SUMMARY
The Watershed Conservation Authority (WCA) is seeking Project Managers with a strong landscape design and planning background to lead planning, concept development, and community engagement initiatives advancing watershed management, conservation, and park projects and programs. Work requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment. Duties include skilled written and graphic communications, managing budgets and schedules, managing grants and agreements with government agencies and others, and managing consultant contracts. Tasks require knowledge of best practices in land management, environmental planning, stakeholder engagement, and partnership coordination. The WCA is a local government agency, and the position typically includes participation in public meetings, including reporting to the WCA board as well as updating partner agencies and stakeholder groups with project status and opportunities. Multiple job classifications may be available dependent on experience, with higher classification levels requiring greater levels of responsibility.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILTIES
Duties may include, but are not limited to:
Natural Resource and Recreation Management
- Conduct research and site assessments related to conservation, urban greening, restoration, passive recreation, and active transportation projects.
- Develop project scope and work plans, allocate resources, and manage the selection of professional consultants as needed.
- Develop and manage budgets and schedules to complete projects.
- Develop RFPs and RFQs and manage procurement processes in accordance with agency standards and responsibilities.
- Represent environmental values and service to communities in planning and design development.
- Manage contracts to ensure project deliverables are provided on time and within budget.
- Coordinate with a variety of stakeholders from municipalities, agencies, nonprofits, community, and citizen groups and collaborate to find common ground to forward plans and projects.
- Prepare written and graphic materials with the use of graphic and mapping software platforms to advance project work and support agency partners.
- Make presentations to the Watershed Conservation Governing Board and other entities such as State and County agencies, city councils, councils of government, and local communities.
- Ensuring environmental policy administration in project work including compliance with regulatory authorities, the Californian Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act).
Watershed Planning
- Support high-profile, complex, and politically sensitive planning projects, such as greenway and park master plans, sustainable recreation transformation plans, restoration plans, and trail plans.
- Inventory and assess plan documents, leading research, reports, and spatial data.
- Facilitate community engagement and participatory planning approaches for planning and project development.
- Represent the Authority through participation in regional planning and policy development activities, including the participation in cooperative committees and ad hoc stakeholder groups.
Graphic and Written Communication
- Apply skills with graphic design, mapping, and drafting software for materials including project descriptions, handouts, maps, and website content.
- Research and maintain professional integrity in writing and references.
- Develop conceptual landscape design which may include but is not limited to renderings and informed review of consultant plan documents, design work, and scaled drawings.
- Develop specialized written content for plans, reports, websites, outreach, and interpretive materials.
Grant Management
- Manage existing grants, including reporting, budget tracking, and grant close-out.
- Research, write, and develop grants for current and new projects and programs.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university involving a major study in landscape architecture, environmental planning, urban and regional planning, natural resource sciences, or a closely related field. Graduate work and/or a degree in the above fields are preferred.
- Prefer between two and five years of professional experience, or more for a senior-level position, demonstrating progressive responsibility related to watershed conservation, park planning, landscape architecture, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, park operation, or similar professional work in land planning.
- Job Classification requisite on level of Experience with:
- Managing and tracking multiple projects
- Public engagement
- Developing relationships (e.g. partner organizations, community, government)
- Grant and budget management
- Effective utilization of applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, graphic design software e.g. Adobe Creative Suite, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Environmental regulations, documentation, and processes (permits, CEQA, NEPA, etc.)
- Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform duties.
Environmental Factors and Conditions/Physical Requirements
- May be subject to repetitive motion such as typing, data entry, and vision to monitor.
- May be subject to extended periods of walking, standing, and sitting.
- May be subject to exposure to extreme weather conditions and walking on uneven surfaces and inclines.
- May work extended hours, evenings, and weekends.
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-time, Salary
SALARY & BENEFITS
Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience (Range $67,670 – $76,586 a year).
Full Benefits include health, dental, and life insurance, 457b retirement, generous leave, sick leave, and holidays.
The WCA is on a 9/80 hybrid schedule with every other Friday regularly scheduled off work.
INCLUSION
The Watershed Conservation Authority is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and welcomes any background of race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital, or veteran status.
ABOUT THE WCA
The Watershed Conservation Authority (WCA) is a joint powers authority recognized as a local public entity of the State of California, exercising the joint powers of the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) and Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) pursuant to Section 65000 et seq. of the Government Code. The purpose of the WCA is to expand and improve open space and recreational opportunities for the conservation, restoration, and environmental enhancement of the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers Watershed area consistent with the goals of flood protection, water supply, groundwater recharge, and water conservation.
WCA’s vision of Connecting Communities through Nature embraces a ‘work with nature’ approach to watershed enhancement. WCA partners with local and regional entities to plan and implement projects to improve our watersheds through investment in open space, parks, trails, bikeways, and greenways. WCA maintains more than 500 acres of open space, ranging from foothills lands to urban river parks that serve some of the densest and most diverse communities in the country. Additional information can be found at wca.ca.gov.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a cover letter, resume, list of 3-4 references, and any other relevant information regarding this position to the Watershed Conservation Authority at staff@wca.ca.gov