River Remediation and Restoration Program Manager

Title:               River Remediation and Restoration Program Manager

Reports to:     Executive Director

Location:        Southwest Virginia

Start Date:     Immediately

Type:              Hourly, year-round with seasonal fluctuations

Pay Rate:       $25-$35/hr.

About Us

American Climate Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, headquartered in Orange, Virginia, that designs, creates, and manages projects, programs, and businesses which help rural America become more resilient in the face of climate change, pollution, and the loss of biodiversity. 

StreamSweepers is an award-winning, statewide river remediation and restoration program. In 2018, StreamSweepers completed a 4-year Rappahannock Watershed Clean-Up Campaign in Central Virginia – 140 miles of riverbed and 280 miles of riverbank, all ecologically assessed and remediated of toxic trash. Since 2018, StreamSweepers has been working to restore the biodiversity of the Clinch and Holsten Rivers while providing meaningful work experience to residents of Southwest Virginia.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Program Manager will be responsible for the planning and management of existing StreamSweepers river cleanup projects, with a focus on the safe execution of field work.  As of June 2025, the portfolio of work includes river and trail cleanup in the vicinity of Damascus, in Washington County, and the portions of the Clinch River in Russell and Tazewell Counties.  Historically this program has been focused on river cleanup only, but with repeated climate-driven flooding events, StreamSweepers hopes to add riverbed, bank, and floodplain restoration to remediation (cleanup) capabilities.  The Program Manager will work closely with the Executive Director, funding organizations, local businesses, and local consultants to develop new river restoration capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, hire, and train Sweepers and On-Water Managers. Ensure On-Water Managers have wilderness first aid or first responder certification. Manage all staffing issues. Compile and submit timesheets for payroll.
• Develop written yearly, quarterly, and weekly work plans.
• Work closely and in person with the On-Water Managers to manage weekly and daily work, including logistics such as available staffing, equipment needed, travel time, safety protocols, communications with landowners and cooperating organizations and government entities, and the continuous monitoring of weather and river flow levels.
• Oversee all maintenance of vehicles and equipment used in performing remediation and restoration activities. Keep all vehicles and equipment in safe working order.
• Work with the Administrative Manager to manage and submit time sheets and payroll, credit card expenses, vendor invoices.
• Track project performance and progress metrics, including miles/sections of river cleaned and number and weight of tires and other trash removed. Develop additional metrics.
• Work with the Executive Director and Administrative Manager to write and submit grant proposals for funding. Identify and develop new sources of funding.
• Work closely with the Executive Director, funding organizations, local businesses, and local consultants to develop new river restoration capabilities and projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environment science or equivalent education and experience in the remediation and restoration of Appalachian rivers.
• At least 4 years of project management experience on projects that involve field work, or equivalent work experience in environmental remediation and restoration.
• At least 2 years of experience paddling on Appalachian rivers.
• Wilderness first aid or first responder certification.
• Current valid driver’s license, CDL preferred.
• Heavy equipment operation experience is a plus (backhoe, front-end loader, skid steer)
• Strong work ethic, collaborative leadership, and written and oral communication skills; takes initiative and able to work independently; positive and inspiring level of energy; willingness and desire to learn new things.
• Competency in Microsoft Office programs, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.

Location of Work

Field work is on-site and in person in Russell, Tazewell, and Washington Counties in Southwest Virginia.  Administrative work may be performed remotely.  Travel between field work sites required. Travel outside of the area may occasionally be required.