Stream Restoration Project Manager

Position Title Stream Restoration Project Manager

• Employment Status: This is a temporary, full-time (exempt) position with the potential for extension based on performance and project needs, with a review to discuss continuation after November 2025.
• Location: Local, work-from-home with significant field time in the watershed
• Schedule: Mon-Fri with occasional evening, weekend, and in-person community events
• Reports to: Watershed Health Program Manager
• Pay Range: $58,000 – $65,000 annual salary (depending on experience)
• Benefits: 10 paid holidays, 10 paid vacation days (to start), 6 paid sick leave/mental health days with additional comp time policy and $7,200 annual health insurance stipend, all pro-rata
• Application Deadline:  Opened Until Filled, preferred application submission by Friday, 3/21/2025.

Overview:
The Big Thompson Watershed Coalition (BTWC) seeks a highly organized, experienced, and motivated selfstarter for BTWC’s stream restoration program to assist with delivering natural resource planning, project implementation, water quality monitoring, and community outreach programs. Under the general direction of the Watershed Health Program Manager, the Stream Restoration Project Manager works with landowners and partners to restore river function and riparian habitat, improve water quality, adaptively manage & monitor stream projects, and build resilience to climate change and other disturbances. The position will participate in and lead stream restoration project identification, planning, contractor oversight for implementation, coordination, management, and monitoring efforts. This position will be a combination of remote, office based, and field work, depending on project type and season. Additional responsibilities associated with BTWC’s other programmatic areas such as forest health, disaster recovery, and education and outreach engagement may be assigned depending on funding and resource allocation.

Our ideal candidate will have over two years of professional working experience with these tasks in the fields of watershed science, process-based restoration, water quality monitoring, will have strong project management and communication skills, and will enjoy working with people. Additional training and experience in the following topics will be highly applicable to the job: collaborative planning, stakeholder engagement, conflict resolution, contractor oversight, and western water resource ownership and management. Local knowledge of the Big Thompson River and water system and its diverse water use needs are beneficial to this position. Our ideal start date will be May 1st, 2025.

The Coalition:
The BTWC was formed as a 501(c)3 to help private and public landowners collaborate 2013 post-flood recovery efforts of the Big Thompson watershed. BTWC is a leader in stakeholder-centered planning and implementation of multi-objective resource management projects that serve diverse needs for the watershed. BTWC maintains an array of partners with shared dedication to stewardship, restoration, outreach, and watershed science. Our fundamental programs focus on Stream and Water Resource Function, Forest Management, and Disaster Recovery. BTWC works across public and private lands and contributes to both local and landscape-scale initiatives to support private landowners, water utilities, local to federal governments, fire districts, special interest groups, research institutes, university programs, the public, and more. We work with affiliated Coalitions in Larimer and Boulder Counties to enhance watershed stewardship across Colorado.

Essential Job Functions:

Project Planning, Management, and Implementation (55%) 

• Organize stakeholder meetings (landowners, partners, and contractors) to collaboratively develop science-based, technical stream enhancement project plans, including:
  • Build productive relationships with landowners, partners, and contractors, addressing concerns while fostering trust
  • Communicate ecological health and function, including best practices for stream and wetland management, native plant recommendations, and water quality improvements
  • Develop site-appropriate stream restoration and/or management projects that balance
    ecological goals, property conditions, and project stakeholder needs
• Create and implement project plans:
  • Estimate project costs, resource needs, timelines
  • Work with staff, Board, and partners to develop and review requests for proposals and oversee contractor services
  • Acquire necessary permitting, ensure projects follow local, state, and federal rules, regulations, policies, and standard operating procedures
  • Use GIS and mapping tools for project planning, monitoring, and outreach
• Project management:
  • Perform stream assessments
  • Coordinate and supervise monitoring, engineering, and construction contractors
  • Ensure timely completion of projects while staying within scope and budget
  • Troubleshoot, resolve, or deescalate operational problems and minimize delays

Project Monitoring and Data Management (20%)

• Implement pre- and post-project monitoring, as needed, and long-term monitoring programs (i.e. water quality grab samples, vegetation identification, sediment stake measurements)
• Develop, organize, and maintain databases to analyze quantitative/qualitative data for monitoring activities, adaptive management, and engagement outcomes
• Upload water quality project data from the sampling sites to the EPA WQX in compliance with grant requirements

Partner and Community Relationship Building and Outreach (15%) 

• Advance partnerships with federal, state, and local land management agencies, non-profits, landowners, and other stakeholders that expand landscape-scale restoration, move projects forward to completion, and enhance BTWC’s mission
• Engage with partners through meetings and collaborative initiatives to advance BTWC’s mission.
• Co-organize and lead community engagement opportunities such as volunteer workdays, project tours, project monitoring, and community workshops
• Present project updates and outcomes to various stakeholders, the public, and BTWC’s Board of
  Directors
• Support Communications Manager in developing outreach materials for newsletters and social media
• Assist with training and supervising student interns

Organizational Administration and Development (10%): 

• Participate in other organizational activities with BTWC staff (forest health program, outreach and education, Trek the Thompson, etc.)
• Carry out other project coordination tasks as assigned by the Program Manager

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience required:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and 1-2 years of experience working in a natural
  resource/environmental field related to habitat restoration, watershed science, aquatic ecosystems, hydrology, or restoration project management
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including experience in field-based restoration projects
• Ability to effectively communicate technical concepts, both verbally and in writing, with a diversity of people including state, federal, and non-governmental resource professionals, private landowners, industry professionals and other community representatives
• Comfort working in remote field settings and independently troubleshooting challenges.
• Ability to express compassion in addressing resident/landowner issues and respect requests in relation to property access, monitoring, weed management, sharing digital media, etc.
• Ability to effectively multitask and prioritize tasks
• Ability to resolve challenges or conflicts that may arise in the field and with project partners
• Proficiency in the use Microsoft Office and GIS tools (spatial analysis ability desired)
• Ability to pass a background check and must have a valid driver’s license and reliable, insured personal transportation capable of accessing remote field sites. Mileage and time will be reimbursed.

Additional desired qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a related field OR equivalent seasonal experience in stream restoration or ecological monitoring.
• Experience managing restoration projects, including permitting and contractor oversight, with familiarity in fire recovery and process-based restoration techniques.
• Knowledge of riparian ecology, stream function, and western water resource management.
• Familiarity with data collection methodologies for water quality and habitat assessments (water quality grab sampling, sediment staking, digital elevation modeling (DEMs), wetland delineation, etc).
• Experience with community outreach, stakeholder engagement, and volunteer coordination.
• Certifications in relevant technical skills (e.g., sawyer certification, wetland delineation, GIS analysis, or ecological monitoring techniques).
• Experience working with private landowners
• Ability to interpret technical site plans and landscape designs
• Understand group process, group dynamics, meeting facilitation, negotiation, mediation, and group problem solving principles and techniques.

Working Conditions:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to
successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Able to work from home, with minimal distraction
• Able to work in a standard office setting, with considerable sitting, standing, and viewing of computer
• Mid-level stress
• May include lifting up to fifty (50) pounds of project gear on a frequent basis
• Able to stand, walk and hike for extended periods of time outside, under varying and adverse weather conditions
• Able to work weekend and evenings for various community and volunteer events, as needed
• Could include frequent driving of an employee’s personal vehicle under varying road conditions (with mileage reimbursement provided)
• Able to work independently in remote locations where hazardous conditions may be present (including exposure to the elements and construction site conditions, steep, unstable terrain, proximity to fastmoving water, proximity to highway traffic, and typical conditions associated with travel in the foothills and plains of the Rocky Mountain region)
• Willingness to follow individual landowner safety and property access requirements
• Ability to troubleshoot when working alone (flat tires, cattle gates, etc.)

Equal Opportunity Employer:
Big Thompson Watershed Coalition is an Equal Opportunity Employer and no otherwise-qualified individual shall be subject to discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or religious affiliation, gender, familial status, age, genetics, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin in any phase of employment for this position.