Local recruitment: Urban Waters and Wildlife Program Manager

Job Announcement: 

URBAN WATERS AND WILDLIFE PROGRAM MANAGER

Posted: July 16, 2025

Position open until filled, applications will be reviewed starting August 8, 2025

 Download PDF

The Long Tom Watershed Council (LTWC) seeks applicants for the position of Urban Waters and Wildlife Program Manager (UWWPM). This position is responsible for overseeing and leading the Urban Waters and Wildlife Program. Excellent time management, multitasking, communication and interpersonal skills are a requirement. The UWWPM must be comfortable navigating the complex partnership and regulatory landscape inherent to implementation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Best Management Practices. This position supervises and collaborates closely with two landscape designers and works closely with other members of the LTWC staff including the Executive DIrector, Director of Programs, and Finance Manager. Please see position description below for details on duties of the UWWPM and information about LTWC.

Desired Start Date: Flexible, September 2025

Status: Exempt, Full-time (40 hours per week but will consider 32-36 hours per week at a prorated salary)

Reports To: Director of Programs

Compensation: $73,000-$77,000 starting salary (depending on experience) + benefits:

• Health insurance (LTWC currently pays 75% of employee premium + 20% of dependents paid)
• 401(k) contribution – 8% of salary plus optional employee contribution
• 10 paid holidays plus 15 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) to start (sick and vacation days are lumped together as PTO) 
• Continuing education and training are financially supported in alignment with organizational priorities
• $40/month stipend for use of personal cell phone
• Enrollment in Employee Assistance Program that includes resources for financial wellness coaching, counseling, leadership development, legal services, and others
• Pro deals for a variety of outdoor, automotive, exercise, and other equipment, clothing and gear through the ExpertVoice platform

Hiring Equity and Justice
Since 2018, LTWC has invested significantly in exploring what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean for the soul of our community and the core of our work.  We believe that the health of the watershed is dependent upon the contributions of all people. LTWC recognizes the disproportionate impacts that systems of oppression have on People of Color and Indigenous People. We believe the organization’s strength depends on breaking down implicit, systemic inequities. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that grows our collective wisdom. 

It is well-documented that Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), queer and transgender folks, women, and other marginalized groups often do not apply for jobs unless they feel they meet every qualification listed in the job description. Conversely, it is well documented that people with identities overrepresented in our field (white people, men, etc.) do not hesitate to apply even if they do not meet all the stated qualifications and are often still hired into those positions. We are most interested in finding the right candidate for the job and our team, and we encourage all passionate and interested candidates to apply and not discount experience that could be transferable, even if it is outside what we have described. We are committed to working against the structural biases that continue to keep marginalized people excluded from the conservation, restoration and natural resource fields, and to making sure our hiring practices are not reproducing those biases.  

To Apply:

• Please submit your application materials via email to apply@longtom.org.  Applications will be reviewed starting on August 8. 
• Applications submitted on and after August 8 may or may not be accepted, depending on whether the position has been filled. 
• Please email questions about the position or hiring process to apply@longtom.org. 
• All emails – both application submittals and questions regarding the position – must have “Urban Waters and Wildlife Program Manager” in the subject line.

Application Materials:

• Resume – include your phone & email address
• Cover letter of 2 pages or less, and 12-point font, that includes – 

1. A description of how your knowledge, skills, abilities, and past experiences relate to the position responsibilities.
2. A description of what approaches and insights help in working with a diverse watershed community, including urban businesses, agency partners, interested citizens, landscape contractors, and fellow staff members.

Three professional references will be required for finalists – you can provide them now or later on in the process. Please provide contact information, including phone number, and describe your relationship with them.

Background
The Long Tom Watershed Council (LTWC) has served the Long Tom River Watershed and Upper Willamette Watershed areas in Lane and Benton Counties since 1998. This area is approximately 450 square miles, mostly in private ownership, and incorporates a majority of Eugene, Oregon. The Council was formed in 1998 in response to a call for local voluntary water quality and habitat restoration action as part of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, and has flourished ever since. Our mission is to serve to improve water quality and watershed condition in the Long Tom River basin through education, coordination, consultation, and cooperation among all interests, using the collective wisdom and voluntary action of our community members. 

The Council is a registered landscape architecture firm, providing full landscape architecture services that align with the Council mission and with the priorities and goals of the Urban Waters and Wildlife Program. 

The Council is guided by a diverse Board of Directors and has in place key committees and volunteers. The service area includes the Long Tom River Watershed as well as the upper Willamette River mainstem and lands draining to it, including the shared Eugene/Springfield urban area. Active programs include: River Restoration, Uplands Restoration and Prescribed Fire, the Urban Waters & Wildlife Program, and the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program. LTWC consists of 12 staff and accomplishes much of its work in partnership with skilled contractors, consultants, and staff from other partner organizations.

Urban Waters & Wildlife Program (UWWP)
The Council began its urban program as the Amazon Creek Initiative in 2011 and has expanded in both scope and geography to include business engagement and stewardship in the broader metro area of the Upper Willamette River. Today, the Urban Water & Wildlife Program includes the following major areas: Voluntary Stormwater Retrofits/Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI); Water Quality Monitoring including Amazon Creek Pesticide Stewardship Partnership; and Outreach and Education. The Urban Waters Partnership (UWP) was created to provide regional support for the program and sustained technical and financial support. UWP is made up of local government, non-governmental organizations, and nonprofit stakeholders. Other funding is sourced through private and public grants, contracts, and donations. 

The Urban Waters & Wildlife Program team performs the following actions and objectives, to be overseen by the Program Manager:

Voluntary Stormwater Retrofits: 

• Engage commercial and industrial business, places of worship, schools, and parks to improve onsite stormwater management including voluntary retrofits (a.k.a. green stormwater  infrastructure/GSI) to their landscape, buildings, and property
• Develop schematic designs, feasibility studies, and construction documents
• Provide permit coordination and oversee project installation
• Create customized operations and maintenance manuals for each project
• Provide technical assistance to contractors and maintenance providers who install best management practices
• Liaise between property owner/business owner and city agencies as needed
• Allocate matching funds to businesses implementing BMPs, write grants to assist with installation costs 

Water Quality Monitoring: Engage in the UWP Monitoring Sub-Committee to coordinate local monitoring efforts guided by in-stream and GSI facility data points.

Pesticide Stewardship Partnership: Water quality monitoring for pesticides in Amazon Creek is conducted in conjunction with the Council’s other water quality monitoring efforts and includes intersection with the UWWP including: Outreach to commercial, industrial, landscape maintenance, and agricultural stakeholders in Amazon Creek as well as the larger metro area in collaboration with other entities; Partnering with ODA and DEQ to educate stakeholders and the public on the data, and working with them to reduce pesticide presence. 

Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Guidance: Engage in the UWP O&M Committee to advise landscape contractors and property owners in best management practices for stormwater maintenance, provide ongoing O&M checks of installed facilities, and coordinate emerging local and regional O&M collaborations.

Outreach and Education: Outreach to business groups, pesticide applicators, landscapers, the design community, BIPOC, the agricultural community, regional governmental and non-governmental agencies, and others as they arise. Hold tours of project sites, as well as on-going publicity for implemented projects. Engage in the UWP Outreach & Communications Committee.

Collaboration with Urban Waters Partnership (UWP): The UWP is a multi-partner initiative housed within the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network’s suite of activities. LTWC’s Urban Waters & Wildlife Program holds the primary technical capacities for advancing the priorities of this collaborative partnership and getting projects implemented within our shared partner geography. As such, the UWWP team is in a unique leadership position to both lead conversations of priorities and project implementation goals within and on behalf of the group, while also receiving and considering input from the UWP partners and committees.  Using an Impact Network model, LTWC and the Urban Waters and Wildlife Program retain full autonomy over the deployment of personnel and resources at our discretion. The Program Manager is responsible for engaging collaboratively, thinking strategically, and considering the relationship between the UWW-Program and Partnership as mutually supportive of the Council and program’s mission as well as the missions of the partners involved. 

Role of the Program Manager
The Program Manager will be the lead person on a collaborative, objective, and productive effort to improve urban water quality in the Upper Willamette River watershed area. Building on the Council’s tagline: Action Through Understanding, the Program Manager will work with and supervise staff to monitor and coalesce water quality data into a digestible form for the layperson, engaging stakeholders to help them broadly understand the current state of urban water quality, and explore options for improvement through implementation of GSI BMP’s. Continuing and building relationships with key business stakeholders and partner agencies will be an essential part of this effort, as will be a command of imparting technical information and data. 

They will also oversee the UWWP’s workflow and staff and hold the primary responsibility for funding the program via grants and fundraising. The Program Manager will continue and expand this Council program with efficiency and integrity, and in partnership with other entities such as the UWP, local business owners, and fellow organizations. Additional responsibilities include working with technical experts in the partnership to craft the next iteration of UWP’s project effectiveness watershed monitoring and address regional O&M strategies for long term success. 

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to the ideals of the Council’s mission, leadership experience, and professional experience with grants and fundraising. Come join the Long Tom Watershed Council and serve the Long Tom River watershed area and beyond, and its thoughtful and helpful community!

Position Responsibilities

• Responsible for overall oversight and strategic guidance of the Urban Waters and Wildlife Program
• Responsible for bidding and contract management
• Continue and establish relationships with local businesses to improve the water quality of Amazon Creek and McKenzie, Middle Fork Willamette, and Coast Fork Willamette River, in the Upper Willamette basin
• Ensure successful project management for implementation of GSI BMPs as necessary, including assisting business owners in selecting and managing landscape contractors.
• Write grants to fund the programmatic and project-based elements of the UWWP
• Supervise the development of O&M plans, and multi-year project follow up
• Utilize, maintain, and refine relevant prioritization tools, project progress tracking, and maintenance schedule
• Supervise/Oversee staff (currently 2) to assist with outlined activities, as well as other program areas as funding and interest allows. Analyze needs for future staffing and lead hiring processes with support from other LTWC staff if additional hiring is needed.
• Provide support, guidance, and accountability for supervisees to maximize their performance and wellbeing while attending to the administrative components of supervision and role oversight
• Participate in pertinent organizational and programmatic, partnership, and strategic discussions
• Engage with partners to establish and utilize relevant monitoring frameworks
• Secure funding to ensure program viability, with support from other LTWC staff. This includes finding and applying for grants, writing fee for service contracts at partner or market rate as appropriate, DEQ SEPs, projects with partner organizations, and other opportunities as they arise
• Manage programmatic budgeting and work flows in collaboration with LTWC staff and management
• Professional Development (DEI training, continuing education, supervisor training, etc.)
• Contribute to a positive workplace and culture of mutual support
• Other duties as assigned

Skills & Qualifications

• Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) knowledge and/or urban water quality experience 
• Familiarity with incorporating native plants in the urban landscape appropriately
• Strong aptitude for technical information and applications 
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively
• Strong facilitation skills including navigating competing priorities
• Skilled in verbal and written communication, including the ability to listen and see things from multiple viewpoints
• Familiarity in water quality monitoring, or other watershed related technical experience

• Ability to communicate in business language (numbers, benefits, CBA), to “sell” water and wildlife benefits to urban business interests
• Comfortable and skilled at regular public speaking to audiences of 25-100 people.
• Ability to network in business, governmental, and co-worker environments to achieve ongoing project goals
• Experience in Grant and Contract writing, reporting, and management 
• Technological proficiency in common software; LTWC uses Google Workspace
• Experience performing all duties of the position with a high level of independence and leadership
• Experience in project/program management, and supervision
• Familiarity with the RFP/RFQ process, construction documents, large budgets, and contracts

Preferred Skills

• Experience/knowledge of: City Codes and permitting, Municipal Stormwater permits (MS4), Industrial Stormwater permits (1200-Z), Stormwater management manuals, TMDLs and program implementation, Federal/State water policy (clean water act), Water quality monitoring, Data/records management
• Experience in working for nonprofit organizations

Diversity Equity & Inclusion
At the Long Tom Watershed Council we believe the health of the watershed is dependent upon the contributions of all people. LTWC recognizes the disproportionate impacts systems of oppression on People of Color and Indigenous People. We believe the organization’s strength depends on breaking down implicit, systemic inequities. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that grows our collective wisdom.

Job Environment
The Long Tom Watershed Council supports a hybrid work environment for post-probationary period staff, who may choose their comfort in working from home and/or our offices in South Eugene. During the first 6 months, new staff are expected to be primarily in the office and an alternative work schedule can be discussed following the probationary period. Office hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 p.m. Some evening and weekend work required. Flex time allowed. A valid driver’s license and use of your own vehicle with automotive insurance is required. Mileage is reimbursed for field visits and off site meetings at the rate set by the Federal Government. 

Remuneration
This is a salaried, full-time, exempt position. Pre-approved travel and expenses are reimbursed. A computer and stipend for use of personal cell phone will be provided. Benefits package currently includes health and dental insurance, 401K plan with automatic 8% of annual salary employer contribution (with optional, additional employee match), PTO and flextime, annual COLA and merit raise evaluations, a professional development budget, enrollment in an Employee Assistance Program, and access to Pro Deals through ExpertVoice.

Equal Opportunity Employer
LTWC prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, income status, marital status, or familial or parental status in employment in any program or activity conducted by the council. The Long Tom Watershed Council is an equal opportunity employer.