Harborwalk Manager

​​Boston Harbor Now envisions a vibrant, welcoming, and resilient Boston Harbor, Waterfront, and Islands for the benefit of everyone. Our mission is to ensure that these unique regional resources are accessible, inclusive, and properly adapted to the risks of climate change. We believe that these blue and green spaces contribute to our individual and community, environmental, and economic health and well-being.

Boston Harbor Now is hiring for a Harborwalk Manager. As a member of the Policy, Planning, and Programs Team, the Harborwalk Manager will help to manage, improve, maintain, and increase equitable access to the 43-mile Boston Harborwalk. This is an exciting opportunity to join a diverse team of talented individuals who work closely with public agencies, communities, and private and non-profit partners. Reporting to the Chief Impact Officer, the Harborwalk Manager will work directly with the planning, policy and programs team as well as seasonal interns and fellows, and a consultant, to help implement all aspects of Boston Harbor Now’s vision for the Boston Harborwalk, known as Harborwalk 2.0.

Organizational Overview

BHN focuses on advancing coastal resilience and activating our open spaces. BHN works with public and private partners to increase people’s awareness of and access to parks and public spaces on Boston Harbor through programming, communications, and engagement while focusing on equity, access, and resilience. The organization serves as the legislated non-profit partner of the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park and the City of Boston's partner for the Harborwalk and Moakley Park.

Current priority projects include the Stone Living Lab, which is focused on finding nature-based solutions to the impacts of sea-level rise, increasing and diversifying visitation to the Boston Harborwalk and Boston Harbor Islands, and helping to create a climate resilient waterfront.

For more information about Boston Harbor Now, please visit: www.bostonharbornow.org.

About Boston Harborwalk

The 43-mile linear Boston Harborwalk is a unique public resource, built on reclaimed tidal flats and held in trust by property owners for the public’s benefit. A core pillar of Boston Harbor Now’s five-year strategic plan is to implement the goals of Harborwalk 2.0 to create an inclusive and welcoming waterfront and center equity, access, and resilience in the waterfront’s development, design, construction, and programming. An accessible waterfront should have both linear and lateral connections between the communities and the water, as well as numerous activation strategies to serve people across Boston and beyond. A resilient waterfront includes implementation of a variety of climate adaptation strategies to protect and serve the City of Boston at a district scale.

About the Position: Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop a deep knowledge of the Boston Harborwalk and its public amenities including Facilities of Public Accommodation, i.e. community meeting spaces, public restrooms, and other resources.
• Collaborate with program staff and key public and private partners, including local, state and federal agency staff; property developers, owners and managers; nonprofits and consultants to help maintain and activate the Harborwalk while helping to increase meaningful and equitable engagement opportunities to grow and diversify visitation from underrepresented populations.
• Support program staff’s work facilitating educational and cultural experiences along the Harborwalk to engage the public around a variety of topics, including climate change, the nation’s 250th Anniversary, as well as other annual and special events such as the Tall Ships, Fireworks, and New Year’s Eve Ice Sculpture Stroll.
• Update and maintain a master list of the 360+ public and private properties as well as key partners and stakeholders focused on the Harborwalk.
• Support potential updates to the Harborwalk Webtool.
• Stay up to date and communicate on different programs and events happening along the waterfront to maximize opportunities for future Boston Harbor Now collaboration.
• Report to the Chief Impact Officer, and coordinate with the staff working in programs and communications to help reach Boston Harbor Now’s strategic goals.
• Respond to Harborwalk “311” reports and Boston Harborwalk-related questions on behalf of the City of Boston and remedy easy-to-manage situations (which sometimes require visiting and physically surveying different sites along the Harborwalk.)
• Oversee Marine Debris Removal efforts, while working to expand this program.
• Strengthen relationships with stakeholders to drive alignment with accessibility and resilience standards for the Boston Harborwalk.
• Collaborate with City of Boston officials and help implement Boston’s Climate Ready Plans, as needed, and help create a resilient waterfront to protect coastal and inland communities from climate impacts.
• Help organize and facilitate BHN Harbor Use Public Forums.
• Serve as liaison to Friends of the Boston Harborwalk (a key partner).
• Strengthen Boston Harbor Now’s reputation as a thoughtful, mission-driven, regional cutting-edge collaborator.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including occasionally staffing Boston Harbor Now-led programs as well as events, hearings, and meetings outside typical business hours.

Qualifications and Experiences

• Proficiency in Google Suite, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Drive, and Calendar, to manage appointments, document sharing, and digital collaboration.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Proven writing skills with an ability to adapt writing styles for different audiences.
• Ability to think strategically, solve problems, and create solutions in cooperation with supervisor, partners, and peers.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a proven track record of working in a cooperative, collaborative manner to catalyze positive change internally and externally while working independently.
• Ability to speak informally and formally at high-profile events.
• Willingness to travel within the City of Boston and work occasionally on evenings and weekends.

The ideal candidate is:

• Energetic, outgoing, and interested in interacting with people, while building, cultivating, and maintaining relationships with stakeholders.
• Experience working with government officials.
• Highly organized and able to prioritize multiple tasks while meeting deadlines.
• Continually builds professional knowledge associated with job objectives.
• Interested in helping to create a sense of belonging on the waterfront in support of Environmental Justice and BIPOC communities and other underrepresented groups.
• Concerned about the impacts of climate change on Boston neighborhoods and the region and interested in supporting creative solutions.
• Committed to Boston Harbor Now’s mission, and to fulfilling goals outlined in Harborwalk 2.0.
• Somewhat knowledgeable about and/or willing to learn about the Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act (Chapter 91.)
• Will have some experience or familiarity in one or more of the following areas: community outreach and organizing; governmental affairs, law and policy; environmental planning and urban design and/or planning; park management; project management; and/or construction management.

We recognize that experience can be gained in various ways: lived, professional, volunteer, and other experience.

We encourage Black, Indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities, and people with non-dominant gender identities who may not believe they meet all of the described qualifications to consider what they can contribute to Boston Harbor Now and apply.

Work Hours and Physical Requirements

This position is based in Charlestown and is located close to public transportation. This position must be able to work irregular hours as needed, including early morning and evenings, and occasional weekend events. Boston Harbor Now follows a hybrid work schedule.

Benefits and Salary

The salary is $70,000 to $75,000 annually commensurate with experience and includes a benefits package, including medical, dental, life, and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, vacation, sick and personal time, as well as the option to participate in our 403(b) retirement plan.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Boston Harbor Now is an intentionally diverse workplace. We are intentional about hiring, developing, and retaining diverse individuals at all levels. We don’t just accept differences - we celebrate, value, and promote them, and thrive on diversity for the benefit of our employees, volunteers, supporters, partners, and community. We recognize that people bring their personal histories to work and that we make better decisions when we include a wide range of experiences and opinions. Diversity refers not only to race and gender but also to an array of human differences including culture, ethnicity, geography, socio-economic position, ability, sexual orientation, background, perspective, and more that exist in the community and are reflected in the workforce. We value using an equity lens to manage the organization and create spaces for conversations on equity and empowerment to redesign policies, practices, services, and programs. Boston Harbor Now strongly believes that diversity plays an essential role in our mission, fostering innovation and creativity, attracting the best candidates to our team, and enhancing our ability to serve.

We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

How to Apply

Please send your resume and cover letter to employment@bostonharbornow.org for consideration, and include the following in the email subject line “Harborwalk Manager Application (your last name).”

It is important to us that the hiring process is accessible to everyone. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know when you apply.