Environmental Program Manager

Reports to: Chief Programs Officer

Location: Remote or in the DC office

Posting Date: June 16, 2022

Application Deadline: June 30, 2022

Anticipated Start Date: Week of August 1 or August 11, 2022

Organization Description: The Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) is a national network of nonprofit partners that works to ensure that rural and tribal communities across the United States have access to safe drinking water, wastewater treatment, solid waste disposal, and economic prosperity through direct technical assistance, training, and financial assistance in the smallest communities across the country. RCAP works to build capacity at the local level, while raising the voice of rural and tribal communities through advocacy, storytelling, research, and strategic partnerships. Last year, RCAP served more than 3.4 million rural and tribal residents, with a median household income of just over $38,000, approximately half of the national average.

RCAP is an Equal Opportunity Employer: we welcome and encourage applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity of our workforce across a range of dimensions. Individuals who come from rural areas; who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, or other People of Color; who are queer, trans, non-binary, or two-spirit; people with disabilities; people who are immigrants; people from poor and working-class backgrounds; and people who are/have been system-impacted are strongly encouraged to apply.

We expect all our employees to share a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and always seek ways to improve how well we live these values. If we can make the application process easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please let us know. Once you have applied, we welcome your feedback on how you have experienced our values around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the recruitment process.

Position Description: RCAP is hiring an Environmental Program Manager in support of our drinking water, wastewater, and solid waste grant program activities which include tracking and managing program deliverables for the national office and RCAP’s regional and external partners, reporting, and liaising with RCAP funders. The position would include day-to-day oversight of both federal and philanthropically funded programming. The Program Manager provides subject matter expertise on the technical, managerial, and/or financial management and operations of small, rural and tribal systems which may include onsite/decentralized and private wells as well as strategic issues such as regionalization, affordability, and disaster preparedness and response. The Manager assists with determining and meeting technical support and training needs throughout the network for RCAP staff and community members including utility personnel in collaboration with the training and technical services team. They may be called upon to serve as liaison to professional and non-profit organizations as appropriate, and on funding agencies’ topic-specific working groups. We look for a passion for improving quality of life and public and environmental health in rural America.

Hours: Exempt Full-Time

Specific Duties/Responsibilities:
Support to RCAP National Office and Regional Activities

• Help to oversee a range of programs related to growing a water workforce, small water/wastewater system capacity and compliance, regional cooperation among utilities, and addressing disparities in access to clean water and water financing as well as RCAP’s Agua4All program which increases access to and consumption of safe drinking water in schools.
• Generate or contribute to environmental funding proposals.
• Manage/co-manage federal and philanthropic grant-funded projects including the development and submittal of required funder reports, and the development of subagreements and regional and external partner oversight including tracking deliverables and spending.
• Coordinate, build, and maintain rapport with key funding agencies, our six regional RCAP partners and external partner organizations.
• Assist with development of program deliverables and drive their completion such as webinars, guidebooks, or technical review of communications and outreach collateral and new policies or approaches as needed.
• Lead, participate in, and/or contribute to various workgroups as assigned both on the national external level as well as internally with RCAP regions.
• Travel as needed to participate in conferences, workshops, programmatic events, program management meetings and other activities.

RCAP Outreach and Partnerships

• Maintain and further develop collaborative relationships with other water/wastewater industry groups, rural community development organizations, potential funders and other entities that complement the work of RCAP, such as, but not limited to, Water Environment Federation (WEF), National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), and Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA).

Other duties as assigned by the Chief Programs Officer.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience overseeing programs with a variety of deliverables and overseeing various partner organizations
• Experience in drinking water or wastewater management, finance, or technical operations; previous work directly with communities a plus
• Solid understanding of industry needs and community-based solutions around training and technical assistance to small systems in any one or more of the following areas: affordability, sustainability and resilience, addressing disparities in access to clean water and infrastructure financing, regional collaboration among systems, or other areas that demonstrate similar experience
• Strong written/verbal communication and project management skills including experience with written funder reports; attention to detail a must
• Ability to work independently but also in a remote team setting
• Familiarity with word processing, spreadsheets, and database applications

Desired Qualifications:

• Federal and/or philanthropic grant application and program management experience including the management of funder relationships, multiple sub-grantees, reporting, and budget and sub-agreement processes
• Experience with affordability and system sustainability and addressing disparities in access to clean water and infrastructure financing; experience with regional utility collaboration and/or knowledge of workforce development strategies and programs
• Knowledge of State Revolving Loan Funds and U.S. Department of Agriculture and/or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water, wastewater and/or solid waste programs
• Technical assistance, capacity building and/or training experience, water and/or wastewater specifically preferred; facilitation experience a plus
• Experience working with and a passion for assisting rural communities

How to Apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and resume/CV. The application process will close on July 8.

The Selection Process: In an effort to be as transparent as possible in our selection process as well as to help expedite bringing new staff on board, below is a timeline of key events:

• Review of Resumes: Applications will be reviewed as they come in. All initial reviews will be completed July 8.
• First Round Interviews (via phone): July 11-15
• Second Round Interviews (via Zoom): July 21-25
• Reference checks: July 26-27
• Extend offer: July 28-29

While we will proactively communicate these dates and any changes to you throughout the process, please consider placing tentative holds on your calendar for the initial screening and video interviews.

COVID-19 Response: RCAP recognizes these are unprecedented times and wants to remove any barriers that would prevent anyone disproportionately affected by the pandemic from applying. RCAP policy currently requires employees who travel and interact with others on RCAP business to be fully vaccinated or request a medical or religious exemption. RCAP complies with federal guidelines related to vaccine requirements, masks, and other local and federal public health guidelines.