Stewardship Director (Part Time) Position Available In Clarke, Georgia

Stewardship Director (Part Time) Oconee River Land Trust Athens, Georgia Job Type Permanent
Salary $27 – $30 per hour
Deadline Jul 01, 2025
Experience 2 – 6 years

Job Title:

Stewardship Director

Location:

Athens, GA

Job Type:

Part-Time (20 hours/week)

Pay:

$27 to $30/hour, commensurate with experience

Application Deadline:

July 1, 2025 The Stewardship Director plays a crucial role in overseeing and managing various aspects of our conservation projects, from new projects to ongoing stewardship and outreach efforts.

Primary responsibilities will include:

New Project Management:

• Conduct initial site visits to determine project details and feasibility.
• Prepare, write, and edit project prospectuses, outlining the objectives
• Deliver presentations at board meetings to seek approval and feedback for new conservation projects.
• Engage in discussions with landowners to build relationships and secure conservation agreements.
• Review and assess draft baseline documentation reports and conservation easements for new projects.

Stewardship Management:

• Annually monitor a portion of the conservation easements ORLT holds through a combination of in-person visits and remote monitoring using satellite imagery
• Follow up with landowners regarding any issues that might have been observed (erosion or clearing of vegetation where not permitted, for instance), working to
  find mutually beneficial solutions wherever possible.
• Complete monitor reports and compose monitor letters for each property monitored, including, on occasion, drafting monitor letters for other staff members.
• In addition to annual monitoring, conduct visits as needed to follow up on issues or if notified of potential issues by neighboring landowners.
• Draft or review land management plans for compliance with conservation easements and write letters of approval
• Review landowner requests of various kinds for consistency with conservation easements and draft approval letters or denials as needed

Record Keeping and Management:

• Maintain records of forest management plans, conducting regular checklists and reviews to ensure sustainable management of protected lands.
• Maintain records of properties monitored for each calendar year
• Manage the conservation easement record-keeping process for annual visits, tracking any changes or developments to the land.

Outreach:

• Contribute to outreach efforts, including producing content for ORLT’s newsletter.
• Assist in organizing membership hikes to engage with the community and showcase the beauty of protected lands.
• Collaborate on website content and brochures to promote our conservation initiatives, participating to a limited degree.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree
• Deep commitment to protecting natural and agricultural lands
• Basic knowledge of ecosystem services and environmental impacts of development and other threats to the environment
• Experience in project management and conservation initiatives
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail for record keeping
• Effective communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, landowners, and board members

Additional Desired Skills:

• Knowledge of conservation easements and baseline documents a plus
• GIS competence a plus
• Fundraising experience a plus
• Experience in outreach and community engagement a plus