Overview

The Mendocino Land Trust (MLT) is looking for a Conservation Project Manager who is passionate about land conservation and is interested in growing with our organization. This position will be primarily focused on working with willing landowners of working lands in Mendocino County with an emphasis on inland properties such as farms, ranches, vineyards, and working forests, to voluntarily conserve their lands with conservation easements. The position is a combination of fostering connections in the inland community and completing transactional work involved with completing conservation easements and other conservation projects.

This position involves working with team members on conservation projects, land acquisition and land bequests and will report to the Conservation Project Director as part of the Conservation Team.

Job duties include intake of acquisition and bequest projects, speaking directly with landowners and key constituents, completing drafts of agreements, purchase contracts and conservation easements, as well as participating in organizational fundraising and outreach activities. Must have complete proficiency with office suite software such as G Suite or Microsoft Office. Experience with GIS software is helpful. Experience with real estate transactions is a high priority.

Candidates must be able to work independently and as part of a team in a variety of settings including outdoors, shared office space and remotely. Excellent writing and interpersonal skills are key. The position requires a driver’s license and may require hiking in rugged outdoor terrain. The position may require occasional travel as projects may spread throughout Northern California.

ABOUT MENDOCINO LAND TRUST

MLT is a nonprofit conservation land trust operating throughout Mendocino County and beyond, which includes all areas of Mendocino County plus work in the Eel River watershed in Lake County. The mission of the Mendocino Land Trust is to conserve important natural resources of Mendocino County including working farmlands and forests, wildlife habitat, open space, scenic vistas, watersheds, and to facilitate public access.

We work diligently to:

• Preserve our land for its scenic and recreational values
• Build trails so that people can have a direct connection to beautiful landscapes
• Protect and restore waterways and forests which provide critical wildlife habitat
• Preserve family farms and ranchlands for generations to come
• Care for the lands we have protected, in perpetuity

ABOUT THE POSITION

This is a flexible half-time to full-time position – we are seeking the right candidate and will consider schedules with a minimum of 20 hours per week. While our main office is based in Fort Bragg, California, the ideal candidate will be focused on working remotely, ideally, from Inland Mendocino County, with weekly trips to the Fort Bragg office. The ideal candidate will have deep connections in Inland Mendocino County and within the working lands community. This position involves having the ability to visit property owners in the Inland area frequently.

Due to the recent success of our organization, this position will be evolving. We anticipate that at least 70% of the position will be remote office-based work.

The position reports to the Conservation Project Director to support the conservation and acquisition teams. The Mendocino Land Trust actively pursues acquisition and conservation of properties through both conservation easements and fee title acquisitions; this position will play an active role in gathering key information, completing research, due diligence and assisting with finalization of projects.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Complete project intakes by gathering key information including county Assessor Parcel Numbers, location, acreage, and conservation values of land.
• Work with landowners to assess their conservation goals and funding needs
• Assist with creation of Conservation Easements and Baseline Documentation Reports
• Coordinate site visits, appraisals, and meetings with key stakeholders
• Cultivate positive working relationships with landowners, partners, and neighbors
• Assist with project development and preparation of grant proposals
• Provide administrative support with grant invoicing and report writing
• Update reports to the Board of Directors on current and upcoming projects
• Working with the Conservation Project Director and Executive Director to evaluate and prioritize potential conservation activities including initial screenings, site visits, resource assessments.
• Ensure transactions are completed with adherence to Land Trust Alliance Accreditation

Standards.

• Land acquisition project due diligence, record-keeping, and managing other tasks essential to completing and closing fee acquisition and conservation easement transactions.
• Represent MLT within the community through a presence at local and statewide meetings and coalitions regarding policy and funding efforts affecting land and water conservation.
• Build cooperative, effective working relationships with partner agencies, local officials and funders that will lead to meeting strategic conservation goals.
• Assist the Board and Staff of MLT in keeping current on conservation trends, easement drafting guidelines and stewardship trends.

Other requirements include:

• Proficiency with G Suite and MS Office and Zoom. Familiarity with ARC GIS or Google Earth Pro is helpful.
• Able to work independently in a home office environment. and complete assignments using online tools and software
• Able to self-organize work effectively and work within budgets
• Able to write well (letters to landowners, grant applications, reports to funders, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize assignments, meet deadlines and maintain attention to detail in a fast-paced environment
• Occasionally use a personal vehicle on Mendocino Land Trust business
• Attend organizational fundraising, outreach activities and events that may be scheduled on weekends
• Able to work flexible hours including weekends and occasional evenings.
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to exercise initiative, good judgment and tact
• COVID 19 immunization may be required

Education and Experience:

• Any combination of college degree and work experience that would fulfill the knowledge and experience listed in this job description is acceptable.
• Previous experience with real estate transactions, easements, and grant funding is a plus
• Experience working with a nonprofit organization or public agency in natural resource conservation or land use planning
• Three years of relevant work experience is strongly preferred
• Experience with working lands and strong Inland Mendocino County connections with owners of working lands
• Experience in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with co-workers, partner organizations, government officials, public agencies, community groups and the general public
• Ability to read maps and drive a 4wd vehicle a plus

Mendocino Land Trust offers competitive benefits dependent on the percentage of full-time hours assigned. The salary for this position is from $27-$30/hr. contingent on experience and qualifications.