Edina, MN

Position Title: Ecosystem Program Coordinator

Organization: Upper Mississippi River Basin Association

Location: Edina, MN (hybrid; at minimum three days/week in office)

Position Overview: The Ecosystem Program Coordinator position will primarily focus on implementing UMRBA’s roles and responsibilities as a partner organization within the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program, which is the Nation’s first environmental restoration and monitoring program on a large river and is implemented through a federal-state partnership. In addition, the Ecosystem Program Coordinator will support UMRBA’s participation in the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program and UMRBA’s efforts to integrate ecological resilience into the multi-purpose management of the Upper Mississippi River System.

Duties:

• Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program (UMRR) – Participate in the planning and implementation of UMRR as part of the federal-state partnership. This includes supporting multi-agency cooperative planning and action, enhancing the participation of nongovernmental entities and potentially affected interests, and helping to draft and coordinate multi-organization communications.
• Project implementation — Support other interstate and interdisciplinary projects that, individually and collectively, advance UMRBA’s policy and programmatic goals. As an example, this position will support UMRBA’s participation in the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP).
• Public participation — Continue to enhance accessibility for potentially affected interests to participate in UMRBA policy and programmatic activities. Provide means for decision-makers to hear, understand, and use stakeholder input. Implement the UMRBA accessibility and inclusion policy and plan as it relates to public participation.
• Partnership — Participate in partners’ forums and other activities related to ecosystem planning to both learn from other individuals and entities and to communicate about UMRBA’s perspectives and priorities.
• Technical expertise — Maintain knowledge of, interpret, and communicate the best available scientific information on large river ecology, particularly in the Upper Mississippi River System floodplain and basin.
• Communications — Support efforts to draft and disseminate communications about UMRBA’s
  ecosystem goals and project implementation processes and outcomes. Implement the UMRBA
  accessibility and inclusion policy and plan as it relates to communications.
• Advocacy —Draft UMRBA position statements, study reports, testimony and letters of comment, and other UMRBA publications and official correspondence.
• Issue analysis — Help track and analyze water resource issues of potential interest to UMRBA. Assist member states in developing joint positions as appropriate.
• Financial agreements — Work with the Operations Manager to draft work plans and progress reports associated with the financial agreements that support UMRBA’s ecosystem program.
• Identify new opportunities — Identify new ways in which UMRBA can help meet its member states’ needs. This includes refining ongoing work as well as identifying possible new areas of endeavor and the resources needed to support new activities.
• Other duties — Assist UMRBA in advancing other policy and programmatic goals as directed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, advanced degree (preferred), or equivalent experience in biology, ecology, water resources, natural resources, environmental science/management, public affairs, or related field.
• Experience in water resources, public policy, or related area.
• Knowledge of interstate, river-related issues, and federal legislative and budgetary processes.
• Excellent analytical, strategic planning, and communication skills.
• Excellent judgment and ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Strong interpersonal and team-building skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel on average once or twice per month.
• Commitment to equity and accessibility in both work and workplace, including acting in accordance with UMRBA’s equity statement (see below); be respectful of differences of identity and/or beliefs; and successfully work across those differences to meet work objectives.

Salary/Pay: $54,000 – $85,000

Application Deadline: Rolling Deadline

How to Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, and brief writing sample to UMRBA via email.