Bear Conflict Prevention Specialist

Job Title: Bear Conflict Prevention Coordinator
Reports To: Managing Director of Conservation & Operations
Salary: Salaried – Full-time – Year-round
Salary Range: $46,000-$50,000 (DOE)
Position Start Date: September 2, 2025
Deadline to Apply: Open until filled

Swan Valley Connections (SVC) is eager to welcome a full-time, year-round Bear ConflictPrevention Coordinator to our team. The right candidate will play a critical role in promotinghuman-bear coexistence strategies and mitigating bear conflicts in the Swan RiverWatershed. The responsibilities for this position are wide-ranging and will vary dependingon daily priorities and organizational needs to achieve the goals of our mission, which is toinspire conservation and expand stewardship in the Swan Valley. SVC strives to connectpeople to the natural world. We provide a variety of experiential education opportunities,coordinate technical and financial assistance to plan and implement conservation andstewardship projects with private landowners and public management agencies, provideexcellent visitor services and public information, and have strong partnerships in the Tribal,private, nonprofit, and governmental sectors. We are a non-advocacy, collaborative, place-based nonprofit organization.

Job Description:
The Bear Conflict Prevention Coordinator (BCPC) will coordinate Swan Valley Connections’Swan Valley Bear Resources (SVBR) Program in collaboration with partners andstakeholders. The majority of this position will involve coordinating the distribution of bear-resistant garbage containers, designing and constructing electric fences to exclude bears,and coordinating outreach and educational events. The BCPC will utilize a full range ofconservation tools and will rely heavily on collaboration with SVC’s partners and SwanValley stakeholders to develop and achieve prioritized program goals. The BCPC needs tobe a strong leader, have good communication skills, and be able to motivate acollaborative group of partners representing a variety of vested interests. The position willdevelop strong working relationships with private landowners, community organizations,public agencies, businesses, volunteers, and conservation groups to implement theseeYorts. The position will assist with storytelling, creating outreach materials, grant writing,and reporting. It is preferred that BCPC live in the Swan River Watershed (Condon, Swan Lake, Ferndale, or Bigfork). The BCPC will be supervised by the Managing Director of Conservation & Operations.

Responsibilities Include:

• Lead Swan Valley Bear Resources’ implementation of coexistence strategiesbetween people and bears by providing conflict avoidance and mitigationmeasures, conflict response, and providing educational information andcoordination of outreach and events
• Collaborate with a wide range of partners to identify conservation needs andopportunities
• Lead community-scale bear conflict prevention projects and volunteer efforts
• Participate in fundraising by writing grant proposals and reporting on grants asnecessary
• Assist with storytelling and creation of outreach materials
• Assist with marketing SVBR events
• Assist with SVC and SVBR fundraising campaigns and events
• Executing administrative tasks where needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, natural resource management, or related field
• Knowledge of current trends in conservation and natural resource management
• Knowledge of bear conflict management and best practices, bear ecology, and behaviors
• Passionate about SVC’s mission and vision
• Passionate about natural history and conservation
• Excellent storytelling and communication skills (verbal and written)
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills
• Demonstrated attention to detail, organization, prioritization, and time management
• Desire to learn and self-direct
• Ability to work well with a team and independently
• Desire to work with and interact with a variety of people (both in person and online)
• Proficiency in MS Office software and Google Apps (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar)
• Valid Montana driver’s license and clean driving record
• Wilderness First Aid or higher certification
• Be willing to occasionally travel, work overtime, and work evenings and weekends as needed

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform otherrelated duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.