This position is part of a collaborative effort among the Powder Basin Watershed Council (PBWC), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and private landowners to promote working land conservation and restore sage-grouse habitat and populations in Baker and Union Counties,Oregon. The successful candidate will work with landowners to enroll private properties in the Greater Sage-grouse Programmatic Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances for Private Rangelands (CCAA) in Oregon’s Baker and Union Counties. The position collaborates with landowners and other conservation partners to create site specific plans (SSPs) with appropriate conservation measures to reduce threats to sage-grouse on private lands. The position will work to secure grant funding to help amplify the Baker/Union County CCAA efforts. This appointment serves as an integral member of the Baker Sage-Grouse Local Implementation Team (LIT), which secured multi-year funding through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) Focused Investment Partnership (FIP). The position serves as a liaison between federal, state, and local government programs, private landowners and NGO partners that have funding and expertise to address threats to sage-grouse and sage-grouse habitat and sagebrush-bunchgrass ecosystems.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES
Duties assigned to this position include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Promote enrollment of private lands in the CCAA program through a combination of one-on-one meetings, presentations, tours, social media, media releases, participation in community events and other outreach activities. Coordinate outreach activities with partner agencies to maximize impact.
2. Develop voluntary conservation agreements and SSPs with landowners to improve or maintain ecosystem function on private lands. This includes baseline inventory of rangelands using standardized tablet-based data collection, ArcGIS mapping, and written documents that identify conservation measures to maintain and promote sage-grouse habitat and align with the Comprehensive Sage Grouse Threat Reduction Plan for the Baker Priority Area for Conservation.
3. Assist landowners in the implementation of identified voluntary conservation measures by serving as a liaison between landowners and local partners with expertise and/or funding. As needed, serve as a project manager to implement the SSP – conservation measure implementation.
4. Conduct annual monitoring and provide written reporting to PBWC, CCAA Advisory Board, FWS and others as necessary.
5. If applicable, supervise assigned seasonal support staff; coordinate and review work; ensure work follows appropriate guidelines.
6. Collaborate with the LIT, FIP and other partners to develop and deliver educational outreach and/or training for the general public (landowners, youth groups, community organizations, etc.) on identified topics (e.g. sagebrush wildlife obligates and habitat; rangeland management practices, and funding opportunities – Farm Bill Programs (NRCS), Partners for Fish and Wildlife (FWS), and OWEB FIP, etc.).
7. Foster collaboration and strong working relationships among federal and state natural resource agencies, counties, landowners, NGOs and related partners to maintain healthy working rangelands and wildlife habitat.
8. Attend trainings, conferences, seminars, statewide meetings, etc. at the recommendation of the position’s supervisor in order to stay current on new practices, laws, programs, and other items of interest that may be beneficial to implementation of the CCAA program.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS OVER THIS POSITION
This position serves under the supervision of the Executive Director of PBWC. The employee works independently and as part of a larger team, consulting with partners and supervisor for professional advice and providing updates to supervisor, PBWC Board of Directors and the CCAA Advisory Board.
GUIDELINES
Work is performed within established organizational policy and procedures; federal, state and county statutes, rules and regulations. Must be able to work within the guidelines of the grant requirements.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position requires a flexible work schedule that varies in the days and number of hours worked on a daily basis, but not necessarily each day, and does not exceed forty (40) hours in a workweek. Work exceeding 40 hours per week requires prior approval by the supervisor. Work will be conducted in an office environment and outdoors in all weather conditions. Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods of time over rough terrain; lift and move material weighing up to 50 pounds. Must be able to communicate verbally, hear voice conversation and sit for extended periods.
COMPENSATION AND DURATION
This position is a non-exempt, full-time position with funding secured through at least December 30, 2026. Salary for this position ranges from $27-32/ hour and includes eight hours per month of sick and vacation leave each, up to 3% matching employer contributions to a retirement account, a healthcare stipend of $500 per month and eleven paid holidays per year. Annual automatic cost of living salary raises based on the federal calculation and annual raises or bonuses based on job performance may be available. The position requires the use of a personal vehicle, with expenses for work-related travel reimbursed at the state-approved rate ($.655/mile for 2023).