Cedar City or St. George, Utah

Position Title: Color Country Converging Restoration Landscape Coordinator

Organization: Mule Deer Foundation

Location: Cedar City or St. George, Utah

Position Overview:  The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV) are seeking applicants to fulfill a shared partnership position. The position responsibility will be to further the delivery and implementation of conservation efforts within the Color Country Converging Restoration Landscape through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Inflation Reduction Act, a momentous piece of legislation, allocates $161 million in funding to the BLM for rare, generation-defining investments. These investments are aimed at fortifying the resilience of selected public lands, chosen for their distinctive blend of attributes that will bring enduring benefits to both present and future generations, enhancing lives and livelihoods.

This is a full time, 3-year position with the incumbent being an employee of Mule Deer Foundation. Daily supervision, instruction and leadership will be provided by the Deputy District Manager of the BLM Color Country District Office. This position will be in Cedar City or St. George and will require travel throughout the Color Country District and possibly to neighboring districts to support partnership opportunities. The incumbent is expected to work closely with BLM and local and state partners including Mule Deer Foundation efforts and staff, Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, USU extension and other federal, state, private and NGO organizations.

This position would assist the Project Manager in formulating, coordinating, tracking, and supporting the restoration projects and efforts throughout the Color Country Converging Restoration Landscape.  This position would contribute to the identification of projects and work directly with partners to ensure integration that efficiently uses shared financial and other resources and maximizes ecological outcomes.  This position would also assist with documenting, through photos, video, and other means, the results of the work and collaborate with public affairs specialists develop communications products to be shared with a broad audience across multiple platforms.

Duties: 

• Serve on field level interdisciplinary teams.
• Assist with landscape-level conservation planning, project prioritization, and project management support to the BLM and partners.
• Assist in compiling and communicating project results to local, regional, and national audiences.
• Provide range/wildlife technical assistance, coordination and support for collaborative conservation, and management and restoration efforts.
• Communicate project requirements, complete site visits, and develop contracts/plans for projects and participants, track project timelines and budgets.
• Coordinate and track funding from partners for projects and submit reports to partners who provide funding.
• Facilitate information and awareness on conservation opportunities to all levels of each partner in the partnership including BLM and IWJV staff.
• Work with agencies and partners to develop, facilitate, and coordinate local contracts agreements, and volunteers.
• Oversight and documentation of project work and develop and track landscape project implementation schedules.
• Showcase information from past and current projects to the public (i.e., presentations showing pre- and post-data for vegetation and wildlife populations, kiosk displays, social media posts, etc.).
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned by supervisor, including required training and administrative tasks.
• Communicate program requirements, complete site visits for wildlife field clearances (surveys, inventories, monitoring) on identified projects.
• Seek new partnerships, write and secure grants, and develop agreements as appropriate to build the partnership, and subsequent conservation efforts in the area.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to work independently with little supervision and with diverse clientele.
• Knowledge of various habitat types such as deserts, pinyon-juniper woodlands and sagebrush steppe and the ability to develop habitat succession planning within the environments.
• Knowledge of related disciplines in natural resources management, such as wildlife biology, botany, rangeland ecology, hydrology and/or soils.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with land managers and partner agency staff.
• Strong organizational skills, time management, and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of computer skills is required, and applicant should be familiar with ARC GIS, Word and Excel.
• Any combination of training and/or experience that will enable the applicant to possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered.
• The ideal candidate will exhibit a balance of technical knowledge and interpersonal skills required to implement voluntary conservation programs across public and private boundaries.
• Valid driver’s license and skillset to drive in rough terrain, and often remote locations, on a regular basis and occasionally during inclement weather. Use of personal vehicle with a mileage reimbursement may at times be required when a government-owned vehicle is unavailable.
• Physical ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time over rough terrain; lift and move material weighing up to 50 pounds; work in all types of weather conditions.
• An understanding of the BLM agency, policy, planning, clearances, regulations, etc. is preferred.
• Able to obtain BLM Security Clearance.
• Basic understanding/knowledge of NEPA is required.

Qualifications: 

• Have a minimum of 2 years, preferred 3+ years, work experience in a similar field.
• Proven history of successful grant applications for landscape-scale habitat restoration work.
• Experience with contracting and implementing wildlife habitat restoration and/or conservation work.
• Previous employment experience working in land or wildlife resource management for a State or Federal land or wildlife management agency or resource focused NGO.

Start Date: January 30, 2024 (negotiable)

Salary/Pay: $69k to $89k, depends on experience plus health and retirement benefits

Application Deadline: Open until filled, preference given to applications received by December 29, 2023

How to Apply: Please use the online application to view the full job description as well as how to apply.