Caracara Trails Project Manager

Open until filled.

About Us
cdcb | come dream. come build. is a private, 501 (c)(3). Founded in 1974, to eliminate persistent
poverty, advance prosperity and increase economic justice by building healthy places to live, creating
just financial products and planning/organizing communities to eliminate poverty. cdcb is governed by a
13-person community-based Board of Directors that serves on a volunteer basis to determine policy for
the corporation. We serve the southernmost area of the United States – The Rio Grande Valley of Texas,
which shares its border with Mexico on the south, and the Gulf of Mexico on its east.

Job Description
cdcb seeks an enthusiastic community organizer/project manager for a multiyear, term-hire Project
Manager (PM) for the implementation and promotion of the Caracara Trails.

cdcb is partnering with the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the
University of Texas School of Public Health – and the cities of Brownsville, Harlingen, Combes, Los
Fresnos, Los Indios, Port Isabel, Rio Hondo, San Benito, South Padre Island, Laguna Vista and Rancho
Viejo – the Caracara Trails comprises of 428 miles of proposed trails – including 230 miles of multiuse
trails, 120 miles of U.S. Bicycle Routes, and 78 miles of Texas Paddling Trails that will showcase the vast,
expansive beauty of the region’s beaches, wildlife preserves, waterways, cultural sites and geographic
landmarks.

The vision was first developed in 2016 with the purpose to:

• Link communities of the Rio Grande Valley through a regional active transportation network,

expanding transportation options;

• Fuel strong businesses and economies by diversifying the local tourism market and generating

new economic opportunity throughout the Rio Grande Valley;

• Promote social equity by providing safe and affordable access to recreational opportunities that

improves the quality of life for the region;

• Encourage the use of the active transportation network to promote healthy lifestyles and

improve the overall wellness of the region; and

• Protect the environment by increasing awareness of the natural environment and the local,

state, federal or international agencies that manage them.

The vision continues to be implemented and expanded, with the following significant milestones:
2016 - Lower Rio Grande Valley’s Active Transportation and Active Tourism Plan

2017 - A Healthy Advantage: Expected Economic Benefits from Implementing the LRGV Active Plan

2018 - LRGV Active Plan Branding & Marketing Study: Caracara Trails Brand Guidelines

2019 – Caracara Trails Coalition: Advisory Committee Bylaws (forming a governance structure)

2020 – Caracara Trails 2020-2021 Action Plan (objectives/metrics)

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives on juggling multiple deadlines and wearing
many different hats at once, and who can operate with minimal in-person supervision and work well
with multiple stakeholders, all to drive forward the amazing vision of the Caracara Trails.

Specific responsibilities include the following:

• Develop and manage a coalition of stakeholders and advocates to develop and promote a

seamless network of multimodal active transportation options. This includes:

o Organizing and leading 4-6 Caracara Trails Advisory Committee meetings a year
o Coordinating quarterly, or as needed, Working Group meetings for the: United States

Bicycle Routes, Texas Paddling Trails, Marketing, Research, etc. Working Groups.
o Other project or program specific collaborations/meetings with local government

officials, community members, nonprofit groups, etc.

• Build upon the Caracara Trails Coalition by identifying and cultivating community and business

leaders, partner organizations, to serve as liaisons/spokespersons for the project.

• Preparing for and facilitating public events (i.e. Opening Day for Trails, groundbreaking

ceremonies, ribbon-cuttings, etc.), community engagement, and workshops to educate and
promote the Caracara Trails initiatives. Working with RTC Communications Staff.

• Close gaps in the existing trail network, with a focus on:

o Conducting ongoing field work and outreach to gather GIS data and information on

current conditions of trails, land ownership, rail corridors, public access, and other
amenities.

o Utilizing that data, working with local partners, RTC Trail Development Staff, and
RGVMPO Staff to develop conceptual trail plans and implement strategic land
acquisition planning to develop “shovel-ready” projects.

o Identifying and cultivating appropriate partners from the economic development,
tourism, public health, and private sectors to support filling priority gaps.

• Working in collaboration with the Coalition to grow and diversity financial support by securing

public and private dollars to implement the proposed trail network, including:

o Seeking creative funding streams to support the vision at the local and state level
o Partnering with fundraising team to develop funding proposals and associated budgets
o Leading implementation of grant deliverables and reporting out on programmatic

outcomes and impact.

• Represent the project and the organization before a variety of public audiences.

Qualifications
Qualified candidates will have a proven track record within one or more of the following areas of work:
trail planning; bike-ped/transportation planning; urban planning; landscape architecture; public
policy/administration; active tourism, natural resource planning; project management; or economic
development.

The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with the ability to manage multiple tasks and a
widely varied workload. Specific skills and attributes include the following:

• Excellent skills in building and maintaining collaborative and strategic relationships with a

variety of stakeholders, such as local and state government officials and agencies;
transportation, planning, economic development, conservation, and health organizations; and
community-based nonprofits.

• Strong people and group-facilitation skills and experience with coalition building

• A solid understanding of the process of moving a trail plan from concept through to the design-

build phase

• Advanced PM skills and experience, including ability to take multi-faceted projects plans from

conception through to completion and the ability to develop/manage complex budgets

• Outstanding oral and written communication and strong interpersonal skills; ability to work at

all levels of the organization

• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills, with demonstrated ability to develop strategic

approaches for stakeholder involvement and meeting facilitation

• Proficiency in GIS and Excel (required)

• English fluency

• Conversational Spanish (fluency preferred)

• Valid driver’s license

The following qualifications are preferred:

• Experience using the Adobe Creative Suite or other design software a plus

• Bachelor’s degree or higher

How to Apply
Please use one form of transmitting your résumé. No phone calls please, unless contacted for an in-
person interview. Recruiters, please do not contact our offices.

Commitment to Diversity
cdcb is an equal opportunity employer and seeks qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion,
gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or national origin. Women and diverse applicants are
encouraged to apply.