Housatonic Valley Association – Connecticut Watershed Manager
Position Description:
The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) is seeking an enthusiastic and qualified professional to lead our Clean, Cold and Connected campaign in the Connecticut portion of the Housatonic River watershed. Clean, Cold and Connected takes action to protect and restore streams that are free of pollution, capable of supporting native species and habitats as the climate warms, fully accessible to fish and wildlife, and welcoming to watershed communities and visitors.
The Housatonic Valley in Connecticut includes urbanized watersheds with active restoration initiatives, healthy headwater streams, the Housatonic River estuary, and our connection with Long Island Sound. The Connecticut Watershed Manager will work closely with the CT Restoration Projects Manager and the Watershed Conservation Director to further HVA’s Clean, Cold and Connected projects in CT. These projects include but aren’t limited to watershed-scale planning and implementation, road-stream crossing assessment and replacement planning, and environmental education for diverse audiences. This position is based out of HVA’s office in Cornwall Bridge, CT with opportunities to work remotely.
Reports to: Watershed Conservation Director
Status: Full-time, Salaried, Exempt
Required skills and competencies: To perform this job successfully, applicants will need the skills and competencies listed below.
• Keen analytic, strategic and problem-solving skills.
• Proactive approach to achieving measurable results and meeting quantifiable objectives.
• Ability to cultivate effective working relationships at all levels, inside and outside of the organization.
• Excellent communications, presentation/public speaking and writing/editing skills, with a strong sense of narrative and storytelling.
• Ability to work effectively under frequent deadlines, respond quickly to unexpected challenges and shifting priorities, and follow through on time-sensitive tasks with minimal supervision, both autonomously and with a team.
• Ability to work outside for extended periods of time under inclement conditions.
Desired qualifications:
• Successful track record in project planning, management and completion.
• Experience delivering environmental education to diverse audiences.
• Experience managing other staff to accomplish program/organizational goals.
• Experience developing and managing competitive grants.
Education and/or experience:
Successful track record in advancing both collaborative public policy and project implementation is essential, in the environmental sector or other applicable sector. There are no specific requirements for academic experience, however we will consider applicant achievements in this area.
Duties:
In coordination with Connecticut Restoration Projects Manager and the Watershed Conservation Director, the Connecticut Watershed Manager plans and executes the day-to-day operations of HVA’s Clean, Cold and Connected work in the Connecticut portion of the Housatonic River watershed, which includes portions of Litchfield, Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Essential duties include:
• Building and maintaining relationships with municipalities, regional/state/federal agencies, not-for-profit partners and grassroots/neighborhood groups across the Connecticut portion of the Housatonic Watershed from the Massachusetts border to Long Island Sound.
• Representing HVA in, and coordinating overall activities for, existing and future conservation partnerships in Connecticut. This includes subwatershed-scale management partnerships for the Still and Pootatuck Rivers.
• Developing strategies for expanding local and regional conservation efforts within the larger vision of HVA’s Strategic Plan, particularly in lower Housatonic River subwatersheds.
• Leading and growing HVA’s environmental education/outreach efforts in Connecticut, including the Still River Watershed Connections program and the Housatonic River Information and Outreach (Housatonic RIO) program.
• Recruiting, hiring, and managing seasonal staff and volunteers.
• Supporting Connecticut Restoration Projects Manager in planning/implementing restoration projects.
• Writing and managing grants to support HVA’s Clean, Cold and Connected work in the Connecticut portion of the Housatonic River watershed.
Time and Compensation:
The starting annual salary range for this full-time position is $60,000 to $70,000. Benefits include health insurance, 403b retirement plan and HVA match, life and short-term disability insurance, paid holidays, paid time off, and remote work flexibility.
To Apply:
Please submit the following as a single .pdf or .doc file:
- COVER LETTER explaining your interest and qualifications.
- RESUME/CV
- THREE PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
Optional but encouraged: Examples of past work relevant to the duties of the CT Watershed Manager (please limit to 1-2 pages/project, no more than three projects)
Submit via email to Michael Jastremski, Watershed Conservation Director (mj.hva@outlook.com). Please include your name and “CT Watershed Manager” in the subject line. Position will remain open until filled; preference will be given to candidates who apply by March 1st.
Who we are:
HVA leads conservation action in communities across the tristate Housatonic watershed in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. We restore and protect the Housatonic River and its tributaries, protect strategically important lands, and take action to help ecosystems and communities adapt to climate change across the watershed and beyond. We do this directly or in collaborations with partner agencies and organizations, community and business leaders, and concerned citizens working for a clean and healthy natural environment. Our overarching goal is to achieve a climate-ready Housatonic Watershed by 2040. In addition to our advocacy, issue response and education programs, two major campaigns toward our 2040 goal are underway: Clean, Cold and Connected, aimed at restoring and protecting local streams and the waters they flow to, including Long Island Sound; and Follow the Forest, aimed at protecting a continuous forest corridor through the Housatonic watershed to connect the Appalachian Highlands of eastern New York with the forests of western Massachusetts and Vermont through to Canada. HVA is committed to being fully representative of the watershed’s people and diverse communities in all our work and across our organization. We strive to make our conservation actions equitable and inclusive by enabling participation by all and increasing our understanding of and responsiveness to environmental inequity. Our team is committed to continuously improving equitable representation across our organization and in our work towards a healthy watershed. Learn more about HVA at hvatoday.org.
HVA is an equal opportunity employer. If you have the drive, interest and skills to succeed in this position, tell us about how you can help, and we will consider your application. HVA provides equal employment opportunities to all eligible persons and administers personnel policies and practices in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws. We do not discriminate or abide discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, marital status, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, legal history, genetic information, mental disability or physical disability. Our commitment to equal opportunity is a guiding principle in all of our employment practices and policies.