Position Summary
SFC is seeking a passionate multi-disciplinary professional, to join our leadership team and champion SFC’s integrated and diverse stewardship vision across our service region. The Stewardship Director oversees the stewardship of SFC conserved lands ensuring that conservation easements and fee title preserves are managed for the preservation, enhancement, and durability of conservation values. This position is responsible for planning and implementing the Stewardship Land Management Plan and budget, directing all land management activities on SFC conserved lands. This position reports to the Executive Director & Operations Director, collaborates & confers as a member of the leadership team that includes the Conservation Director and Development Director, and effectively supervises, mentors, trains, and inspires a dedicated team of Stewardship staff. The Stewardship Director works closely with the land conservation team on land conservation projects to ensure that long-term stewardship responsibilities are integrated. The Stewardship Director ensures that all land-related management, habitat restoration, monitoring, enforcement, reporting, and recordkeeping tasks are fulfilled according to SFC’s policies and procedures and Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices.  Other duties include overseeing contractors, working with labor crews, volunteers, Tribes, ranchers, agency leadership and personnel. The Stewardship Director leads grant writing, grant project management, and grant budgeting for projects on conserved lands.  

This position requires a mix of office and administrative work, as well as fieldwork across SFC’s service region. Flexible schedule is required, as weekend and evening events, field days, and out of region travel are occasionally necessary.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three years related experience in land management or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and lead a department/team and its stakeholders.
• Experience in operations management, field crew leadership, and all aspects of land stewardship management.
• Demonstrated experience in the development, management and implementation of annual workplans and associated budgets.
• Experience with grant writing, grant management, billing, and grant reporting
• Experience working with or extensive knowledge of natural systems. Ability to recognize plant and animal species to complete stewardship and restoration activities.
• Knowledge of and ability to answer questions regarding current trends and practices in conservation, land management, ranching, and natural resource preservation and restoration.
• Ability to manage time and diverse activities under deadlines while delivering quality results and reports.
• Experience working with private landowners, Tribal Partners, public resource management agencies, land trusts and other non-profits.
• Experience using GIS/GPS hardware and software. Working knowledge of applications (e.g. ArcGIS, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Excel, etc), and ability to build maps using ArcMap.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management or related field
• Knowledge of terrestrial and aquatic ecological principles with an emphasis on Sierra Nevada ecosystems preferred.
• Experience in resolving stewardship issues with landowners while maintaining a strong track record of positive working relationships.
• Familiarity with Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices for stewardship.
• Experience interpreting aerial and satellite imagery.
• Rangeland Management experience.
• Part 107 FAA drone licensure

Responsibilities

Resource Management - 20%

• Oversee the development, Implementation, and annual review and revision of a Stewardship Lands Management Work Plan, with annual analysis of budgeting and staffing resources.
• Develop annual Stewardship Program Budget in partnership with Leadership.
• Track Stewardship Program Budget progress throughout the fiscal year and report to leadership quarterly.
• Oversee the development, review and update management plans for all preserves and easements.
• Develop, review and update long term funding assessments in collaboration with the Conservation Director & Operations Director
• Ensuring annual or more frequent monitoring of SFC properties and easements as indicated in management plans, and that monitoring and reporting is done within Land Trust Accreditation Standards. Manage easement notices, requests for approval, violations, and amendments.
• Lead restoration work teams composed of staff, contractors, volunteers, and partners. Recruit, train, and supervise volunteers and staff. Coordinate with partners, agencies and experts as needed.
• Lead research, development, and implementation of grant applications for stewardship, restoration, and administer grant agreements. Work in collaboration with the Operations Director to ensure all grants are billed, reported, and tracked per funder requirements and SFC policy.
• Identify stewardship project and program needs and opportunities for funding and partnership development.

Preserve Management- 20%

• Manage, mentor, and cultivate the Stewardship Program Staff to ensure workload balance, that the focus of assigned tasks is on priority budgeted projects, and that direction and oversight is given to ensure annual work plan is implemented.
• In keeping with the Stewardship Lands Management Plan, oversee & perform day to day land management activities focused on improving the ecological health of conserved lands.
• Ensure professional and skill development resources are available and utilized by stewardship program staff
• Ensure that maintenance of roads, trails, buildings, fences, signs and other aspects of properties is maintained and improved as necessary
• Coordinate the development and updating of Preserve Management Plans
• Research, analyze and manage vendors and contractors for all stewardship work projects. Coordinate the work of contractors that are approved for stewardship work.
• Oversee Baseline Documentation preparation, ensuring that the cataloging and documentation of conservation values is held to Land Trust Accreditation Standards and follow SFC Policy and Procedures.

Land Conservation -20%

• Ensure that all new land conservation projects adequately address long-term stewardship needs.
• Work with land conservation program to transition projects to stewardship program.
• Work with leadership, land conservation staff, and legal counsel to manage conflict scenarios (such as conservation easement violations)
• Advise new project and work with potential landowners on long term project expectations.
• Working with the Land Conservation team, help conduct potential CE landowner outreach within our service area.

Financial/Administrative - 30%

• Develop and administer the land stewardship budget.
• Actively pursue funding for stewardship work, manage grant reporting and billing
• Develop relationships with funding agencies and private foundations.
• Strategically develop multiyear program funding plan in concert with the Executive Director & Operations Director.
• Oversee the supervision of Stewardship Staff.
• Head of the SFC Safety Committee. Organize Safety Trainings to SFC staff and volunteers.
• Oversee contracts, leases, and easement stewardship program.
• Familiarize and evaluate the filing structure of the stewardship department to ensure that all stewardship files and CE documentation are maintained per Land Trust Accreditation Standards and SFC Records Policy.

 Public Outreach - 10%

• Build cooperative, effective working relationships with partner agencies, Tribes, ranchers, neighbors, conservationists and scientists.
• Develop presentation proposals for regional, state, and national conferences
• Participate in outreach, education, and fundraising events
• Develop written and visual communications for SFC outreach and engagements to showcase the stewardship department
• Respond to landowner requests for information