Stewardship Director (Part Time)

Job Title: Stewardship Director
Location: Athens, GA
Job Type: Part-Time (20 hours/week)
Pay: $27 to $30/hour, commensurate with experience

Application Deadline: July 1, 2025 

The Stewardship Director plays a crucial role in overseeing and managing various aspects of our conservation projects, from new projects to ongoing stewardship and outreach efforts.

Primary responsibilities will include:

New Project Management:

● Conduct initial site visits to determine project details and feasibility.
● Prepare, write, and edit project prospectuses, outlining the objectives
● Deliver presentations at board meetings to seek approval and feedback for new conservation projects.
● Engage in discussions with landowners to build relationships and secure conservation agreements.
● Review and assess draft baseline documentation reports and conservation easements for new projects.

Stewardship Management:
● Annually monitor a portion of the conservation easements ORLT holds through a combination of in-person visits and remote monitoring using satellite imagery
● Follow up with landowners regarding any issues that might have been observed (erosion or clearing of vegetation where not permitted, for instance), working to
find mutually beneficial solutions wherever possible.
● Complete monitor reports and compose monitor letters for each property monitored, including, on occasion, drafting monitor letters for other staff members.
● In addition to annual monitoring, conduct visits as needed to follow up on issues or if notified of potential issues by neighboring landowners.

● Draft or review land management plans for compliance with conservation easements and write letters of approval
● Review landowner requests of various kinds for consistency with conservation easements and draft approval letters or denials as needed

Record Keeping and Management:

● Maintain records of forest management plans, conducting regular checklists and reviews to ensure sustainable management of protected lands.
● Maintain records of properties monitored for each calendar year
● Manage the conservation easement record-keeping process for annual visits, tracking any changes or developments to the land.

Outreach:

● Contribute to outreach efforts, including producing content for ORLT’s newsletter.
● Assist in organizing membership hikes to engage with the community and showcase the beauty of protected lands.
● Collaborate on website content and brochures to promote our conservation initiatives, participating to a limited degree.

Qualifications:

● Bachelor’s or advanced degree
● Deep commitment to protecting natural and agricultural lands
● Basic knowledge of ecosystem services and environmental impacts of development and other threats to the environment
● Experience in project management and conservation initiatives
● Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail for record keeping
● Effective communication and presentation skills
● Ability to work collaboratively with staff, landowners, and board members

Additional Desired Skills:

● Knowledge of conservation easements and baseline documents a plus
● GIS competence a plus
● Fundraising experience a plus
● Experience in outreach and community engagement a plus