Bend, OR

Position Title: Wild Lands & Water Program Manager

Organization: Central Oregon Landwatch

Location: Bend, OR

Organization Overview: For more than 35 years, Central Oregon LandWatch has worked to defend and plan for their region’s livable future. As the population continues to grow, their region faces a critical need to ensure a balanced, sustainable, and planned approach that guides growth where it belongs and protects the land and water that sustain communities and ecosystems. Using land use law, policy, planning, and community organizing, Central Oregon LandWatch works to meet this need.

Position Overview: The Wild Lands & Water Program Manager works with the Program Director to lead LandWatch’s efforts to ensure Central Oregon’s wild lands are protected to support biological diversity and critical wildlife habitat, and that water management in the region is improved to restore instream flows for the benefit of fish and wildlife. In partnership with the other members of the Wild Lands & Water team, this will be achieved by advocating for the improvement, and enforcement of state and federal environmental laws and policies.

Duties: 

Law and Policy (45%)

• Identify and develop strategic opportunities for LandWatch to engage in meaningful legal accountability and policy reform related to the management of water and public lands in Central Oregon
• Work with the Program Director and legal team to implement strategies to challenge federal, state, and local government decisions that adversely affect fish and wildlife habitat
• Evaluate state and federal projects and management proposals for significant threats to wildlife habitat
• Monitor and evaluate management plans, applications, and proposals for compliance with state and federal water laws
• Enforce and strengthen state and federal environmental laws and land management policy through legal action, administrative advocacy, and the state legislature
• Prepare legal comments and testimony on public land and water management proposals and processes at the state and federal levels

Program Development and Support (35%)

• Conduct legal research on key issues and prepare reports, white papers, or other presentations to support the work of the Wild Lands and Water Program
• Cultivate and maintain working relationships with key stakeholders, subject-matter experts, and state and federal agency staff in support of public land and water management objectives
• Educate and inform community stakeholders about water and public land management in the Deschutes Basin and opportunities for reform
• Work with Communications team and Program Director to craft strategic communications that support the aims of the Wild Lands and Water program

Program Coordination and Administration (20%)

• Contribute to annual goal-setting and implementation of the organization’s strategic plan
• Coordinate Wild Lands and Water team to ensure alignment of team members’ efforts with the program’s strategic priorities
• Actively participate in weekly staff meetings, board meetings as necessary, work planning, DEI initiatives, and other organization-wide efforts.
• Work with the Development Director to develop grant proposals and reports.
• Perform duties required of all staff to support internal operations including submitting expense reports, invoice requests, reimbursement requests, and timesheets.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Knowledge of water law and/or natural resource law
• Strong technical writing skills (e.g. public comments and testimony)
• Proven ability to research, analyze and synthesize complex natural resource issues
• Strong communications, public speaking, and stakeholder outreach skills
• Ability to work with a diverse range of people

Preferred Qualifications:

• JD degree and/or legal and policy background in water law and public lands management
• 3-5 years of directly related work experience in natural resource management field

Start Date: Late February/Early March 2024

Salary/Pay: Negotiable starting at $60,000/year

Application Deadline: February 2, 2024

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