River Ambassador

Position Title: River Ambassador (three positions open)

Location: Missoula, MT

Position Type: Temporary Contract, Non-Exempt Employee (not eligible for benefits)

Period of Employment: June 1, 2026 – August 28, 2026

Compensation: $19- $21 per hour

Expected work hours per week: 28 hours/week (7 hours/day Thursday–Sunday), with the season beginning with two 40-hour M-F workweeks dedicated to training and ending with a 40- hour M-F workweek dedicated to reporting and program closing.

JOB SUMMARY

Clark Fork Coalition (CFC) River Ambassadors are part of a small seasonal team focused on improving public recreation experiences and protecting conservation investments in Missoula Valley rivers. River Ambassadors’ work is largely field based and outdoors (70%) with additional office duties (30%) focused on social media, communications, and data management. Ambassadors work at popular river access sites around Missoula, providing assistance and information to the public about river recreation shuttles, parking, take-outs, floats, best practices, and conservation. This position will serve a geographical area primarily focused on river access sites within 10 miles of Missoula’s urban downtown, including Milltown State Park, the Downtown River trail system, Kelly Island, and Maclay Flats. River Ambassadors will work on the land (primarily by bike and foot) and on the water (stand-up paddleboard, kayak, etc.).

The River Ambassador program is a collaboration between the Clark Fork Coalition (CFC), Missoula County, the City of Missoula, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, the Missoula Conservation District, and ASUM Transportation. River Ambassadors will report to the River Ambassador Program Coordinator. River Ambassadors play a significant role in delivering on-the-ground public education, working collaboratively to build an informed and engaged recreation community who will practice, advocate for, and support sustainable river recreation in the Missoula Valley.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Public Education & Outreach:

• Provide river users with guidance on recreation infrastructure, services (e.g., parking, put-ins, take-outs, shuttles), and best practices to reduce congestion and user conflicts.
• Educate river users on strategies for responsible river recreation, including Leave No Trace principles, and reduction of ecological impacts.
• Serve as a public-facing representative for the River Ambassadors program, sharing program updates, management activities, and partner priorities with river users.
• Regularly create and contribute content to highly active social media profiles and coordinate media sharing with partners and local businesses.
• Report needs for emergency response, trash cleanup, and/or law enforcement to the appropriate agencies.

Data Collection:

• Collect recreation user data, as determined by supervisor, that will help resource managers understand and improve public river recreation experiences, address public safety concerns, and support conservation of river resources.

Other Responsibilities:

• River Ambassadors will provide occasional support to a diverse set of conservation and restoration projects (weed control, riparian plantings, etc.).
• Maintain accurate and timely program documentation by producing daily field reports, partner updates, and post-season program evaluation.
• Maintain organized program equipment and supplies.
• Accurately complete and submit timesheets and expense reports on a bi-weekly basis.
• Uphold and actively promote CFC’s mission to protect and restore the Clark Fork River Watershed.
• As a team, the River Ambassadors will support a small group of volunteers as part of public outreach efforts.

THE CLARK FORK COALITION is a member-supported 501(c)(3) river conservation organization with a mission to protect and restore the Clark Fork River watershed in western Montana. CFC acknowledges that it conducts its work on the traditional and current homelands and waters of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes and gratefully honors the path that they have shown us in caring for the river throughout the generations. CFC’s 14-person staff is based primarily in Missoula, with staff also in Deer Lodge, Helena, and Mission Valley. CFC is committed to building a diverse board, staff, and river community, and is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.