Overview

The Stewardship Coordinator ensures The Vital Ground Foundation's conservation projects are adequately stewarded according to the organization's adopted Policies and Procedures through monitoring, development and implementation of land management plans and activities, oversight of contracts and agreements and effective engagement with partners on a variety of stewardship related activities that provide an enduring benefit to the public and wildlife.  Vital Ground is an LTA-accredited land trust that deploys various conservation tools including conservation easements, land acquisitions, habitat restoration, and support of local, state, federal and tribal conservation efforts throughout the Northern Rockies to accomplish its mission.  Under the direction of the Stewardship Manager, the Stewardship Coordinator also undertakes a variety of tasks to support the Conservation Program such as working with landowners on conservation easements and use of GIS software to prepare maps and reports.

Specific Duties

Monitoring and Stewardship

Maintain Vital Ground’s fee-title stewardship properties and support conservation easement stewardship in accordance with the organization's Policies and Principles. Primary duties include:

• Monitoring, maintenance and management of fee title properties in Montana and Idaho.
• Pursue and manage grant agreements and contracts for stewardship related activities.
• Report and adequately document all fee title property monitoring activities.
• Work collaboratively on the development and implementation of baseline resource documents and stewardship management plans and actions such as forest health improvement projects, wetland restoration activities and noxious weed control projects.
• Conduct post-restoration monitoring on restored properties.
• Engage project partners, stakeholders and the public about Vital Ground's stewardship activities.
• Work on various GIS projects such as creating maps for management plans, baseline resource documents, and other program related projects. GIS work also includes collecting field data and translating it into ArcPro.
• Assist Stewardship Manager with monitoring of conservation easements activities including: conducting landowner interviews, physical inspections of properties and review of forest and grassland management plans.
• Manage fee title property access program and leases.
• Maintain trail camera monitoring program.

Programmatic, Administration & GIS

• Work collaboratively with staff to pursue funding opportunities to support restoration projects on fee title properties.
• Maintain the Lands and Conservation Program database files.
• Write occasional articles for Vital News or other outreach materials and occasionally present information and represent Vital Ground at meetings and conferences.
• Support program staff on acquisitions including grant applications, baseline resource report development, due diligence and transactional matters.
• Support Stewardship Manager with various tasks such as maintenance of hard filing system, electronic filing system, and other various projects.

Essential Qualifications

• At least two years’ experience in natural resource management, such as forestry, wetland management, restoration ecology, rangeland management with a land trust, conservation organization, natural resource management agency, or equivalent experience.
• Undergraduate or graduate degree in natural or environmental science, resource conservation, geography, wetland ecology or restoration science.
• A working knowledge of forestry, ecology, and wetlands management.
• Demonstrated experience working with agency and/or tribal partners and with landowners, ranchers or farmers on natural resource matters.
• Strong organizational, planning and problem-solving skills.
• Confident and safe navigation of rural environments and rugged terrain with maps and GPS.
• Comfort working in the field independently and collaboratively on projects.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including technical writing.
• Science based approach to observation and documentation. Familiarity with standard field sampling techniques including vegetation identification, photographic documentation, GPS data collection.
• Proficiency with map creation using ESRI ArcPro, databases, Microsoft and Google software.
• Familiarity with Land Trust Alliance best practices and land trust work.

Work Load, Time and Location

This is a full -time, exempt position with flexibility in the work schedule, (approximately 40 hours per week.) This position requires regular time in the field and hours in the office.  Regular travel is required throughout western Montana, North Idaho, and periodic out-of-state travel for meetings, trainings or seminars. Periodic overnight travel is required and irregular hours can be anticipated.

The position is based in Missoula, Montana.

Compensation and Benefits

• The salary range is $55,000-$60,000 and offers are commensurate with experience.
• 403(B) retirement plan with employer contribution.
• Generous health insurance stipend and employer-paid disability coverage.
• Progressive leave package including paid vacation, sick leave and holiday schedule.

Reports to: Stewardship Manager

Application Instructions:

Please send cover letter, resume and references to Brittani Johnson, Stewardship Manager, at bjohnson@vitalground.org. The application period closes on March 25. Selected applicants will be sent an email with details for the interview process.

About the Vital Ground Foundation

The Vital Ground Foundation is a charitable 501(c)3 organization and an LTA-accredited land trust.  Our mission is to protect and restore North America’s grizzly bear populations for future generations by conserving wildlife habitat and by supporting programs that reduce conflicts between bears and humans.  Based in Missoula, Montana and working throughout the northern Rocky Mountains, we envision a permanently connected landscape that ensures the long-term survival of grizzlies and the many native species that share their range. By connecting public land strongholds with protected private lands, Vital Ground is the only land trust dedicated to large-landscape conservation for the benefit of grizzly bears, other wildlife and people.

As a land trust, we complete land purchases and partner with private landowners on conservation easements. Our projects keep wild places wild, working lands working, and open spaces open. Since our founding in 1990, Vital Ground has helped conserve and enhance around 1,000,000 acres of habitat.

We focus our efforts on crucial areas where private lands connect the wild strongholds of the Northern Rockies. By protecting these vital corridors, we foster movement and crucial genetic exchange between grizzly populations at risk of isolation. Currently, our One Landscape Initiative aims to protect 188,000 acres in 33 key linkage areas identified through rigorous collaborative planning.