Employment

Job Title: Water Policy Associate 
Location: The Watershed Institute, Pennington, NJ   
Job Type: Full-Time, hybrid  
Reports To: Policy Director   
Application Deadline: April 30, 2026

About The Watershed Institute:   

The Watershed Institute is dedicated to keeping central New Jersey’s water clean, safe, and healthy. Through a combination of conservation, advocacy, science, and education, we work to protect and restore our environment and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.  

Position Summary:  

The Watershed is seeking a bilingual (English and Spanish speaking)  advocate to work with six municipalities (Hightstown, East Windsor, Hamilton, Trenton, North Brunswick, and Manville). The Watershed Policy Associate will work with community members, elected officials and municipal staff to develop and implement policies and practices to reduce flooding and protect and improve water quality. 

Key Responsibilities:  

• Providing education and technical support relating to: 

• Developing Watershed Improvement Plans required by the new Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit 

• Development and adoption of municipal ordinances impacting flooding and water quality including stormwater management, tree protection and stream corridor 

• Promoting watershed scale regional planning to address flooding and water quality issues; 

• Building relationships with community groups, providing forums for residents to share information about how flooding and water quality are affecting them and to engage them in advocating and taking individual action to address the issues; 

• Developing strategies and tools to provide Spanish speaking populations with education and opportunity to engage with efforts to address flooding and improve water quality; 

• Being the backbone staff for the Jersey  Water Works   Green Infrastructure Committee. Meetings are quarterly via Teams or Zoom, with one in-person meeting once or twice a year. Duties include creating and sending out the agenda, sending the meeting invites, hosting meetings, and uploading attendance and meeting notes to Basecamp; 

• And other duties as assigned. 

Please note: This job requires attendance at municipal meetings, which often take place in the evenings. 

Qualifications:   

• Fluent speaking and writing in Spanish 

• Familiarity with municipal government and/or environmental policy 

• Passion for the environment 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills   

• Experience in maintaining and building enriching relationships with municipalities 

• Excellent organizational skills, including multitasking, time management, and meticulous attention to detail   

• Ability to work, adjust, and make swift decisions under pressure   

• Ability to collaborate with diverse needs, personalities, and work styles with optimism and a solution discovery mindset   

• Be comfortable with technology and be able to manage and use different software platforms.   

Compensation & Benefits:   

• Salary range: $50,000 to $57,000, commensurate with experience. 

• Health, dental, vision and Life insurance. 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution.   

• Benefits include paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal time. Some evening and weekend hours are required with this position.     

• A collaborative and mission-driven work environment  

How to Apply:   

Submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references to jobs@thewatershed.org. Please include “Water Policy Associate – Bilingual” in the subject line.   

The Watershed Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.