careers at colorado open lands

Open Position: Dryland Restoration Coordinator

Position Summary: Colorado Open Lands (COL) seeks a Dryland Restoration Coordinator to join our team. As a member of the Stewardship and Restoration team, the Coordinator is responsible for collaborating with partners and landowners to implement dryland restoration projects in the San Luis Valley and statewide. This involves building community and landowner relationships, coordinating with government agencies, universities, and project partners, and managing grants that fund our restoration work.

About Colorado Open Lands: COL is a statewide, 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust and conservation organization. Our mission is to preserve the significant open lands and diminishing natural heritage of Colorado through private and public partnerships, innovative land conservation techniques, and strategic leadership. Since 1981, we have helped to protect over 800,000 acres of native prairies, forests, wetlands, rangelands, and working lands. COL has a positive work culture built on passion, good communication, trust, and the recognition that people are more than their work.

The Role of the Dryland Restoration Coordinator: The Dryland Restoration Coordinator will manage and expand COL’s successful dryland restoration program. This role is focused on the ecologic restoration of formerly irrigated farmland in the San Luis Valley, which is being retired and dried up due to regional groundwater conservation initiatives. The goal is to restore the ecological integrity of these lands, create wildlife habitat, and support groundwater conservation efforts. The Coordinator will lead complex dryland restoration projects in the San Luis Valley developing and executing plans for specific restoration tasks such as seeding, managing water resources, controlling weeds, and improving overall habitat. The Coordinator will manage multi-funded budgets, secure and oversee contractors, and collaborate with partners, stakeholders, and landowners to implement projects successfully. Key partners include the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), conservation districts, universities, and other non-profit conservation organizations.

Our Restoration Program Vision
A Colorado with healthy, resilient, and productive landscapes, and landowners with the land ethic, knowledge, and resources to steward them.

Responsibilities:
• Build cooperative, effective working relationships with partners, landowners, funders, scientists, local government, conservationists, policy makers, and planners.
• Coordinate with project partners, including funders, consultants, contractors, scientists and landowners to restore previously irrigated farmland.
• Represent COL in the San Luis Valley and across the state as a primary point of contact for landowner or partner inquiries into dryland restoration opportunities and projects.
• Collaborate with local partners to develop, implement and monitor dryland restoration projects in the San Luis Valley.
• Manage grant agreements, scopes of work, deliverables, timelines, and budgets for dryland restoration projects.
• Attend regular community meetings.
• Participate in weekly team and staff meetings that contribute to our positive work culture and participate in organizational communications, fundraising, and outreach to support a thriving organization.

Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in natural resource management, restoration ecology, environmental science, or a related field.
• At least three years of experience coordinating and managing ecological restoration projects, including implementing scopes of work, managing budgets, coordinating with partners, stakeholders, and landowners, monitoring, and successfully implementing projects.
• Experience working with agricultural producers and an understanding of the agricultural industry in Colorado or the western United States.
• Strong track record of writing successful grant proposals, managing, and reporting on project grants.
• Experience coordinating and managing contractors and scientists to implement projects.
• Ability to work in occasionally challenging field conditions.
• Attention to detail, self-motivation, and the ability to research and find solutions.
• Track record of clear communication, both written and verbal.
• Ability to complete assigned projects within deadline and established budget.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Colorado (see location requirements below).
• Comfort working with the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work cooperatively with diverse types of people.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team to produce tangible results.
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills.
• Patience, persistence, and sense of humor!
• A love of land, a respect for community, and an eagerness to learn.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Master’s or other advanced degree in one of the above-mentioned fields.
• Understanding of Western water rights (ability to understand decrees, ditch systems, groundwater, etc.)
• Experience with geospatial software (i.e. ArcGIS).
• Experience working with a land trust or similar land conservation organization.

Location and Travel Requirements:
• Location: COL strongly prefers that this position is based in our Alamosa (San Luis Valley) office; however, we will consider qualified applicants who are based out of our Salida or Lakewood, Colorado office with the expectation of additional travel.
• Travel requirements: This position involves regular travel throughout the San Luis Valley and occasional statewide travel with overnight stays. If the position is based out of our Salida or Lakewood office, the position will require frequent (1-2 x per month), multi-day, overnight trips to the San Luis Valley.
• A fleet vehicle is provided to be shared with other employees based in that office.
• A valid driver’s license is required.

Compensation & Benefits
• Compensation: $65,000 – 70,000, commensurate with experience.
• Benefits Package: Colorado Open Lands offers a competitive benefits package, including 401k plan with company match, health insurance (medical, dental, vision, and HSA), life and disability insurance, paid time off (sick leave, vacation, and holidays) and a collaborative, flexible work environment.
• Status: Full-time (exempt).
• Reports to: Senior Director of Stewardship and Strategic Initiatives, Cheryl Cufre

Application Instructions:
• Please send a résumé, cover letter, and three references to Cheryl Cufre, Senior Director of Stewardship and Strategic Initiatives at jobs@coloradoopenlands.org with “Dryland Restoration Coordinator” in the subject line.
• Please identify your preferred Colorado Open Lands office base location in your cover letter (Alamosa, Salida, or Lakewood) and/or your desire to relocate to the San Luis Valley region.
• Position open until it is filled.

EEO Statement

Colorado Open Lands provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. For information about Colorado Open Lands, please visit our website at www.coloradoopenlands.org

For a list of job opportunities in the conservation field, please visit the Land Trust Alliance Jobs Board or the Keep it Colorado Jobs Board.