About The Salmon SuperHwy

The Tillamook-Nestucca Salmon SuperHwy project is a collaborative effort to restore access for fish to almost 180 miles of blocked habitat throughout six major salmon and steelhead rivers on Oregon’s North Coast. Created and maintained through a unique community partnership, the project aims to repair or replace more than 90 barrier culverts, small dams and tidegates using a strategic approach that provides the highest conservation return on each dollar invested. Completion of these actions will reconnect historical habitat, reduce chronic flooding, improve recreation opportunities and stimulate the local economy.

About Trout Unlimited 

Trout Unlimited is a national organization with about 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide.  These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts, and scientists, who work out of more than 45 offices across the country.  Our mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America’s cold-water fisheries and their watersheds. In Oregon, the organization has a full-time staff of 12 working across the state in a variety of restoration, policy, and advocacy positions.

POSITION SUMMARY

This is an exciting opportunity to join Trout Unlimited and support an innovative partnership for the reconnection of fish habitat. TU is hiring a self-motivated and highly capable person to assist the Salmon SuperHwy partnership by developing, facilitating and implementing habitat reconnection projects and improving flood resiliency for local communities on Oregon’s North Coast. The candidate will be responsible for all aspects of project management including outreach to landowners, project development, fundraising, furthering the Salmon SuperHwy’s mission and developing strategic approaches to meet that mission, participating in regional partnership efforts, providing fiscal oversight for project budgets, and directing support staff and contractors.

TU’s staff on the Oregon North Coast work in a highly collaborative environment, with a diversity of partners including landowners, state and federal resource management agencies, private and public funders, watershed councils, and other NGO’s. These partnerships are critical to the on-going success of the Salmon SuperHwy and the successful candidate will be an individual that thrives working in a collaborative environment.

The Project Manager will be located in the Tillamook-Nestucca area and will be required to travel occasionally throughout western Oregon and to conferences outside the state. This is a full-time position and occasionally requires evening and weekend hours. This position will be open for applications until 11/30/2020.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, design, coordinate, and implement restoration projects resulting in the rehabilitation and enhancement of habitat for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife species and overall ecological function, particularly those projects prioritized by the Salmon SuperHwy fish passage optimization model.

• Evaluate potential restoration projects with private landowners and other stakeholders, both independently and in group settings.

• Collaborate closely with the membership of the Salmon SuperHwy Partnership.

• Identify funding sources, prepare budgets and proposals, and obtain funding for fish passage restoration projects.

• Complete state and federal permitting requirements for restoration projects.

• Monitor for permit parameters (turbidity, construction water management, erosion control, etc).

• Manage project implementation including budgeting, scheduling, coordination of partners, contractor selection and oversight, and reporting.

• Prepare grant deliverables including quarterly, annual, and final progress reports.

• Foster and maintain positive relationships with landowners and other stakeholders with varying political and social backgrounds.

• Collaborate closely with partners, including federal, state and local government agencies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations.

• Document via photographs and construction logs key project sequencing.

• Additional duties may be assigned as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Five years professional experience or advanced degree equivalent in natural resource management, with an emphasis on restoration/conservation project management.

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• Demonstrated performance in grant writing and other fundraising activities.

• Experience in fisheries, aquatic ecology or fluvial geomorphology a plus.

• Superior interpersonal skills and ability to work constructively with diverse partners and private landowners.

• Professional experience working with landowners, resource managers, and other interested parties in a collaborative setting.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills are required.

• Previous experience with media and outreach helpful.

• Excellent problem-solving abilities required.

• Ability to work independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside TU.

• Ability to manage complex projects.

• Ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.

• Ability and willingness to travel.  Valid driver’s license and own vehicle required.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and GIS software strongly preferred.

• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.

• High energy and a passion for protecting and restoring trout and salmon and their watersheds.