Environmental Planner/Project Manager

JOB SUMMARY

Sonoma Ecology Center (SEC) seeks a detail-oriented, forward-thinking person to shepherd complex environmental projects to completion, from inventing fundable packages of tasks and partners, to writing compelling proposals, contracting, permitting, environmental compliance, funder/client/subcontractor relations, tracking, reporting, and completing projects. Projects may focus on ecological restoration, watershed health monitoring, prescribed burning, technical education and workforce development, technical assistance, land use planning, and more, and often seek a multi-partner, multi-benefit approach.

ORGANIZATION

SEC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that has worked with our community for over 30 years to identify and lead actions that achieve and sustain ecological health in Sonoma Valley and beyond. Our work improves the land, climate, water, and biodiversity – the foundation of our region’s high quality of life. 

Each year, we provide in-depth environmental science instruction to over 1,100 students, manage over 5,000 acres of public and private land, including Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, raise thousands of native plants, restore native habitat, and provide research and technical support on timely issues affecting the region. With an annual budget of over $3 million, our professional staff manages numerous large grants and contracts, often in partnership with other nonprofits and agencies that, by working together, significantly leverage our work and impact. 

 DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serves as project manager and leader on environmental planning and permitting projects, as well as multi-disciplinary, cross-program
• Strategically identify needs and next steps that will further SEC’s mission and organizational health; match needs with funding sources
• Write technical reports, funding proposals, Quality Assurance Project Plans, monitoring plans and reports, vegetation planting plans
• Lead project permitting and environmental compliance, including US Army Corps 401, CDFW LSA 1600, State and Regional Water Quality 404,  potentially CalVTP, BAAQMD smoke management plan, and exemptions and MND for CEQA/NEPA
• Manage projects: report on time and completely, invoice correctly and completely, track milestones and deliverables across SEC and project partner organizations
• Communicate to build relationships with funders, clients, donors, partner organizations, and subcontractors
• Organize, design, convene, lead, and follow up with multi-organization meetings to find consensus and plan projects
• Manage projects across a range of scales and complexities including multi-partner projects
• Make, manage, and use spreadsheets or other tools for tracking clients, projects, task status, and communications threads over multi-year projects and multi-project sites

REQUIRED SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Reliability: always responds to communications, maintains timelines, meets deadlines, and tracks assignments through to completion
• Excellent writing, both technical and non-technical
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills
• Expertise designing, maintaining, and using GoogleDrive apps, Google Calendar, Microsoft Office apps, Zoom
• Familiarity with making and using project budgets, scopes of work, and contracts for governmental agencies with high administrative burden
• Ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative and team-oriented structure
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills; decision-making ability
• Understanding of and commitment to the values and mission of SEC

DESIRED SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Project management software experience
• Spanish proficiency or fluency

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent experience to be able to perform the required duties of the position.
• Experience successfully developing, proposing, contracting, tracking, reporting on, and managing complex projects funded by government agencies
• Experience successfully permitting, obtaining environmental compliance, quality assurance, and monitoring physical environmental projects

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Most of the job can be done from home, with prolonged periods of sitting or standing. You must be able to see, hear, and speak in order to use a computer, establish and participate in video conferences, and use office equipment.
• In-person meetings and site visits are part of the job, occurring 2 to 6 times per month. In-person meetings generally require driving a car and having a license.
• Lifting up to 30 pounds may occasionally be required. Some physical agility, balance, and strength is needed for occasional set-up and take-down of in-person gatherings. Site visits may rarely involve walking over rough terrain in high temperatures for short periods.

BENEFITS

Sonoma Ecology Center offers two Kaiser Permanente health insurance plans for you to choose from.  SEC pays 80% of the monthly premium.  At this time, we do not contribute towards dependents or significant others.  They can be added to your plan, but you are responsible for the full premium.  Eligibility for health insurance begins on the 1st of the month after hire. Employee Assistance Program is available regardless of insurance status. We offer seven scheduled paid holidays and three floating additional holidays.  Hourly sick and vacation accrual begin immediately. 

All qualified applicants will be given equal consideration without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, veteran, military status, genetic information, marital status, or familial status. SEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal access to programs, services, and employment is available to all persons. Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify our Human Resources Department.