PROJECT MANAGER- SOUTH SOUND VOLUNTEER SERVICES

About EarthCorps

EarthCorps brings together passionate and hardworking young adults from the US and countries around the world, for a yearlong environmental leadership training program in Seattle, Washington.  Our participants learn leadership skills by working collaboratively, leading 10,000 community volunteers each year, and executing technical environmental restoration projects including salmon stream restoration, native tree plantings, invasive plant removal, wetland and shoreline restoration, and trail construction.

EarthCorps envisions a world where people and nature thrive together. Our philosophy is that the act of environmental restoration strengthens our relationship to the earth, ourselves, and to each other, and should benefit all people.

Position Summary

The Project Manager position is a regular, part-time exempt position based in Tacoma, WA leading EarthCorps’ South Sound volunteer event management services to several cities in the Puget Sound region. EarthCorps’ volunteer program leads volunteers in urban forest restoration tasks and stewardship of public rain gardens including removing invasive weeds, planting native vegetation, and the long-term maintenance of restoration sites. This position develops and manages those services in the City of Tacoma with the Department of Environmental Services and the City of Federal Way with the Parks and Recreation Department. The position involves community outreach; recruitment, training, and coaching of long term site stewards; project development and coordination with city staff; contract management; field leadership of volunteers, overseeing volunteer events and maintaining safety and well-being standards.

Duties & Responsibilities

Project Management:  

  • Manage annual volunteer contracts including reports, work logs, budget and invoicing.
  • Coordinate the annual Green Tacoma Day event to include planning, implementation and evaluation in collaboration with government, nonprofit, community and corporate groups.
  • Create long term and annual ecological restoration work plans for assigned upland forest sites in collaboration with community members, site stewards and agency personnel.
  • Prepare and plan all aspects of volunteer event coordination with contracting agency.
  • Collaborate with Volunteer Coordinator to ensure volunteer recruitment goals are met.
  • Serve as on-site project manager for volunteer events ranging in size from 5-200 people.
  • Set production, quality and safety goals for all projects with volunteers
  • Ensure all projects meet quality and quantity expectations as well as budget and timeline goals based on contract.
  • Manage tools & equipment

Volunteer Program Development and Management:

  • Develop & Implement a long-term site steward program in collaboration with the City of Tacoma to engage volunteers in the ecological restoration of forested open-space city land.
  • Develop and lead training and education curriculum for site stewards
  • Collaborate with the EarthCorps Volunteer Program Team to coach, mentor and supervise EarthCorps program participants.
  • Coordinate with clients and development team to present opportunities and participate in securing funds.
  • Lead by example working alongside volunteers to encourage quality work and positive relations.
  • Collaborate with the EarthCorps Volunteer Program Team for tools needs, vehicle needs, and staffing weekly.
  • Articulate project values and goals to audiences of socially, economically and ethnically diverse backgrounds.
  • Administer EarthCorps policies and procedures to ensure successful program outcomes.

Community Outreach and Engagement:

  • Include and collaborate with diverse community groups in forest restoration projects
  • Build and strengthen relationships with local community groups, businesses and schools in support of forest restoration projects
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive outreach and volunteer recruitment strategy for site stewards, community volunteers and Green Tacoma Day.
  • Attend community meetings and events to meet the goals and objectives of the outreach and volunteer recruitment strategy

Work location and schedule:

  • Position is based in Tacoma WA with occasional travel to Seattle WA
  • Weekly schedule includes some evenings and weekends

Required Qualifications

Staff at EarthCorps strive to embody our organizational values of integrity, inclusivity, service and sustainability each day. In addition, we are looking for a lead project manager who will demonstrate:

  • Proven entrepreneur and networking skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently in an office and field setting, maintain self-motivation and to work as a team member
  • Highly motivated, organized, creative, self-directed and flexible.
  • Relevant work experience in related fields or equivalent Bachelor’s degree.
  • Hands-on work experience in habitat restoration.
  • Experience mobilizing diverse communities to persist in the face of challenges.
  • Demonstrated ability to complete simultaneous complex projects in a timely manner.
  • Excellent communication/ interpersonal skills and ability to connect with all types of people and personalities.
  • Understanding of service learning and youth development.
  • Demonstrated management skills including volunteer coaching, mentoring and supervision.
  • Ability to walk on uneven surfaces, lift up to 50 pounds, and operate hand and power tools and other mechanical equipment.
  • Familiar with spreadsheets, database management, word processing, and email.
  • Must have a reliable personal vehicle and willing to use the vehicle for travel and when necessary transporting tools and equipment for volunteer events.

Terms of Employment

EarthCorps is committed to building a culturally diverse organization and strongly encourages applications from people of color and members of other underrepresented groups. EarthCorps is an equal opportunity employer.  Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other class protected by law.

Benefits

  • This is a part-time, exempt position based on 32-hours per week with an annual salary of $37,000 – $43,000 DOE.
  • Benefits include prorated sick, vacation time off, and a 403(b) retirement plan.

Deadlines and Start Dates

Application deadline for priority consideration July 7, 2017 with closing date on July 20, 2017.