The Conservation Assistant plays an integral role in the Conservation Program, supervised by the Conservation Director and working closely with the Stewardship Program Manager and the Conservation Project Manager. The Conservation Assistant will also collaborate with the Community Engagement Program Manager, Operations Program Associate, Community Engagement Program Assistant, Executive Director, contractors, interns, and volunteers as needed and may supervise student interns at times. Guided by a Board of Directors, PLAN’s staff implements an organization-wide Conservation Plan, annual program plan and budget, and Business Blueprint (strategic plan), in collaboration with a corps of volunteers, multiple community partners, and donors.
A successful Conservation Program Assistant will be a versatile and willing team player, able to carry out directives and responsibilities independently, ambitious and eager to learn, well-organized and attentive to detail, and flexible with a positive attitude.
Major Functions
PLAN’s Conservation Assistant provides day to day support for the Conservation Program which includes land protection, land stewardship, and community planning. The Conservation Assistant’s major functions for this position entail:
- Land Protection – assisting with due diligence for land conservation projects including fee-title acquisitions and conservation easements
- Stewardship – documenting and monitoring properties, assisting with land management and trail maintenance including support for volunteers
- GIS and GPS – preparing maps, collecting data in the field and performing analysis.
- Record-keeping and Reporting – tracking information throughout multi-year process for conserving lands, maintaining records for grant-funded projects, submitting annual property tax exemptions, and documenting annual stewardship activities.
Primary Duties
- Maintain records of land protection inquiries and status of land protection projects.
- Ensure all due diligence tasks for land protection projects and property stewardship responsibilities are completed, thoroughly documented, archived, and retrievable.
- Prepare maps for assessing potential land protection projects and stewardship portfolio.
- Contract and track services for land transactions, such as surveys, appraisals, title searches and insurance, and environmental site assessments.
- Assist with preparing and tracking grant applications and deliverables.
- Prepare project reports and maps for Board members and funders.
- Monitor fee-owned preserves and conservation easements.
- Assist with production of property baseline documentation reports and updates.
- Assist with logistics for volunteer work days, landowner workshops, educational programs, and community engagement and fundraising events.
- Other tasks as requested.
Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree in related field (conservation, environment, natural resources management, ecology, land planning, etc.).
- Preference for at least 1 year’s work experience in a professional capacity, ideally in a relevant natural resource field.
Skills and Competencies
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
- Ability to utilize GIS (ArcPro and ArcOnline) software and collect GPS data to display and analyze spatial information
- Proficiency with a variety of software including the Microsoft Office suite
- Ability to perform strenuous physical activities such as hiking in steep terrain
To Apply
To apply, submit resume and cover letter by August 6, 2021 to Michael Horn, Conservation Director at michaelh@saratogaplan.org.
Saratoga PLAN is an equal opportunity employer and promotes an inclusive, friendly culture. Individual responsibilities dictate schedule and workplace, with flexible in-office, remote, and in-field locations, according to the needs of the position and the individual. Benefits include health insurance, paid vacation, holiday and sick time, and matching retirement benefits. This is a fulltime, entry-level position. The starting pay rate for this position is $21 per hour.
Saratoga PLAN is a not-for-profit land trust dedicated to preserving the rural character, natural habitats and scenic beauty of Saratoga County so that these irreplaceable assets are accessible to all and survive for future generations. PLAN acknowledges that the lands it conserves are located on ancestral homelands of Mohican, Mohawk and Abenaki people. PLAN helps landowners conserve their farmland, woodlands, trails, and natural habitats to sustain the county’s “quality of place” and its environment, economy, and public health. Saratoga PLAN helps communities create plans that balance growth with conservation to sustain the Saratoga Region as a great place to live, work, play, visit, and farm.