North Central Washington Project Manager

ABOUT TROUT UNLIMITED

Trout Unlimited (TU) takes care of the rivers and clean water that trout, salmon and communities around the country depend on. We believe the most complex and seemingly insurmountable challenges can be solved when people come together and get to work. We are a nationwide network of advocates, outdoor-enthusiasts, volunteers, anglers and staff dedicated to protecting places where trout and salmon thrive and recovering rivers and fisheries that need help and making our water resources more resilient to climate change. We want to make sure healthy rivers and fisheries are available for all people to use and enjoy. TU staff and grassroots work collaboratively to implement TU’s Priority Waters initiative. The project manager joins a team of 20 TU staff members in Washington state, including seven staff in Eastern Washington. 

POSITION SUMMARY

TU seeks to hire a self-motivated and collaborative project manager to implement restoration projects to benefit aquatic resources and native and wild fish populations in Upper Columbia Basin watersheds in Washington State. The project manager will be responsible for working cooperatively with partners to develop new and carry-forth ongoing restoration projects. The position requires an individual who is well organized, action oriented, and capable of working well with a team with diverse backgrounds and personalities.

Competitive candidates for this position will demonstrate strong project management skills and technical abilities related to river restoration, water rights, hydrology, ecology, and partnership-building. The successful applicant will manage existing projects, work with TU staff and stakeholders to conceptualize and develop new projects, secure funding for new and existing project activities, and support other TU WA team members as necessary. The Project Manager will be expected to manage projects from conception to completion and be a leader in working on project-oriented habitat restoration and conservation. This position may require travel and intermittent field work, and it will be based out of TU’s Twisp or Wenatchee offices (work-from-home option).

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Partner with landowners, water right holders, tribal partners, agencies and conservation partners on cooperative projects to improve streamflows and water supply reliability.
• Develop, design, coordinate, and implement protection and restoration projects resulting in fisheries habitat restoration and/or enhancement to benefit aquatic species and overall ecological function in priority watersheds.
• Identify funding sources, prepare grant proposals, and secure funding for instream flow and habitat restoration projects.
• Work with supervisor and other TU staff on priority projects in Eastern Washington and the Upper Columbia Region. 
• Foster and maintain positive relationships with landowners, tribes, state and federal agencies and other stakeholders with varying political and social backgrounds.
• Manage project implementation including budgeting, scheduling, coordination of partners, contractor selection and oversight, and reporting.
• Attend, participate, and represent TU in meetings relevant to TU’s mission.

This is not an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities.

• A minimum of 3 years relevant work experience and bachelor’s or advanced degree. 
• Experience with riverine restoration techniques, Washington water rights, water use, irrigated agriculture, and irrigation delivery systems.
• Project management fundamentals, construction management basics, and multi-party negotiations
• Experience with project development, implementation, and management including construction projects that involve design development, partner coordination, securing funds and managing budgets, competitive procurement, contractor selection and oversight, and reporting.
• Functional knowledge of conservation, riverine ecology, fisheries biology, hydrology, and watershed processes
• Nuanced understanding of how to enable local knowledge to help shape projects and how to work respectfully in partnership with local leaders and rural communities
• Developed grant and technical writing skills
• Superior interpersonal skills and ability to work constructively with a wide range of partners and personalities
• Capable of simultaneously managing multiple complex projects with multiple funding agreements
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as research and analytic skills
• Demonstrated organizational and problem-solving abilities
• Demonstrated experience which indicates ability to prioritize workload, to be highly motivated and self-directed
• Comfortable with public speaking and meeting facilitation 
• Have a passion for fisheries conservation and for protecting and restoring rivers and streams
• Experience using MS Office, Word, and PowerPoint
• Ability to periodically travel overnight 
• Hold a valid driver’s license

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with large-scale restoration projects and/or irrigation delivery infrastructure projects and thorough understanding of applicable construction methods and practices.
• Understanding of engineering design concepts; restoration project construction and management.
• Previous employment in North Central Washington or similar landscape.
• Experience with project permitting for aquatic restoration projects and in-water work.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in applying, please complete the full application and include a cover letter with your resume. We will begin reviewing applications on October 9th. The position is open until filled.

Staff and leadership at TU understand that life outside of work is important to personal health, and we strive to create a healthy and family-friendly atmosphere. This is a full-time position with a generous benefits package. The salary range for the position is $60-70k/year depending on experience.

At TU, we value a diverse representation of staff, and we actively seek candidates for this position who come from communities that have been historically under-represented in conservation and those who have been most impacted by degraded rivers and streams. We are committed to building space for all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome you to read more about TU’s equity practice and values https://www.tu.org/equity/.