Conservation Easement Coordinator

Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) – Since 1988, ACT’s mission has been to protect the natural, historic, scenic, and recreational resources in and around North Central Florida. We accomplish our mission through land acquisitions, land management, and the development of land conservation initiatives and programs. As a nationally accredited nonprofit land trust, ACT works primarily in 22 counties, and protects land through purchase, donation, and conservation easements. Over the last 36 years, ACT has facilitated the preservation of over 60,000 acres of land in North Central Florida and has directly acquired over 27,000 acres.

JOB DESCRIPTION:
ACT is seeking a Conservation Easement Coordinator to join our nationally accredited land trust. The Conservation Easement Coordinator position will be based in Gainesville, Florida. The position will have both field and office duties, coordinate with and provide technical support to land management and acquisition staff, and support ACT leadership. This position supports the inventory, monitoring, and recordkeeping of private lands protected by ACT for conservation. An employee in this position should expect to work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. This position will serve as a staff member of Alachua Conservation Trust and will be expected to both work in a team environment, as well as carrying out instructions and projects independently.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS – Including but not limited to the following:

Assist with ACT’s land protection and landowner outreach efforts 

• Works independently and jointly with other ACT staff on conservation projects that will primarily involve conservation easements, fee simple acquisitions, and donations of land.
• Assist acquisition staff with new project assessments both through field observation and data collection and project research.
• Establish baseline documentation reports (BDRs) to Land Trust Alliance standards for initial record of protected land, documentation includes field observation, natural community, land use and structure descriptions, detailed maps and photographs.
• Work with the Associate Director, Executive Director, and the landowner to review, negotiate and execute the final conservation easement documents.
• Conduct annual conservation easement monitoring, including coordinating with landowner(s) for site visits, discussing property uses and plans, determining compliance with conservation easement terms and documenting conditions and concerns.
• Cultivate relationships with landowners that have protected their land with a conservation easement to maintain transparency and trust regarding land use activities and keep the protected property in good standing with the conservation easement terms.
• Ensure that conservation easement landowners receive exemplary stewardship and management engagement from ACT staff.

Assist with GIS mapping, project tracking and updating, and grant writing 

• Support grant writing and project proposals for land acquisition through GIS analyses and data crunching, map creation, proposal formatting, research and writing contributions.
• Provide GIS and other spatial analyses that support land conservation efforts.
• Maintain ACT’s land conservation projects database (Landscape), including ensuring project consistency and info completion, project details, records, GIS files and assisting with training staff and coordinating with Landscape software developers.
• Support ACT acquisition staff in all recordkeeping associated with land conservation transactions and stewardship in compliance with ACT’s policies and procedures.
• Ensure land conservation transactions and conservation easement monitoring records are consistent with the archive, and that digital records are kept on ACT’s server.
• Ensure all conservation easement projects are consistent with ACT’s policies and Land Trust Alliance’s Standards and Practices.
• Review and re-establish photos and documentation to ensure BDRs meet current Land Trust Alliance requirements and standards.
• Review existing conservation easements, check for amendment needs for vague or outdated language, check for and complete requirements for 5-year inspections.
• When required by a partner organization, help develop management plans for conservation easements following Land Trust Alliance standards for good stewardship.
• Be able to enter data into spreadsheets, databases, and Word documents.

Provide outreach and events support

• Coordinate with ACT communications staff to create and maintain design templates for maps and data visualizations that may be used in reports, presentations, handouts and website design.
• Coordinate with acquisitions and communications staff to refine and reformat maps, reports, applications, and proposals that reflect the organization’s established templates, branding, and aesthetic.
• Represent ACT at public meetings and assist with landowner cultivation.
• Assist with ACT events, tabling at community festivals, field trips, and other outreach events.
• Assist in content creation for ACT’s Gazetteer, Field Notes e-newsletter, other publications, and website.
• Be able to competently utilize Microsoft and Google Suite applications for basic administrative tasks.
• Assist in other jobs and duties as assigned by the Associate Director or the Executive Director.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree with a Natural Resource major (Ecology, Forestry, Natural Resource Conservation, etc.) AND 5 years related experience – OR – a Master’s Degree AND 2-3 years’ experience in natural resource management or a related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge and ID of southeastern flora and fauna as well as exotic/invasive plant species common to North Florida.
• Experience with GIS and collecting GPS data required; knowledge of graphic design software a plus.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to comprehend and make inferences from written material; interpret federal, state, and local government laws and regulations regarding conservation easements and state and federal funding.
• Strong skills for record-keeping, organization, time management, and attention to detail.
• Must be able to work independently in variable, sometimes difficult weather conditions, at remote outdoor locations, for longer periods of time, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.
• Ability to interact pleasantly and knowledgeably with the public and to convey basic information about the organization.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment to meet established goals and deadlines.
• Must be committed to the organization’s conservation mission and be able to maintain strong, positive, collegial working relationships with staff and Board, as well as outside partners, professional advisors, and consultants.
• Must have enthusiasm for the mission of the organization and experience working with diverse groups of people in an educational and outreach capacity.
• Ability to work alone and travel to various local destinations for site visits and events.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a small team and be willing and flexible to assist with additional requests for help.
• Ability to set priorities, problem solve, manage numerous projects, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to write and manage grant proposals and grant reports.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and good driving record. The ability to tow and back up a trailer is a plus.
• Must be available to work a 40-hour work week including occasional weekends and extended hours on weekdays.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• This is a full-time position.
• Starting pay is $22-$24/hr. and will be based on experience.
• Two weeks (80 hours) paid vacation and two weeks (80 hours) sick leave.
• Paid time off for most Federal holidays plus three additional personal days off.
• Health insurance allowance plus a personal stipend for equipment or supplies.
• Enrollment in ACT’s SEP-IRA retirement plan after 180 days of employment.
• Training and professional development opportunities.

EQUITY & INCLUSION:
ACT is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to increasing equity, representation and inclusion in all elements of our work to support the intersection of land conservation and people in a diverse North Central Florida. ACT hires, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, marital status, religion, age, mental or physical disability, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, in addition to any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

No person shall, on the grounds of the above-mentioned categories, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of ACT. ACT recognizes that diversity on its staff and board strengthens the organization. ACT actively seeks qualified applicants for staff and board positions from members of under-represented groups in the non-profit and natural resources fields.