest in land acquisition, habitat protection and restoration, project management, and regional planning? Want to be part of a talented, deeply committed, and national award-winning conservation organization?

Sonoma Land Trust (SLT) is looking for a person with experience in managing a portfolio of real estate transactions that have resulted in the protection and stewardship of land, water, and biodiversity. SLT serves a diverse audience with broad cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, and orientations. We encourage applications from candidates who reflect and value the audiences and populations we serve.

Overview

The Program Manager will serve as the lead for SLT's Freshwater Flows Strategy by coordinating with stakeholder coalitions to develop innovative watershed and climate resilience programs, particularly for the Russian River. The primary responsibilities are to advance nature-based solutions for watershed health through land acquisition, policy change, and securing public funding. The Program Manager will be highly proficient, confident, and excel at communicating about the program to both internal and external audiences.

Primary Responsibilities

Watershed Conservation Planning, Policy Development and Funding (60%)

• Partner with Sonoma County, State, and Federal agencies to implement and fund SLT's watershed restoration and management priorities.
• Represent SLT in the Russian River Confluence and other public and private groups and foster tribal partnerships to improve coordination of watershed restoration and management.
• Partner with SLT's Public Policy and Funding Program Manager to create new policies and funding sources focused on improving habitat and water quality conditions in the Russian River.
• Collaborate with the Russian River Stewardship Program Manager to implement the restoration goals, strategies and action items for the Freshwater Flows Focal Strategy, the Russian River Subwatershed Assessment and other relevant SLT plans and priorities.
• Build strong collaborations for ambitious and innovative approaches to the systemic challenges to watershed health faced by human and natural communities along the Russian River.
• Partner with an inter-departmental team to develop and implement community and landowner engagement strategies in support of high priority conservation projects.
• Stay current on riparian restoration science and policy developments to inform our ongoing work.

Land Acquisition Projects (30%)

• Develop strong relationships with local landowners and community leaders.
• Coordinate with the Russian River Stewardship Program Manager on all aspects of fee and conservation easement acquisition and water transaction projects. These include landowner contacts, project evaluation, site visits, project budget, negotiation of transaction terms, due diligence, drafting acquisition grant applications, site visits, and closing.
• Coordinate project review with SLT staff, real estate professionals (lawyers, appraisers, surveyors, biologists) and appropriate agencies, organizations, and other partners.
• Secure necessary acquisition funds from public and foundation sources as needed.

Administrative Duties (10%)

• Contribute Acquisition team administration work to ensuring that our policies and practices meet current professional standards and accreditation requirements.
• Assist in the screening, evaluation and disposition process for inquiries for inclusion in the SLT portfolio.
• Assist with preparation of acquisition team strategic plans, annual work plans, and budgets.

Essential Qualifications

• SLT is open to candidates with diverse backgrounds, experience, and transferable skills. We are looking for candidates with experience such as:
• A four-year degree in natural resource management, environmental policy and funding advocacy, land use and/or environmental planning, real estate or a related field.
• 4 - 6 years of experience in negotiating and closing conservation (or other complex real estate) transactions.
• 4 years of experience in the conservation policy field at the local, state, or federal level. This can include working for advocacy groups, policy research organizations, staffing elected officials or representing government bodies.
• Working effectively with a broad range of diverse groups to build trust and confidence and in turn incorporate group input into strategy goals.
• A working knowledge of real estate practice and/or law; ability to draft legal and technical documents for conservation transactions such as purchase agreements title memos and property evaluations.
• A valid driver's license.
• The ability to work flexible hours including occasional weekends and evenings.
• Proficiency with standard computer applications and office systems.

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated experience building trust and effectively partnering with Indigenous groups.
• Demonstrated success in fostering or developing public/private partnerships and/or multi-party collaborations on landscape scale challenges.
• Demonstrated success in securing funding from public agencies and foundations.
• Experience with private, major gift philanthropy.
• Practical and academic knowledge of natural resource issues (e.g. water, forestry, agriculture, land use, flora and fauna, wetlands restoration, etc.).
• Fluency with emerging public policy issues affecting land use and land preservation, including climate change, biodiversity loss, habitat protection, and water quality and quantity.
• Effective writing skills, including grant applications.
• Skill in public speaking, and ability to represent SLT in a public forum.
• Knowledge of ArcGIS software a plus.

Schedule, Salary & Benefits

This position is full time, 40 hours per week (exempt status).

Salary starting at $125,000 commensurate with experience. Benefits include generous employer contributions to medical, dental and vision insurance plans. Employer contribution to retirement plan after 1 year of employment. Paid time off includes 15 paid holidays, paid vacation based on tenure and personal and parental leave in accordance with SLT policies and procedures.

This position is located at the Sonoma Land Trust office in Santa Rosa, California. Staff are working in a hybrid model. Some fieldwork required.

About Sonoma Land Trust

Sonoma Land Trust works in alliance with nature to conserve and restore the integrity of the land, with a focus on climate resiliency. The organization is also committed to ensuring more equitable access to the outdoors. Since 1976, the non-profit Land Trust has protected over 60,000 acres of scenic, natural, agricultural and open land for future generations. Sonoma Land Trust is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and was the recipient of the 2019 Land Trust Alliance Award of Excellence. For more information, please visit the Sonoma Land Trust website.

We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment that is representative of the communities we serve. We know that having varied perspectives leads to better outcomes to solve the complex problems of conservation, climate change and environmental justice in Sonoma County.

And to best serve the people of our community, we are taking the actions outlined in our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan.

To Apply

Please submit your application package through the BambooHR platform linked here. Your application should include:

• Resume
• Cover letter

If you have any issues or questions about the application or need an accommodation, please email: staffing@sonomalandtrust.org

Sonoma Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We strive to create a diverse and inclusive organization and encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, national or regional origins, sexes, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military or veteran status or other status protected by law.