About the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance

The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-founded and rancher-led nonprofit based in Malta, Montana. RSA is the leading force behind positive change for rural communities in the Northern Great Plains. Through conservation programs, community connection, and educational outreach, RSA improves quality of life and promotes land stewardship for generations to come.

About the United Range Program

United Range is RSA’s shared-access grazing (alternatively known as grassbanking) program, anchored by the 7,758-acre Webb Ranch Homestead near Loring, Montana (2,706 deeded acres + 5,052 BLM). The program serves as a campus for the next generation of ranchers as well as mentoring producers while advancing land health, wildlife habitat, and ecosystem stewardship.

Unlike traditional grassbanks where producers must own land to participate, United Range meets beginning and building ranchers where they are. Tenants graze in common and earn incentives by taking steps that set them up for long-term success. Tenants run cattle together under a shared grazing management plan from approximately May through September each year.

Position Overview

The United Range Program Manager is the on-the-ground leader of the Webb Ranch Grassbank. This person is the connective tissue between the land, the tenants, the Governing Committee, and RSA’s broader mission. They manage the day-to-day and season-to-season health of the ranch, build and execute the annual grazing management plan, cultivate relationships with grassbank tenants, and help implement the educational and mentorship components of the program. The ideal applicant will be responsible for building out the program as a whole. The position is designed to manage 4-10 tenants, all determined by the amount of cattle each producer brings on.  This is a hands-on role that requires someone who is as comfortable on the land as they are in a meeting room, and who genuinely believes in the power of well-managed grasslands and a strong rural community.

Key Responsibilities

Grazing Management and Land Health

• Develop and implement the annual grazing management, ensuring habitat goals and land health benchmarks are met.
• Monitor forage conditions throughout the season and adjust stocking rates or rotation patterns as needed.
• Track and manage AUM utilization across both deeded and BLM acreage.
• Oversee compliance with BLM grazing permit requirements and coordinate with the Bureau of Land Management as needed.
• Monitor and maintain water infrastructure, including the well, pipeline, and stock tanks.
• Conduct regular fence monitoring and coordinate repairs to maintain pasture integrity.
• Monitor for and coordinate the treatment of invasive species.
• Work with tenants on coordinating mineral and supplement programs.
• Maintain records of grazing use, monitoring data, and land health observations for annual reporting.

Tenant Relations and Program Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all United Range tenants during the grazing season.
• Facilitate monthly check-in calls with tenants during the active season and coordinate and plan all pre- and post-season annual meetings.
• Coordinate move days and work with tenants to build a collaborative, cooperative grazing culture.
• Track tenant compliance with program requirements (education commitments, community participation, monitoring participation, stockmanship training, etc.).
• Support the application and onboarding process for new tenants, including in-person interviews and orientation.
• Assist in tracking tenant graduation criteria and help tenants build a long-term pathway toward independent production.

Mentorship and Education

• Embody and model the values of RSA’s mission
• Facilitate connections between new ranchers and mentor producers within the tenant cohort.
• Support the planning and execution of on-ranch educational events, workshops, and stockmanship training.
• Contribute to RSA’s broader educational programming when applicable.

Infrastructure and Operations

• Oversee routine maintenance and operation of ranch improvements including fences, corrals, working facilities, loading chute, Quonset, equipment, and grounds.
• Coordinate with contractors for larger repair or infrastructure projects.
• Manage supplies and equipment within an approved budget.
• Work with other RSA staff to build an annual program and property budget.
• Coordinate hay feeding logistics as needed during extreme weather or forage shortages.
• Maintain thorough records of maintenance work, expense receipts, and operational notes.

Program Development and Expansion Planning

• Work collaboratively with RSA staff and the Governing Committee to refine and build out program systems, policies, and procedures as United Range matures including long-term support and fundraising.
• Contribute to the development of frameworks, tools, and infrastructure needed to sustain the United Range Program.
• Participate in community outreach, donor engagement, and fundraising events as a representative of the United Range Program.
• Contribute to data collection efforts that support RSA’s storytelling, grant reporting, and ecosystem service enterprise goals.
• Advocate for the program in both written and verbal formats.
• Help develop replicable program systems that could inform future grassbank campuses in other communities.
• Assist in developing a robust management plan for the Veseth ranch and property- a committed donation in the organization’s future.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The United Range Program Manager frequently works outdoors on a large, remote working ranch in eastern Montana. Duties require frequent physical activity, operation of vehicles and equipment, and work in changing weather and terrain.

The employee must be able to:

• Frequently stand, walk, climb, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, grasp, and perform repetitive hand and arm movements while performing ranch operations.
• Regularly lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 75 pounds. Typical items include fence posts, rolls of wire, feed bags, mineral tubs, gates, tools, pumps, and equipment components. Team lifting or mechanical assistance should be used when appropriate.
• Safely operate pickups, UTVs, ATVs, tractors, trailers, skid steers, and other ranch equipment, including mounting and dismounting equipment multiple times throughout the day.
• Sit for extended periods while driving across the ranch, hauling equipment or livestock, or traveling to meetings and supply locations.
• Walk over uneven, rocky, muddy, snowy, or otherwise challenging terrain, including steep slopes, creek crossings, and unimproved roads.
• Work outdoors for extended periods in a wide range of environmental conditions, including extreme heat, sub-zero temperatures, high winds, rain, snow, dust, smoke, mud, and prolonged sun exposure.
• Maintain sufficient vision, hearing, depth perception, and situational awareness to safely operate vehicles and equipment, work around livestock, identify hazards, and communicate effectively by radio, cell phone, email, and in person.
• Tolerate exposure to livestock, wildlife, insects, chemicals used in ranch operations, loud equipment, dust, pollen, and other agricultural conditions while using appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Respond to emergencies involving livestock, fences, water systems, equipment failures, wildfires, severe weather, or other operational needs, which may require strenuous physical activity and extended work hours.

Work schedules vary seasonally. The position may require early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and extended workdays during calving, grazing movements, haying, fencing, wildfire response, and other peak operational periods.

The position is based in a remote rural location where cellular service, internet access, and emergency services may be limited. The employee must be capable of working independently for extended periods while exercising sound judgment and maintaining effective communication when available.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in range, livestock, or natural resource management—through education, hands-on ranching, or a combination of both.
• Experience working with livestock, including cattle handling and basic animal care.
• Practical knowledge of grazing management, rotational grazing systems, and range monitoring.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to build trust-based relationships with diverse ranching community members.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and make sound decisions in the field.
• Willingness and ability to work in variable and physically demanding conditions (temperatures from -30°F to 110°F, remote terrain, long days during key season periods).
• Passion for responsible ranching and wildlife conservation.
• Knowledge of rural communities – familiarity with Phillips County ranching community and landscape a plus.
• Comfort with basic computer programming and ability to learn new software.
• A valid driver's license and a driving record acceptable for the employer's insurance requirements are required. Regular travel throughout the ranch is an essential function of the position, with occasional travel outside the ranch for meetings, training, purchasing, or coordination with agency and conservation partners.
• Additional preferred qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in range science, agriculture, natural resources, or a related field.
• Knowledge of BLM grazing permit administration and public land management.
• Experience with or knowledge of grassbank models, conservation grazing, or regenerative ranching practices.
• Ability to identify native plants, grasses, and invasive species of the Northern Great Plains.
• Experience with or willingness to learn GIS and land monitoring tools.
• Experience with mentorship, teaching, or community education in an agricultural context.
• Passport (Given the location to Canada)