Agricultural Project Manager I

Employment Opportunity: Agricultural Project Manager I

Employer: Sonoma Resource Conservation District

Work Location: Main office in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, with the option for partial remote work; field work throughout Sonoma County

Status: Non-Exempt/1.0 FTE (40 hours/week),

Starting Compensation: $34.76-$39.66/hour, depending on experience

Posting Date: October 2024

Estimated Start: December 2024

Organizational Background

The Sonoma RCD (RCD) is a non-regulatory, local government entity empowered to manage soil, water, fish, and wildlife resources for conservation. In existence since the 1940s, RCDs are local grassroots conservation delivery systems that identify local conservation problems and guide solutions on a voluntary basis. The RCD covers 85% of Sonoma County and includes portions of the Russian River, Petaluma River, Sonoma Creek, Stemple Creek, and Gualala River Watersheds.

The RCD has a budget of $4.0MM and is almost exclusively grant and contract funded. Our mission is carried out by a governing board of seven directors (Board) and an interdisciplinary team of 17 professionals through four programs: LandSmart® Planning, Water Resources, On-the-Ground, and Education. For more information visit our website at www.sonomarcd.org

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Sonoma Resource Conservation District is committed to incorporating justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion to evaluate, enhance, and expand our programming, deepen our connections with community partners, and strive to better serve our entire District. We recognize the importance of working to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable culture within our organization to effectively serve our District, improve access to economic opportunity, and create landscape-scale resilience for our current and future generations. We strive to ensure that water, soil, working lands, and wildlife habitats are conserved for all as we promote collaboration, employ innovative solutions based on science, respect our diverse communities and their connections to land, and empower members of our community to be active stewards of our natural and cultural resources.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Agricultural Program Director, the Agricultural Project Manager I is a detail-oriented individual who will work with our technical team to administer several projects from local and federal funding sources. They will engage agricultural producers as ecosystem stewards through the development and implementation of conservation plans. A strong emphasis of the position will be supporting projects that implement specific climate-smart farming practices designed to provide on-farm ecological benefits, improve agricultural productivity, enhance agroecosystem resilience, and mitigate global climate change through the regional LandSmart program. This position will also manage the LandSmart® Grazing for Community Resilience program collaboratively led in partnership with Gold Ridge RCD. The Agricultural Project Manager I will collaborate with a variety of partner organizations as well as landowners/managers to accomplish the RCD’s mission. The individual must be highly motivated, enjoy working in a team environment, have strong written and verbal communication skills, have organizational skills, be flexible in changing workload priorities, and can execute assignments efficiently and on time. This position allows for a diverse workload both in the office and the field.

Essential Functions

• Manages conservation projects on working lands from initial planning through implementation and monitoring. Conservation projects may include but are not limited to habitat enhancement or restoration, dairy manure management, riparian planting, implementation of agricultural best management practices, and compost application.
• Works with landowners/managers to develop farm/ranch conservation plans including Carbon Farm Plans, including identifying project opportunities based on plan recommendations.
• Oversees grants and contracts, including maintaining funder relationships, contractor procurement, state and federal regulatory compliance, deliverables management, monitoring, reporting, and budgetary oversight. Communicate regularly with management regarding contract needs or issues.
• Participates in soil health monitoring, data collection, and reporting of results.
• In collaboration with RCD staff, participate in grant proposal writing for planning and implementation projects.
• Develops technical workshops and educational materials related to climate-smart agriculture in partnership with other staff, including attending community events representing the district.
• Collaborates with partner organizations to build relationships, establish shared priorities, identify opportunities to leverage each other’s work, and develop new initiatives together.
• Increases regional capacity by participating and contributing to regional conservation efforts.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties , or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required Qualifications, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in soil science, rangeland management, agriculture, physical, biological, environmental sciences, or related.
• Demonstrated on-the-job experience and/or at least three (3) years of on-the-job experience in conservation planning and implementation.
• Working knowledge of and interest in production agriculture and natural resource conservation principles and science, specifically soil erosion processes, water quality, stormwater runoff, and native plant communities.
• Experience with carbon farm/regenerative agricultural practices and their significance to reaching climate goals.
• Proficiency with ArcGIS and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience working with private landowners on working lands (e.g., agriculture, forestry) and understanding of producer needs.
• Highly organized, motivated self-starter with the ability to prioritize and consistently meet deadlines.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to work with a variety of people with diverse interests and temperaments.
• Ability to exercise professional judgment in planning, designing, and implementing project objectives.
• Personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Creativity, sense of humor, “can do” spirit, collegiality, and flexibility in a dynamic and team-oriented work environment. Approach work with a learner’s mindset.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in written form, sufficient to convey information and instructions to the public, colleagues, and Board members.
• Flexible hours are required, including some weekday nights and weekends, to attend community events, meetings, and conferences.
• Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of employment.
• A valid driver’s license, vehicle, and proof of auto insurance is required at the time of hire.

Desired But Not Required Qualifications, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Contract administration and contractor oversight experience.
• Experience working under state and federal grants, including budget management and reporting.
• Experience with CA Department of Industrial Relations prevailing wage requirements for contractors.
• Professional experience with CEQA analysis (e.g., NOE, Neg Dec, MND) and permit applications for conservation projects.
• Ability to design and facilitate effective workshops, demonstrations, and seminars for producers.
• Experience working on multi-stakeholder collaborative planning processes.
• Experience working with dairy and rangeland agricultural systems.
• Ability to communicate effectively in Spanish, both verbally and in written form, sufficient to convey information and instructions to the public.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an indoor/outdoor setting to include:

• Field settings that include various terrains, dense vegetation (with possible exposure to poison oak, ticks, snakes, and mosquitos), and hot, cold, and wet conditions. Varies seasonally with an average split of 70% office and 30% field work.
• A professional office environment that includes the operation of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copiers, calculators, and filing cabinets.

Physical Requirements

Work in the field requires prolonged standing, walking long distances across rugged or uneven terrain in all weather conditions, climbing, jumping, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and recurring bending, lifting, reaching, and carrying of items weighing up to 30 pounds. Changes in lighting such as alternating bright sunlight and dark shade are encountered. Noise levels constantly vary.

Work in the office requires frequently remaining in a stationary position, operating a computer and other standard office equipment, and conversing by telephone and in person. Work in the field and in the office requires near and far visual acuity for expansive reading, computer operation, editing of documents, map interpretation, and data collection. Driving is required for local travel.

Compensation/Benefits

The starting compensation for this position is $34.76-$39.66 per hour, depending on experience. Benefits for this position include employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% coverage for employee; dependent coverage available at 100% cost to the employee); $50,000 employer-sponsored life insurance policy; a SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with up to 3% employer match; paid time off and holiday leave; and an employee assistance program. No relocation assistance will be provided.

How to Apply

We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive in this role to apply, even if they do not meet all the qualifications outlined. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional (3) references in one PDF document to hr@sonomarcd.org with “Agricultural Project Manager I” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with an initial review of applicants to begin on November 8, 2024. No phone calls, please.

The RCD is an equal opportunity employer where all aspects of employment are based on competence, merit, and performance. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, and any other status protected by state or federal law.