Forest Health Program Director

https://www.tuolumne.org/forest-health-program-director 

Summary 

This is a posting for one full-time Forest Health Program Director for the Tuolumne River Trust (TRT) based out of TRT’s Sonora office. This grant-funded position will report to the Executive Director and manage a team that includes resource specialists (Archaeologist, Botanist, GIS Specialist) and the Forest Health Program Manager.  In addition, the Program Director will lead strategic planning initiatives, manage partnerships, and oversee the effective implementation of forest restoration projects. This role requires collaboration with various teams, budget management oversight, and inspiring and leading a dedicated team of professionals. The Program Director will be expected to maintain a strong office and community presence, especially through the first 6 months of their employment, with an expectation of at least three days a week in the office.   

Information 

The Forest Health Program Director will oversee the implementation of TRT’s forest restoration projects on the Stanislaus National Forest and adjacent private lands. The successful candidate will be deeply passionate about forest and watershed ecological restoration. 

The ideal candidate is an experienced director with a background in natural resource management and a master’s degree in a related field. Experience working in a growing program and contract/grant management is essential, as is a demonstrated ability to be self-directed while working collaboratively with other staff members and partners. A desired qualification is either a Registered Professional Forester or has made significant progress towards this certification. This position is currently funded through grants from state and federal agencies. 

Equity at TRT 

TRT is deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and diversity as core principles integral to our work. As we add new members across all levels of the organization, we seek diverse perspectives and lived experiences that foster learning, creativity, innovation, and equity.  

Duties and Responsibilities 

The position will be charged with overseeing the success of the Forest Health Program, implementing TRT’s strategic plan, maintaining and developing partnerships, overseeing budget creation and adherence, managing a highly experienced and functional team, providing advice on complex problems, leading procurement of grants and contracts, and developing initiatives to increase program resilience.  The Program Director will work directly with TRT’s Forest Health Program Manager to lead and shape a growing, dynamic 13-17 person team that supports the vision and mission of TRT through the installation of forest resilience and recovery projects.  They will participate in the TRT Leadership Team and the Leadership Team of the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions community collaborative.   They will collaborate with TRT’s other programs (Rivers and Meadows Restoration, Central Valley, Policy, Fundraising/Development, Administration, and Finance). 

 The Program Director should anticipate the following breakdown of their time: providing supervision and advise to program staff (20%), managing their team (20%), attending meetings (20%), managing strategic plan initiatives (10%), maintaining and developing partnerships (10%), leading grant and contract procurement (10%), and developing initiatives for program resilience (10%). The Forest Health Program Director is an office-based position. However, they are expected to attend field tours and join program staff to gain and maintain a holistic understanding of their program’s functions. 

Primary Duties 

• Operations Support

• • Support the Program Manager in overseeing a growing program, currently composed of 13-17 staff with a variety of roles and responsibilities (forestry, botany, archaeology)

• • Lead and direct the hiring of staff to meet program needs

• • Conduct hours and expense approval concerning grantor and invoicing guidelines

• • Coordinate program utilization and organization within TRT’s technology stack (Asana, Slack, Rippling, Sage)

• • Support and actively contribute to the internal collaboration and communications with other TRT programs and departments to ensure institutional strength and health.

• • Coordinate the delivery of reports and deliverables to grantors.

• • Supervision of employees, managing the performance of direct reports

• • Lead the development of forest health projects, including reforestation and fuels reduction

• • Lead the procurement of equipment, vehicles, and office space

• Programmatic Strategic Planning

• • Adhere to and report on the strategic plan as currently directed

• • Work to develop and iterate on strategic goals and develop individual strategies for completion

• • Coordinate with Development and Marketing teams to develop a donor base, create advocacy campaigns, and communicate the Forest Health Program’s marketing

• • Collaborate with the Director of Finance to ensure cash flow, budget adherence, etc.

• • Coordinate with the River and Meadow Restoration Director to align program needs, operational guidelines, and staffing

• Partner Stewardship and Development

• • Collaborate closely with partners from the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS, https://yosemitestanislaussolutions.com/), Tuolumne County, and the Stanislaus National Forest to implement forest restoration projects.

• • Attend and report to YSS meetings and the Leadership Team.

• • Develop new relationships between the government and private partners

• • Attend and present at conferences and meetings representing the Trust and the Forest Health Program

• Program Budget

• • Lead the development of the program budget for each fiscal year

• • Develop a forecast of program needs for equipment and supplies in collaboration with the Program Manager

• • Management

• • Lead team of Resource Specialists and Program Manager

• • Direct programs to execute strategies to support the strategic plan

• • Expertise and advisement

• • Act as a subject matter expert on all topics related to project implementation

• • Develop institutional knowledge through ensuring information handoffs, mentorship, and operating documents are being utilized

• Grant and Contract Procurement

• • Evaluate and select grant opportunities and RFPs to support the program of work

• • In close collaboration with Tuolumne County and the Stanislaus National Forest, lead the grant procurement process, ensuring roles are delegated and grant deliverables are provided in the correct order to ensure timely and quality submission

• • Seek and develop relationships with other companies and agencies to establish direct contracts with TRT

• Program Resilience

• • Direct the expansion and contraction of the program scope of services in line with funding availability, strategic goals, and partner needs

• • Inspire and demonstrate methods of creating institutional knowledge to mitigate the impact of staff turnover

Qualifications 

• Minimum qualifications

• • Bachelor’s degree in business, management, business administration, forest ecology, forestry, silviculture, natural resources management, or a closely related field AND

• • A minimum of three years of relevant experience leading and executing field-based operations

• • Knowledge of forestry, vegetation management, wildfire behavior, watershed stewardship and conservation, resource management, basic hydrology, basic soil science, native plant and animal communities, and/or forest ecology

• • Demonstrated ability to meet or exceed pre-defined project objectives and grant-related obligations

• • Strong computer skills, including:

• • • Microsoft Office Suite

• • • Google Workspace

• • Meeting, productivity, and conferencing technologies

• • • Project Management software (Asana)

• • • Zoom, Google, Teams

• • Experience with grant submission and reporting portals

• • Demonstrated track record in contract and grant procurement and submitting proposals to RFPs

• • Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills

• • Strong leadership skills with demonstrated experience leading a team to achieve large, multi-year goals

• • Demonstrated commitment to principles fostering teamwork and collaborative success

• • Ability to communicate effectively with partner organizations, staff, volunteers, and community members with diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences

• • Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• • Must have a valid US driver’s license to be eligible for employment or be able to secure a CA driver’s license within the first week of employment at TRT

• Preferred Qualifications, in addition to the above qualifications

• • Master’s degree in business, management, business administration, forest ecology, forestry, silviculture, natural resources management, or a closely related field AND

• • Five years of relevant experience leading and executing field-based operations

• • Significant progress towards eligibility or certification as a Registered Professional Forester

• • Experience using ArcGIS (ArcPro and ArcGIS Online)

• • Familiarity with Mobile GIS Applications such as FieldMaps, Survey123, & Avenza

• • Experience working with Sage Intacct and Rippling financial and HR software

Travel 

This position will be primarily office-based (99%). The Forest Health Program Director can expect occasional field work to occur on various terrain, including steep, uneven ground, vegetated with thick brush, poison oak, and other challenging field conditions. In addition, project locations are typically within 1-3 hours of the Sonora office. TRT has multiple offroad capable work vehicles available to staff; however, the Program Director may be required to provide their own transportation due to resource constraints. They will be compensated for travel according to the current IRS rate. The employees’ private vehicle may sometimes be necessary over roads in various conditions, from paved to rough national forest roads. Proof of a valid CA driver’s license and auto insurance will be requested at the time of employment.   

Additional Details 

This position will be based out of our Sonora, CA office and report to the Executive Director. This full-time, exempt, grant-funded position will pay $90,000 – $110,000 annually, including benefits (see below). Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be at or near the lower end of the compensation range. A candidate will land higher on the range according to the degree to which they exceed the minimum qualifications. The Program Director will be expected to maintain a strong office presence, especially through the first 6 months of their employment, with an expectation of three days a week in office.  After 6 months, the Executive Director will engage in an agreement regarding in office expectations for the duration of their role. 

Benefits: 

• 100% Employer paid medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage

• 403(b) retirement plan with a 4% employer match

• 17 paid holidays

• 12 days of paid sick leave per year

• Long term disability coverage

• Employer paid $10,000 life insurance policy

• Employee Assistance Program

• 3 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for employees with at least two years of employment

TRT is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that a diverse staff of qualified, highly-skilled, and creative individuals is necessary to achieve the vision and mission of the initiative. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity of our workforce across a range of dimensions. 

Tuolumne River Trust Background 

The Tuolumne River Trust promotes the stewardship of the Tuolumne River and its tributaries to ensure a healthy watershed for present and future generations, from Yosemite National Park to the San Joaquin River and the San Francisco Bay-Delta. Founded in 1981, the Trust is the only organization working throughout the watershed, linking Sierra and Valley conservation issues and forging strong ties between rural mountain and valley regions and Bay Area urban communities.  

Not only does the Tuolumne River provide ample recreational opportunities such as whitewater rafting, but it also supplies the drinking water for 2.6 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area, hydroelectric power for much of Northern California, and irrigation for 200,000 acres of Central Valley farmland. This watershed was severely impacted by the 257,000-acre Rim Fire in 2013, and a subsequent widespread tree mortality epidemic. The Tuolumne River Trust is managing more than $12 million in funding from agencies such as the California Wildlife Conservation Board, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and CalFIRE to help restore watersheds and increase resiliency within the Sierra Nevada. We work closely with Tuolumne County, the Stanislaus National Forest, volunteer groups, schools, and various community stakeholders to help ensure an engaged and collaborative approach to landscape restoration is undertaken.