Stewardship Coordinator

Description

The Land Trust for Tennessee

Position: Stewardship Coordinator, Full-Time

Supervisor: Stewardship Manager

Location: Chattanooga, TN

About The Land Trust for Tennessee

At The Land Trust for Tennessee (“LTTN”), our mission is to conserve the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscapes and sites for future generations. We are a statewide, accredited non-profit land conservation organization with offices in Nashville and Chattanooga. Since 1999, LTTN has protected over 137,000 acres across 76 counties through 465 distinct conservation projects. Our work is guided by our Strategic Conservation Plan, Forever Tennessee, alongside our dedicated team and Board of Directors. LTTN is recognized for meeting the highest industry standards for excellence and conservation permanence by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and received the 2020 National Land Trust Excellence Award from the Land Trust Alliance.

The Opportunity

The Stewardship Coordinator is an integral member of LTTN’s Stewardship Team, helping to accomplish annual visits of protected properties and ensure conservation values of protected land remain intact. This position works closely with landowners and the Stewardship team to monitor conserved properties, maintain accurate stewardship records, respond to landowner requests, manage volunteer monitors, and identify and address potential issues affecting conservation easements. This opportunity offers a combination of field-based conservation work and office-based data and records management. As a member of the Chattanooga office, this position also assists and collaborates with the Southeast Program Director to further support office operations, regional events, and help foster a positive and connected office culture. This is an entry-level position with potential for long-term growth within the organization.

Primary Responsibilities

Record Keeping and Administrative Tasks

• Serves as a hub for the Stewardship team, managing the stewardship phone line and email account, taking notes during the weekly Stewardship team meetings, and drafting correspondence to landowners, ensuring follow up is completed in a timely manner
• Helps maintain accurate landowner records in Salesforce, documenting any notable changes, correspondence, and stewardship activities in accordance with LTTN’s policies and procedures.
• Helps maintain GIS database for protected property boundaries and reserved rights areas, ensuring updated field and documentation maps are available for all protected properties
• Assists with Terrafirma insurance renewal and updates
• Opportunity to gain supervisory experience by managing and guiding a Stewardship Intern

Field Work and Site Visits

• Schedules and performs annual visits to protected properties using both ground and remote aerial monitoring, focusing on visits in southeast Tennessee and greater East Tennessee
• Reviews and documents monitoring observations and collaborates with the Stewardship Team to evaluate findings and determine appropriate follow-up
• Manages and trains monitoring volunteers who assist in annual monitoring visits, with support from stewardship team
• Assists with management of lands owned by LTTN as needed, including coordination with vendors and neighboring landowners

Landowner Relationships

• Cultivates and maintains positive, professional relationships with landowners and helps them understand their conservation easements
• Meets with landowners and walks properties to observe and document any changes that have occurred since the previous visit and documents potential violations and other issues
• Provides assistance and information to landowners who are selling their conserved land and to realtors, attorneys, appraisers, and potential buyers; meets with prospective and successor landowners to review conservation easements and conducts field visits with prospective/new owners as directed
• Helps landowners understand their conservation easement obligations and connects them with appropriate resources for land management and stewardship

Chattanooga Office & Regional Support:

• Supports the day-to-day operations of the Chattanooga office under the direction of the Southeast Program Director and in coordination with the Senior Director of Operations, including office supplies, vendor management, and office efficiencies
• Assists the Southeast Program Director in the success and coordination of Chattanooga office meetings, community outreach opportunities, regional events, and LTTN-sponsored events, as well as any needed volunteer coordination
• Works in partnership with the Southeast Program Director to advance regional priorities, strengthen LTTN's relationships and presence throughout the Southeast, and contribute to a cohesive Chattanooga team environment

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science or similar area or equivalent combination of education/experience
• At least 2 years’ experience as a member of a professional team preferred
• Knowledge or experience relevant to forestry, agriculture, land management
• Ability to coordinate and work on multiple projects simultaneously, and to maintain attention to detail while producing a steady volume of work in compliance with deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including active listening skills, ability to communicate with different personalities, navigate challenging conversations, and resolve conflicts professionally
• Facility with maps and mapping, and ability to read and understand deeds, conservation easements, and related legal documents
• Strong attention to detail and ability to interpret maps, written documents, and technical information
• Ability to represent LTTN and interact effectively with a wide range of organizations and individuals, and to work cooperatively with all LTTN staff and board members
• Ability to effectively operate computers and assigned software, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word and Excel), mapping software (i.e. ArcGIS), and general knowledge of CRM databases (i.e. Salesforce)
• Ability to regularly perform field work and to work outside in all weather conditions
• Flexibility to work some nights and weekends as required for LTTN events or landowner schedules
• Ability to travel extensively including to remote areas; valid driver’s license required. Use of personal vehicle or coordinating the use of a rental vehicle for property visits is expected

Benefits

• Full-time position, working 40 hours per week, with a hybrid work model possible following 90 days of employment. Flexible hours offered based on workload, weather, and events schedule.
• In the first year of employment, LTTN offers 20 PTO days (10 vacation and sick days) on an accrual basis and 11.5 paid holidays per year. Vacation accrual rate increases with tenure.
• Monthly mileage reimbursement, and/or cost of rental car, or use of company vehicle offered for work purposes. AAA Roadside Assistance provided.
• Medical and Dental insurance: premiums are covered at 85% for employee and 50% for spouse and family plans. LTTN currently offers a PPO health plan as well as an HSA option. A $50,000 company-sponsored life insurance policy is provided for each full-time employee. Other voluntary insurance includes vision, additional life, long-term and short-term disability, critical illness, and accident.
• 403b retirement plan with a one-to-one match of up to 2.5% after one year of employment and up to 5% after two years of employment.
• Extremely collaborative, encouraging, and mission-driven team, as well as resources for professional development and continuing education opportunities.

The essential functions and basic skills have been included. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Salary is commensurate with experience. LTTN is an equal opportunity employer.