Program Manager – Washington Parks for People

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national not-for-profit organization that works to create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. For over 50 years, TPL has been a national leader in the parks and conservation movement, working to connect communities across the country with nature and advance equity and access to public lands, parks, trails, and schoolyards. Over its extraordinary history, TPL has created more than 5,000 parks, protected 3 million acres of natural areas, generated $90 billion for parks and conservation, and helped put more than 8 million people within a 10-Minute Walk of a park. The organization has deep expertise across a range of disciplines including real estate, public policy, park design and development, data, planning, government relations and community engagement, allowing TPL to take a comprehensive approach to solving some of the biggest challenges facing our country today, such as climate change, health, and equity.

Trust for Public Land is seeking a leader with demonstrated excellence in civic engagement and a track record of successful program management emphasizing community co-design and collaboration. Resilience, generosity, and an unwavering spirit toward partnerships (internal and external), and solutions-oriented thinking are critical attributes for someone in the role. This position will report to the Northwest Parks for People Program Director.  The Northwest Parks for People Program is primarily focused on increasing access to parks and open spaces as well as our Community Schoolyards Program in communities throughout Washington with a current emphasis on Western Washington (King, Pierce, and Thurston Counties).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

65% – Program Management-Washington Parks for People

• Work in partnership with the Northwest Parks for People Program Director, Northwest Parks for People team, and community stakeholders to develop high quality durable relationships with community representatives, government agencies, city staff, non-profit partners, the arts and cultural community, neighborhood leaders, and residents to support the ideation and implement of community-driven strategies and designs to create spaces that could include parks, trails, schoolyard projects, and other spaces deemed important to community members.
• Lead all aspects of outreach, planning, design, and construction of projects including coordinating community meetings and events, creating outreach materials (e-mail lists, online groups, bilingual fliers, etc.), project budgets, consultant management, invoicing, grant writing, etc.
  • Manage design, engineering, and construction consultants and contractors
  • Track budgets, contracts and other program commitments.
  • In partnership with the Northwest Parks for People team and partners lead, organize, and execute community meetings when appropriate as well as attend community meetings, events, and gatherings organized by partners and community groups
• In close cooperation with the Northwest Parks for People Program Director and Northwest Director of Philanthropy, assist in the development of fundraising materials and proposals for foundations, corporations, and individual donors and participate in meetings with current and potential funders to provide information about projects.
• Support the capacity building of the surrounding community to steward and maintain park improvements and programming in partnership with the local partners.
  • In partnership with community members, partners, and the Northwest Parks for People team, help plan, organize, and execute volunteer events, such as park beautification days, park cleanups, and more.

25% – Program Strategy, Advancement & Sustainability:

• Develop and implement new strategies to improve and deepen our impact and relationships in communities post-project construction.
  • Build and manage external partnerships in collaboration with the state director, parks director, and staff
  • Identify new projects and partnership opportunities
• Provide technical support to community leaders and influencers by:
  • Identify funding opportunities, lead grant proposal development, and manage grant applications and timelines internally and with external partners as necessary
  • Support city, county, and state legislative and policy processes in collaboration with community members
  • Connect community members and partners to internal resources and teams. E.g. Conservation Finance, Healthy Park Explorer, 10-Minute Walk webinars, etc.
• Advocate for parks and trails in cities and towns around the state
• Manage complex multi-agency public/private site development
  • Manage key relationships and timelines with park departments and school districts
  • Negotiate sophisticated contracts and memorandums of understanding in coordination with TPL’s legal counsel
• Work with the NW Parks for People Program Director and Philanthropy team to build philanthropic support for programs and projects.

10% – Advancement of Local National Initiatives, Programs & Projects:

• Collaborate with and learn from peer project managers nationally
• Give presentations and speak publicly at conferences, educational institutions and with other non-profit partners
• Support the work of TPL’s Initiative and Commitment leads and find opportunities to incorporate national strategies into local projects
• As part of a cohort help shape internal best practices for parks and schoolyard teams

This position requires working ‘off-hours’ which include attendance at weekend and evening meetings and events. Though the position is based primarily in Puget Sound Region/King/Pierce County, Washington the Program Manager will engage in field work at various project sites and schools across Washington and may require significant travel. Access to reliable transportation is required.

There is a strong preference for a candidate based in the King/Pierce County area.

While reporting to the Northwest Parks for People Program Director, this role will work cross-functionally with teams nationally as well as locally, including the Oregon Land Protection and Rural Community Schoolyards, Philanthropy, and Washington Land Protection teams.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, AND SKILLS:

• A passion for The Trust for Public Land’s mission and for social and environmental justice is essential.
• A degree from an accredited university or equivalent: a Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning or a similar degree field or 5-8 years of experience in project management, program management community engagement, construction management or similar equivalent experience
• Experience orchestrating collaborative visioning and/or design processes, involving community members, public agencies, and other community stakeholders is a plus
• Experience related to design and construction, such as oversight of design and construction professionals, budgets, and project schedules
• Experience in collaborating and negotiating with diverse groups and interests, including communities of color and historically under‐resourced communities
• Excellent oral and written communication
• Experience with best practices for urban public spaces or in park/trail development is a plus
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to establish priorities and manage activities independently
• Ability to connect local community work to national systems and problem-solving
• Ability to work independently and as a team. Self-starter with a sense of urgency/restlessness to make the world better

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE [DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED]

• Computer proficiency: AutoCAD, Adobe CS, and Microsoft Office
• Experience in park design
• An understanding of the public space design and construction process
• Experience working with K-12 students in a school setting is a plus
• Experience with grant writing
• Fluent or conversational in one of several languages spoken throughout the Puget Sound Region

COMPENSATION

Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment, and this role will ideally be located near a Trust for Public Land office. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $75000-85000.

This position is a unique opportunity to join a field team in Washington and work directly with our national program staff. The successful candidate will be a highly skilled, well-rounded individual capable of performing a diverse set of tasks. The successful candidate will be team-oriented and possess the ability to be flexible and adaptable, jumping in and completing a variety of tasks from the mundane to the complex. The Trust for Public Land is committed to cultivating a diverse staff that is representative of the communities we serve. Applications from individuals having diverse backgrounds and life experiences are strongly encouraged.  We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all of the above criteria; if you believe you’re the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply