Plants Program and Crew Coordinator

The Coos Watershed Association (Association) is a 501(c3) nonprofit that was established in 1994 by a diverse group to stakeholders with a mission to; support environmental integrity and economic stability within the Coos watershed by increasing community capacity to develop, test, promote, and implement management practices in the interests of watershed health. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors and managed by the Executive Director. To learn more about our work please visit our website: www.cooswatershed.org.

The Association is seeking a qualified professional to join our dynamic team and fill the position of Plants Program Coordinator. This is an at will, full-time (min 35 hours/week), hourly, non-exempt position with benefits. The Plants Program Coordinator will work both in the office and field. The Coos Watershed Association is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) provider.

The Plants Program Coordinator is expected to work 10 hour days when conducting field work as a part of the restoration crew (Monday – Thursday 7:00 am – 5:30 pm) and may choose to work 8 hour days when conducting office duties. Forty hours of work every week is not guaranteed; however, there may be other work opportunities within the organization to supplement hours. As per all positions at the Association, this position is 100% grant funded and the applicant will be expected to continue to secure funding for this position.

Start Date: February 17th – 24th

Compensation: $14.50-$16/hour, depending on experience. Benefits include paid vacation, holidays, sick leave, retirement plan, and medical and dental insurance benefits.

Supervision: The Plants Program and Crew Coordinator is supervised by the Executive Director and works under the daily direction of the Plants Program Manager, and the Restoration Crew Lead when working with the crew.

Essential functions: the essential functions of this position requiring prioritizing and completing all assigned tasks in a timely and efficient manner, adjusting for changing priorities and availability of resources, and demonstrating initiative in identifying future project opportunities. These duties are a representative example of position expectations, actual duties assigned may vary and change depending on funding and Association needs.

• Help facilitate native plant nursery management with direction from the Plants Program Manager. This includes, but is not limited to duties such as: implementing nursery best management practices, maintaining plant inventory, ordering plants, watering, propagating and heeling in plants, collecting plant material, weeding, assisting with infrastructure improvements, grounds keeping, and administrative duties as assigned.
• Conduct vegetation monitoring activities for Association and fee for service projects. This includes duties such as: data collection, management, and analyses, report writing, and managing project timelines and budgets.
• Help develop and manage grants and fee for service contracts. This includes, but is not limited to: coding crew timesheets, preparing invoices, coding receipts, tracking equipment rentals and conducting grant monitoring activities and reporting.
• Work out in the field with Restoration Crew part time and as needed. This includes duties such as planting, fencing, site preparation, erosion control work, and invasive species removal.
• Work with Plants Program Manager to hold weekly team meetings that include: Plants Program Manager, Plants Program and Crew Coordinator, Restoration Crew Lead, and the Noxious Weed Coordinator and Project Managers as needed. The purpose of these meetings is to coordinate long and short term schedules, budgets, and Association needs.
• Help supervise, mentor, and support a summer youth work crew under the supervision of the Plants Program Manager and Restoration Crew Lead. This includes, but is not limited to: working with the crew on restoration project maintenance, provide training on safe working conditions and ensure protocols are being followed, transport youth crew members to project sites, perform administrative duties as needed, attend Oregon Youth Conservation Corps Crew Leader Training.

• Assist in developing project opportunities and funding resources (grants, cooperative agreements, fee-for-service contracts, etc.) to support the restoration, noxious weed, summer youth crew and nursery programs. This includes working with project managers to develop grant language, budgets and timelines for planting and crew activities.

• Follow appropriate safety protocols; educate crew members on safe working conditions; ensure crew members are following safety protocols at all times
• Work with other Coos Watershed Association programs as needed which may include duties such as road or tidegate surveys, Life Cycle Monitoring surveys, invasive species control, data entry, report/grant writing, or assisting with CoosWA’s high school programs
• Contribute to outreach activities as needed
• Participate in board activities as needed
• Actively participate in staff and other team meetings
• Communicate respectfully and effectively with other staff, supervisors, board and partners
• Create and maintain positive relationships with landowners and other members of the Coos Watershed community
• Maintain a team player mentality and pitch in as needed to help ensure all aspects of the Association’s work is successful
• All other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in botany, natural resources, biology, ecology, forestry, environmental science or related field
• 2+ years of experience in natural resource work
• Strong knowledge of native and invasive plant species to the Pacific Northwest
• Computer skills including GIS, Microsoft Office, and GPS equipment
• Strong interpersonal skills necessary to develop, establish and maintain effective, professional, and collaborative relationships with staff, board, funders, and project partners
• Excellent proven abilities to communicate clearly both orally and in writing
• Excellent time management skills and ability to be productive in a collaborative work environment
• Ability to conduct short and long-term planning of project timelines and workloads
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects at the same time.
• Ability to adjust to a variable work schedule based on project needs (i.e., early mornings, long hours, seasonal fluctuations, etc.) and ability to work in varied work environments and conditions (i.e. cold temperatures, hot temperatures, windy, wet, dry, etc.)
• Strong organizational skills
• Must be 18 years old or older
• Must have current driver’s license, auto insurance and reliable vehicle to use for work purposes
• Ability to lift 40 pounds
• Ability to work in the field in all types of weather (wind, rain, sun, heat, cold)
• Ability to safely operate, or strong willingness to learn, mechanical equipment (tractor, weed whacker, mower, hand tools)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Project management experience including preparation of budgets, tracking of expenditures, and preparation of required financial and project completion reports
• Grant writing experience
• Experience working with youth (high-school aged) in an outdoor setting
• Experience with habitat restoration
• Demonstrated track record of success in fundraising, including preparation of grant applications, coordination with funders (local, state, and federal agencies, and private foundations), and solicitation of donations