Conservation Program Manager, Agricultural Practices

Reports To: Executive Director
Supervises: Conservation Program Assistant
Ideal Start Date: As soon as a qualiﬁed candidate is available

ABOUT CLEAN RIVER PARTNERS

Clean River Partners (CRP) is an environmental non-proﬁt based in Northﬁeld, MN. We envision a community

that collaboratively creates and protects a watershed with healthy soils; drinkable groundwater; and clean, ﬁshable, and swimmable rivers, lakes, and streams. We partner with people and organizations to value, protect, and improve the Cannon River Watershed’s land and water. Our core values of building resilience, acting equitably, engaging intentionally, and inspiring hope guide all of our work. CRP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including women, candidates of color, Indigenous candidates, LGBTQIA2S+, or candidates with non-traditional work or experience backgrounds.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

This position will manage Clean River Partners’ conservation agriculture work that builds the capacity of southeast Minnesota’s agricultural sector to adopt conservation agriculture practices, especially those that mitigate and/or adapt to climate change, improve water quality, and/or build soil health. This position is for someone with knowledge of the agricultural sector who is passionate about supporting systems change efforts focused on farmer engagement, technical assistance, and when applicable, ﬁnancial incentives. This position will work closely with the Executive Director, partners, and area farmers to develop behavior change initiatives and other programming focused on conservation agriculture practice adoption.

This is an exempt, full-time position with beneﬁts including 403(b) matching, paid vacation and sick leave, 15 paid holidays, and a paid ofﬁce closure from December 24-January 1. The salary role for this range is

$55,000-$70,000. CRP offers a ﬂexible workplace and most staff choose to have a hybrid work schedule, with all staff in the ofﬁce on Tuesdays.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Design and implement programs and projects that lead to the adoption of conservation agriculture practices on the southeast Minnesota
Develop and maintain relationships with diverse landowners and farmers, agricultural and natural resource organizations (such as the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, Minnesota Farmers Union, and Truterra), federal, state, and local government agencies (such as NRCS, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and SWCDs and county governments), and college and university partners (such as Carleton College, Olaf College, and the University of Minnesota) to further the adoption of conservation agricultural practices and build the capacity of the local agricultural sector to transition to these practices.

Supervise the Conservation Program
Provide timely and accurate technical assistance to growers working to adopt conservation
Develop relationships with groups underrecognized in CRP’s current collaborators, membership, and audience, including communities of color, Indigenous communities, Spanish-speaking communities, disabled communities, LGBTQIA2S+ communities, and
Maintain, track, and report on key data related to indicators of success identiﬁed in Clean River Partners’s strategic
Evaluate program activities and make recommendations to improve impacts and/or develop new
Prepare grants and other written communications or public or small-group presentations that describe program objectives, activities, and
Track deadlines, requirements, and deliverables for grants and contracts in this program
Prepare contracts, invoices, and reports and maintain additional records as necessary to track resource use during project
Participate in annual budgeting process and monitor program and project
Participate in team meetings and represent CRP on
As needed, take on additional duties to enhance the work of the team, including, but not limited to, developing documentation or enhancing the systems and tools used by the team

EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Required

Interest in and commitment to the mission and values of Clean River Partners
Commitment to equity, justice, and fostering belonging
A proven ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships and collaborations with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders, including those that may have diverse missions, goals, and backgrounds (e.g. local landowners, industry groups, and government professionals)
A degree in a ﬁeld closely related to agriculture and water such as agronomy, soil science, water resources science, or agricultural education or comparable experience with conservation agriculture and soil health practices such as growing cover crops, no-till farming, or perennial crops
Experience supervising others
Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects and coordinate with stakeholders to meet goals
Experience with grant and project management including timeline development, reporting, and budget management
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Proﬁciency with email, spreadsheets, databases, word processing, and Microsoft Ofﬁce and Google Suite applications
Proﬁciency with shared drives, such as Google Drive
Flexible and motivated with a positive attitude
Minimum ﬁve years of relevant experience
A valid driver’s license and access to a motor vehicle to be utilized for travel to events and transporting materials and supplies to events
Reliable internet access and suitable remote workspace for remote work
Must be able to travel within the Cannon River Watershed and other locations, especially in southeast Minnesota, and provide in-person programming and technical assistance (often on-farm) when

Preferred

Knowledge/experience with Cannon River Watershed region and communities
On-farm row crop agriculture experience
Experience in a nonproﬁt
Experience working with diverse populations and communities
Advocacy or policy experience
Systems change experience
Grant-writing experience
Grant management/administration experience
Proﬁciency in one or more non-English languages, especially Spanish, Dakota, Somali, and/or Hmong

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Work is primarily sedentary, although there is some moving, travel, and carrying of heavier items such as bins of activity supplies.

Clean River Partners’ normal business hours are 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Monday-Friday. CRP’s ofﬁce is in an ofﬁce building and in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled, ADA-compliant space. Most staff choose to work a hybrid schedule; we are all in the ofﬁce on Tuesdays. This person will share an ofﬁce space with coworkers but will have a dedicated workspace and computer. This position requires meeting in various community spaces, including outdoor and on-farm spaces, for relationship-building, providing technical assistance, sample collection (such as water samples, forage samples, or crop samples), and event delivery.

Occasional travel as well as occasional evening and weekend meetings and events will be part of the job.

TO APPLY

Send a resume, cover letter, and the names and contact information of three professional references to Jennifer Tonko at jobs@cleanriverpartners.org. Review of applicants will begin August 12, 2024, and continue until the position is ﬁlled.