Senior Manager, Watersheds Partnerships

Senior Manager, Watersheds Partnerships 

About BEF

Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) is an entrepreneurial nonprofit working on environmental solutions at the intersection of renewable energy and freshwater. Partnerships are key to our success. We build long-term relationships with our education, corporate, utility and philanthropic partners by first understanding their goals and needs and providing solutions that achieve those goals while achieving real, measurable environmental benefits.

Who are we looking for?

We are actively seeking a passionate, collaborative team member leader to join our integrated floodplain and watershed management programs The successful candidate will join the BEF Watersheds team, building relationships and working with communities that are leading and supporting ambitious floodplain and watershed resilience initiatives. This role involves coordinating high-visibility partner and legislative engagements, site visits, and outreach events; expansion of networks to strategic new allies; facilitating learning and information sharing events; creating and contributing to technical materials; and tracking and managing grant reporting and budgets.  

About BEF’s Watersheds Program

BEF’s Watersheds Program champions an integrated, community-based, whole watershed approach to overcoming barriers to restoring freshwater ecosystems. BEF is a trusted partner to a wide range of foundations, watershed organizations, community groups, government agencies, tribal nations, and water stewardship nonprofits. Our partners count on us to bring adaptive approaches, expertise, and a deep understanding of how to leverage resources and relationships to build much-needed capacity to restore watersheds.

Why Join Us? Our Values Are: 

Partnership: We believe we can accomplish more by working together. 

Adaptability: We evolve, adapt, and apply what we learn to improve our approaches and outcomes.

Knowledge: We seek out and value diverse perspectives, embrace new ideas, and advance new approaches.

Innovation: We recognize that the scope and pace of the change we need demands innovation, drawing on knowledge from the past and new information and tools.

Integrity: We are honest with our employees, customers, and our partners. We seek to deliver outcomes that benefit the environment and people we serve.

Primary Duties:

Collaborative Facilitation and Engagement

• Build understanding and momentum for integrated floodplain management across Washington State by cultivating relationships, facilitating information exchange, and stewarding collaborative processes among diverse partners
• Amplify partner successes and surface shared needs through coordinated virtual and in-person learning opportunities including site tours, workshops, and cross-sector convenings that bring the work to life for new audiences
• Design and facilitate compelling network learning opportunities, field visits, peer exchanges, and practitioner forums that deepen shared knowledge and strengthen collective capacity
• Partner with BEF Watersheds’ Communications Coordinator to craft audience-specific messaging, talking points, and compelling examples that translate complex priorities into clear calls to action for legislators, funders, and community partners

Strategic Relationship Management, Funding and Capacity Services

• Collaborate across BEF’s Watersheds team to identify, evaluate, and advance funding and capacity-building opportunities that accelerate integrated floodplain management and hazard mitigation. including supporting the Washington State Floodplains by Design initiative. The majority of work will focus on Washington State, but there are opportunities to support emerging partnerships such as watersheds-utility collaboration in Colorado River watersheds and corporate partnership opportunities in the Western US.
• Demonstrates an advanced understanding of the job and is viewed as a subject matter expert.  Effectively applies knowledge and leverages resources to deliver high quality products/service.
• Cultivate and sustain strategic relationships with Washington State legislators, agency leaders, Tribal governments, and subject-matter experts, while expanding the network to new allies in adjacent sectors such as utilities, real estate, insurance, and corporate sustainability
• Offer responsive, respectful technical and process support to Tribes, local governments, agencies, utilities, and community organizations pursuing floodplain and watershed resilience goals
• Demonstrates strong planning and execution skills by prioritizing work, defining objectives, breaking projects into actionable steps, coordinating timelines and responsibilities, anticipating obstacles, monitoring progress, and evaluating results.

Technical Expertise and Grant Management

• Synthesize technical information from scientific, regulatory, and community sources into clear, compelling materials, including briefings, fact sheets, and policy summaries, tailored to policymakers, funders, and the public
• Draw on knowledge of Washington State flood policy, floodplain management, hazard mitigation, and relevant regulatory frameworks to provide direct technical support to project proponents, agency partners, funders, and others navigating complex permitting, planning, or funding landscapes
• Manage a portfolio of federal, state, and philanthropic grants supporting integrated floodplain and watershed management, including Floodplains by Design. Track deliverables, support sub-grantees, and ensure timely compliance with reporting and grant requirements in partnership with BEF’s finance and operations teams

Qualifications:

• Education Bachelors, in policy, planning, natural resources, public administration, or related degree
• Demonstrated experience with Washington State legislative or regulatory processes; existing relationships with Tribal nations, state agencies, or local governments in Washington; experience with FEMA floodplain management programs or NFIP; background in collaborative governance, facilitation, or community engagement
• Minimum 8-10 years experience, with 5+ years experience convening and facilitating collaborative discussions among diverse stakeholders, such as government agencies, Tribes, community organizations, and private sector partners
• Technical knowledge and existing or potential relationships with one or more sectors with synergies in integrated floodplain management and resilience, including but not limited to: food security, real estate, insurance, affordable housing, energy security
• Identify, vet and operationalize policy reforms, capacity building opportunities and
• Topical expertise in one or more pertinent areas such as WA Growth Management Act, voluntary acquisition and buyouts, floodplain permitting improvements, energy and utility nexus

Desirable:

• MA/MS in environmental policy, natural resources, urban planning, public policy, climate resilience, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

What’s in it for you: 

• Salary Range: $94,000-$108,000 per year DOE.
• 100% Employer paid Medical, Short Term and Long-Term Disability, Life insurance for employees; 75% subsidized for family/dependents.
• Retirement plan with 5% employer matching contribution.
• Generous PTO and Vacation Policy including alternative care and  self-care leave.
• Four Week paid sabbatical after first 6 years, then every 5 years thereafter
• Opportunity to grow through training and development including a generous paid professional development budget.
• Hybrid work schedule.

Location: Remote, Washington State