Title:                     Land Stewardship Manager

Reports to:        Director of Land Protection

Supports:           Director of Land Protection

Supervises:         Land Steward, Interns, Vendors, Consultants, and Volunteers as needed

POSITION SUMMARY

The Land Stewardship Manager oversees the stewardship of fee-owned lands and conservation easements, including monitoring, enforcement, and land management. This position supervises stewardship staff and contractors, develops and implements management plans, and supports land protection activities to ensure that Big Waters’ conservation goals are achieved.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position involves both office and fieldwork. Fieldwork includes strenuous activity in varying and adverse weather conditions, traversing uneven or rugged terrain, and working in high-noise environments. The role requires:

• Lifting up to 50 lbs occasionally, 20 lbs frequently, and 10 lbs constantly.
• Driving vehicles for work-related duties.
• Climbing ladders and equipment; bending, stooping, crawling, and reaching.
• Strong visual acuity, depth perception, and auditory awareness.
• Occasional work in and around water.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Essential Functions

Stewardship Supervision

• Develop and oversee stewardship management and work plans.
• Manage stewardship budgets.
• Supervise land management staff, interns, and volunteers.
• Direct and review conservation easement (CE) monitoring.
• Maintain accurate stewardship records.
• Ensure stewardship activities comply with best management practices and all applicable laws.

Land Stewardship

• Enforce conservation easement terms in alignment with Land Trust Standards and Practices.
• Perform property management, monitoring, and enforcement on Big Waters fee-owned and CE lands as needed, supporting supervised staff.

Conservation Planning

• Maintain working knowledge of Big Waters’ Conservation Plan.
• Research land ownership and conservation values of priority properties.

Landowner Support

• Assist and advise landowners, including CE landowners, on land management planning.
• Review CE reserved rights requests and ensure compliance with approved activities.
• Meet with landowners and assess how Big Waters can support them through:
• Conservation easement and fee-simple acquisitions or donations.
• Connections to stewardship assistance programs.

Land Protection

• Support property evaluations, including assessment of conservation values, management needs, and potential liabilities.
• Prepare and submit project evaluations to the Director of Land Protection.
• Assist with drafting conservation easements and ownership strategies aligned with stewardship best practices.
• Write and review Baseline Documentation Reports.
• Assist in securing funding for land protection and stewardship, including supporting partnerships with government agencies, conservation organizations, and private entities.

GIS

• Create maps to support land acquisition and conservation planning.
• Use GIS for spatial analyses, such as identifying properties with specific natural resource attributes or landowners meeting defined criteria.

Outreach and Communications

• Assist in creating outreach materials.
• Support outreach and education efforts on a limited basis.
• Write grant proposals for land conservation and stewardship.
• Attend Big Waters Foundation events as a representative of the organization.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in natural sciences (biology, forestry, environmental studies, restoration ecology, botany, or related field). Relevant experience may substitute for a degree with demonstrable expertise.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in stewardship and land protection, including work with volunteers, ecological restoration, exotic species control, replanting, reporting, plan writing, and CE monitoring/enforcement.
• Proficiency in GIS applications and spatial analysis.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to organize and manage volunteers effectively.
• Strong conflict-resolution skills and ability to maintain positive relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability and willingness to collaborate with local, state, regional, and national partners to build strong conservation coalitions.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to set priorities.
• Capacity to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team.
• Flexible, self-directed, and able to work under pressure.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and accurate record keeping.
• Ability to read maps and navigate in the field using maps and GPS.
• Ability to operate and maintain hand tools, power tools, and field equipment.
• Competency with computer software including ESRI ArcGIS, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and web-based tools.
• Physical ability to travel to remote properties, hike and wade through varied terrain and conditions, and work outdoors for extended periods with potential wildlife encounters.
• Valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and clean driving record (Florida license required).
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.

Desirable Qualifications

• Familiarity with Florida native plants.
• Ability to identify plants using a dichotomous key.
• Comfortable with public speaking and presentations.
• Florida Herbicide Applicator certification.
• First Aid certification.
• Prescribed Fire certification(s).