Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts

The Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts is a unique effort to conserve our forests and support our region’s rural, land-based economy across the Northern Berkshire Mountains, hill towns, ​and riverside villages of northwestern Massachusetts. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed legislation in 2018 to establish the Woodlands Partnership as a public body, led by representatives from member municipalities and including federal, state, and regional agencies, local land trusts, watershed associations, university researchers, and community and economic development organizations, among others. The three-pronged mission includes forest conservation, natural resource-based economic development, and municipal financial stability. For more information, visit WoodlandsPartnership.org.

New England Forestry Foundation

New England Forestry Foundation (NEFF) serves as the Administrative Agent to the Woodlands Partnership and in this role is responsible to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to support the Partnership Board; manage program implementation, fundraising, and grant administration; and sustain connections within the Partnership. As a host organization, NEFF is an advocate for innovative forest-based natural climate solutions. NEFF is a conservation landowner that actively manages forest land, and works to develop improved forest practices and support ecologically aligned forestry. NEFF helps the people of New England to sustain their way of life, protect forest wildlife habitat and ecosystem services, and mitigate and adapt to climate change. NEFF has protected one of every three acres of land conserved in New England this century and is the sixth largest land trust in the nation by acres conserved.

Position Summary

This position is a full-time role (37.5 hours per week) administering the Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts, a 21-town regional collaboration focused on conservation and economic development that sustains the area’s forests and natural resources while enhancing support for rural municipalities. This role will combine direct administrative leadership and operational facilitation of the Partnership’s 35-member Board, Executive Committee and standing committees, as well as communications/public relations, grant-writing, budgeting and reporting in support of the Partnership’s Agent contract and high-priority grants and programs. Funded through a multi-year state contract, this role has dual reporting to the Deputy Director at New England Forestry Foundation, and the volunteer Board Chair and Executive Committee of the Woodlands Partnership. Two years of state funding for this position are currently anticipated, with continuance of support the intention of the Partnership.

Principal Responsibilities

• Communicate and build relationships with members of a large Board of Directors, representing municipalities, regional organizations, and state and federal agencies, as well as Committee Chairs, to set priorities, schedule and facilitate meetings, and plan event logistics.
• Complete program deliverables funded by active state and federal grants, track expenses, and work with NEFF Accounting to submit reports and invoices for reimbursement to funders.
• Work with the Woodlands Partnership Board to set priorities for implementation of the 2023 10-year Partnership Plan and draft funding proposals to support implementation of the Plan, which includes policy priorities such as advocating for equitable state funding for rural municipalities with large amounts of tax-exempt state forest, and acknowledgement of the broader societal benefits of clean air, water, and wildlife habitat provided by this region and its contributions to the health of the global climate.
• Complete a Feasibility Study report (community and stakeholder outreach, final edits and graphic design) evaluating eligibility of Northwest Massachusetts to be designated by Congress as a National Heritage Area.
• Continue building reciprocal relationships and dialogue with Indigenous Communities whose homelands are in the Partnership’s service area.
• Support the Executive Committee and Board in exploring nonprofit status, and the Finance & Budgeting Committee with review of fundraising proposals and administration of grants.
• Draft agendas for review with Board and Committee chairs (Forest Conservation, Natural Resource-based Economic Development, Municipal Financial Sustainability) and public posting with Town Clerks and website in accordance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, and support for volunteer Board member minute-taking and posting.
• Support Board member appointments from member towns and regional organizations, and build the identity of the Woodlands Partnership and its mission within local communities.
• Provide timely response to public records requests, and ensure compliance with state ethics and public meeting training for Board members.
• Coordinate and host educational webinars and in-person events such as woods walks with guest speakers with the Education, Outreach & Research Committee. Create brochures, targeted social media content and web/blog content, and draft content for a quarterly e-newsletter and printed annual report, news releases, and other educational materials as needed.
• Advertise for, support selection of, and provide contracting oversight of consultants for administrative support or specific tasks/projects as needed.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree (preference for a master’s degree or background in environmental studies, forestry, business, sustainability, or related fields).
• Preference for experience with project management, budgeting and grants/contract management.
• Valid driver's license and ability to attend in-person, daytime, or evening meetings at various locations within the 21-town geography of Northwest Massachusetts (Northern Berkshire and Western Franklin counties).
• An engaging and cordial demeanor in person, on webinars and by phone, and ability to work collaboratively with diverse colleagues, as well as members of the public.
• Organized and detail-oriented, with an ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and work effectively with minimal supervision.
• Excellent writing and speaking skills.
• Fluency with Microsoft Office programs including at minimum Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and remote or hybrid meeting (Zoom) set-up and execution.
• Proficient with electronic media including e-newsletters and websites or willingness to learn.
• A passion for and commitment to the values of the Woodlands Partnership and of New England Forestry Foundation, including forest management, conservation, maintaining climate stability, education, and rural sustainability.
• Preference for residence in or near Northwestern Massachusetts and understanding of the importance of the region in supporting ecosystem services far beyond its boundaries.

Working Conditions/ Location/ Physical Effort

• Position is primarily remote office work (may be based at a home office) with frequent Committee meetings (both virtual and in-person within the region) and outdoor events in forested locations in the 21-town Woodlands Partnership region.
• Work will periodically involve irregular hours, such as attending evening or weekend meetings.
• Work typically occurs in an office and requires only light duties in terms of physical activity, with occasional need for lifting boxes of brochures. Requires occasional hands-on support for volunteer activities such as tree-planting, and ability to walk over uneven surfaces while participating in educational woods walks and other activities in remote, natural settings.
• Work will require travel throughout Northwest Massachusetts, periodic trips to NEFF headquarters in Littleton, MA, and occasional conferences or meetings in locations around Massachusetts.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary for this position is commensurate with experience (salary range $80,000 - $88,000 with full benefits additional to salary).
• New England Forestry Foundation offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including health insurance, paid time off, parental leave, and a congenial and flexible working environment.

NEFF full-time staff receive a generous benefits package including: medical insurance with 85 percent of the premium covered by NEFF, with optional coverage for spouses and families; dental/vision insurances covered 100 percent by NEFF, with optional coverage for spouses and families; NEFF-paid life and disability plans; FSA/DCA offerings; four weeks of paid parental leave and an additional eight weeks of unpaid parental leave; 26 days of accrued paid time off (PTO) in a staff member’s first year of employment, with subsequent increases in number of PTO days based on years worked; seven paid holidays; and a 401(k) or Roth IRA with a 50 percent employer match up to the first 8 percent of a staff member’s salary (after six months of employment and fully vested after one year of employment). NEFF offers flexible work schedules, and most positions allow work-from-home options.

New England Forestry Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. NEFF commits to respecting and learning from different perspectives, reflecting the diverse citizens and communities of New England. In hiring, mentoring, and managing staff, the organization seeks to maintain a diverse, supportive, friendly, and discrimination-free workplace.