Employment

Watershed Outreach Specialist

WATERSHED OUTREACH SPECIALIST

Full-Time

Position Summary:

The Watershed Institute, a dynamic and multifaceted nonprofit conservation organization, is seeking a fulltime Watershed Outreach Specialist. The Outreach Specialist serves as a provider of resources for non-profit organizations, municipal “green teams” and environmental commissions, and professionals engaged in watershed protection and restoration efforts in the state of New Jersey.

The Outreach Specialist helps these partners address issues affecting water quality, water quantity, and overall watershed health. This position requires a motivated and organized candidate to promote civic leadership across the state by providing a variety of resources and services as outlined below. The Outreach Specialist works in The Watershed Institute’s Policy Department under the direction of the organization’s Policy Director.

Responsibilities Include:

• Provide administrative and policy support to the New Jersey Council of Watershed Associations, a
  collaboration of more than 20 local watershed organizations in the state.
• Provide one-on-one technical assistance relating to various environmental and local governance issues.
• Organize and execute an annual workshop series designed to cultivate effective, inclusive and representative civic leadership on watershed-related issues.
• Manage a small grant program that supports watershed associations and conservation organizations in New Jersey.
• Help manage The Watershed Institute’s web resources, social media, and other outreach tools.
• Coordinate the annual NJ Watershed Conference.
• Assist with efforts of the Policy Department to advocate for clean water protections and other organizational priorities, initiatives, and events as needed.
• Work to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the watershed community by elevating and supporting a diverse contingent of emerging civic leaders.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher with three years of related experience.
• Expertise in the environmental field and commitment to civic engagement.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Project or program management experience.
• Partnership and coalition-building experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to interface in a professional and warm manner with diverse stakeholders.

Preferred applicants will have some familiarity with watershed management and environmental policy and/or advocacy work, nonprofit management, and grant writing. Website/social media experience desired. The Watershed Institute is committed to building a culturally diverse organization and strongly encourages applications from people of color.

Position Location:

Our office is located in the LEED-Platinum Watershed Center on the 950-acre Watershed Reserve at 31 Titus Mill Rd in Pennington, NJ. To learn more about The Watershed Institute, please browse our website.

How to Apply:

Applicants should e-mail a cover letter, resume and salary requirements to Kevin Walsh, Deputy Director [email protected]

Delaware River Advocate

DELAWARE RIVER ADVOCATE

Full-Time, Two-Year Position (with possibility of extension) 

The Watershed Institute is hiring a Delaware River Advocate to help the organization build awareness and support for protecting the Delaware River and its tributaries and to help us reach and engage underrepresented communities in the greater-Trenton region. This is a two-year position, with the possibility of extension. The Watershed Institute is committed to building a culturally diverse organization and strongly encourages applications from people of color, particularly residents of Trenton and neighboring communities.

Position Summary:

The Delaware River Advocate will help The Watershed Institute teach area residents about the Delaware River, threats to its environmental health, and programs that can help protect and restore the river. This multi-disciplinary position will work in The Watershed Institute’s Policy Department under the direction of the organization’s Policy Director and will also work closely with the organization’s education and science teams to promote related programs in the Delaware River Watershed. Previous experience or education in environmental policy and/or science is required, and experience or willingness to learn how to paddle a canoe is preferred. Excellent written and verbal communications skills, great attention to detail, and the ability to engage diverse stakeholders in a professional and warm manner are essential to success in this position.

Specific Duties:

• Engage communities within the central Delaware River Watershed (10 towns between Lambertville and Trenton) to build support for protecting the Delaware River and its tributaries.
• Help coordinate meetings between Watershed Institute policy staff and municipal environmental commissions to discuss local and state measures to protect local streams.
• Help coordinate presentations by Watershed Institute policy staff to municipal governing committees about local and state measures to protect local streams.
• Help coordinate canoe trips on the Delaware River with policy-makers, key decision-makers, and influential individuals.
• Represent The Watershed Institute at community fairs & festivals.
• Assist Watershed Institute scientists in identifying locations for expanding water quality monitoring programs and organizations that have the capacity and interest to administer these programs.
• Occasional evening & weekend hours are necessary.

Position Location:

The Delaware River Advocate will be based at the Watershed Center at 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington, NJ 08534 and spend time within 10 New Jersey municipalities in the central Delaware River Watershed between Lambertville and Trenton.

How to Apply:

Please email a brief letter expressing your interest in this position and describing any experience and/or education courses in environmental sciences and/or community organizing to: Kevin Walsh, Deputy Director, The Watershed Institute at [email protected]