Program Manager, Southern Climate Restoration Solutions

Description

About Us

American Climate Partners, formerly known as the Center for Natural Capital, is an entrepreneurial organization working since 2006 to restore the health of people, communities, and ecosystems. We design, create, and manage projects, programs, and businesses which help rural America become more resilient in the face of pollution, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and disease. American Climate Partners is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Rapidan, Virginia. All contributions are tax-deductible as applicable by law.

About Southern Climate Restoration Solutions

Southern Climate Restoration Solutions is a new program of American Climate Partners. The goal of the program is to develop natural solutions working with landowners and partners in the Southeast United States to restore our climate. The South has unique landscapes that with proper management can provide meaningful restoration of our planetary carbon, nitrogen, and hydrologic cycles. The program is an outgrowth of our SoilKeepers program which provides regenerative landscape services to estate, residential, agricultural, and commercial landowners in Central Virgina.  Since 2014 SoilKeepers has been conducting and evaluating soil health-based tests for residential, agricultural, and solar energy clients. This effort led to an agreement in 2022 with a major utility company to test methods for sequestering atmospheric carbon in the soils under solar arrays.

About the Southeast Region Soil Carbon Stock Partnership and Monitoring Project

In 2023, we were awarded a four-year grant by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to develop an agricultural soil carbon monitoring program in the 12 Southeastern states which we call the Southeast Region Soil Carbon Stock Partnership and Monitoring Project. The purpose of the project is to support and increase soil carbon monitoring throughout the Southeastern Region of the United States through partnerships with NRCS, land grant universities (LGUs) with cooperative extension services, historically black universities (HBCUs) with cooperative extension services, other universities with agriculture programs, Africulture.org and other non-profit organizations providing technical assistance to historically underserved farming communities, and other organizations reaching farmers interested in climate-smart agricultural methods.

The overarching goal of the project is to educate producers on how to assess and monitor the effects of climate-smart practices on soil carbon sequestration and on the benefits of these practices.

The objectives of the project are to:

1. Conduct outreach to engage producers in the Southeast region to implement the Soil Organic Carbon Stock Measurement Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activity (CEMA 221) on all land where they are implementing climate-smart practices or where a change in management or vegetation is expected to impact soil organic carbon levels.
2. Conduct focused outreach to engage underserved producers in the Southeast region.
3. Identify, recruit, and train Qualified Individuals (QI) to provide assistance to producers as it relates to CEMA 221 soil sampling and testing for soil organic carbon and bulk density, data collection and management, and processing methods.
4. Develop resources for QIs and producers, to include lists of QIs by state or county, sources of equipment rental (if appropriate), print and online educational materials, and lists of other local or regional organizations providing technical assistance related to soil carbon monitoring.
5. Coordinate with NRCS National Technology Support Center Directors, the national Soil Health Division, the national Conservation Planning and Technical Assistance Division, and State NRCS offices in each region to develop and implement a strategy to support NRCS field offices readiness to provide assistance for CEMA 221.

Position Summary

The Program Manager will be the architect for the creation of the Southern Climate Restoration Solutions program while developing and managing the Southeast Region Soil Carbon Stock Partnership and Monitoring Project as the first initiative of the program. This is an excellent position for a Project Manager that wants to build a results oriented, rural, regional climate program from the ground up with 4 years of initial full-time funding in place.

Program Responsibilities

• Create 10-year Southern Climate Restoration Solutions program plan from a program vision provided by the board of directors and senior staff at American Climate Partners.
• Work with American Climate Partners senior staff and consultants to fund program projects in addition to the Southeast Region Soil Carbon Stock Partnership and Monitoring Project.

Project Responsibilities

• Develop project management plan for internal use based on approved SOW and budget.
• Identify potential partners, make initial contact, develop and maintain relationships with the partners.
• Design and implement outreach plans to inform and recruit QIs, farmers and agricultural landowners; develop print and online content and resources; manage the program’s online and social media presence.
• Work with legal counsel on subaward agreements with partners; manage those contracts through completion.
• Work with legal counsel as needed on agreements with vendors and consultants who contribute to the development and delivery of the program.
• Create a project website, perhaps in partnership with awardees in other regions of the US.
• Lead a group of staff, partners, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders to organize and present four regional summits or conferences.
• Travel to visit farmers, partners, or other stakeholders across the region for on-farm gatherings or other meetings to promote and present the program.
• Serve as a point of contact for the media and external stakeholders as appropriate.
• Monitor the overall success of the program; develop a tracking system to collect contact information of all partners, QIs, and farmers participating in the program and to ensure that program activities are performed on time and within the approved budget; prepare quarterly performance reports to the grantor.
• Supervise shared assistant/coordinator performing project support work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in soil science, agronomy, or agriculture and three years of work experience in a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Broad-based knowledge of farming and ranching agricultural management in the Southeast US and Puerto Rico.
• Knowledge of and management experience with regenerative agriculture techniques preferred. Strong interest in regenerative agriculture management principles at minimum.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong relationships and communicate productively with farmers and agricultural technical support providers, academics and cooperative extension service staff, USDA and NRCS staff.
• Able to develop and manage productive relationships with partners, consultants, and vendors who contribute to the development and delivery of the program.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; experience developing print and online content and resources; experience presenting or speaking to various audiences.
• Project management experience and a demonstrated ability to work effectively in diverse cultural or geographical contexts; able to develop and manage a program of this scope with minimal supervision.
• Project evaluation experience, able to identify and track the information and activities required to report on performance to the funder; experience writing interim and final narrative and financial reports to the funder.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite; experience with Salesforce for NonProfits or other contact management application helpful.
• Fluency in English. Fluency in Spanish helpful.
• US citizenship or authorized to work in the US.

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to drive a car or pick-up truck.
• Must be able to travel by airplane; must be able to travel by car or pick-up truck for up to 4-6 hours.
• Must be able to stand and walk independently on uneven ground in agricultural fields.
• Must be able to work on a laptop computer and to participate easily in telephone and video conference calls or meetings.

Work Environment:

• This position will report to the Executive Director and work with the Administrative Manager and shared support staff (one Coordinator/Admin Assistant).
• Location: American Climate Partners’ office in Orange County, VA; remote work or work-from-home as necessary.
• Travel (25+%) to and within the Southeast US and Puerto Rico for meetings and conferences.
• This position will require occasional evening and weekend hours.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individual assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the position. All employees may have other duties assigned at any time.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Outreach to diverse farmers and ranchers, including those who are underserved or socially disadvantage, is a foundation of the Southeast Region Soil Carbon Stock Partnership and Monitoring Project. American Climate Partners is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, national origin, physical and/or mental disability, genetic information, atypical cellular or blood trait, marital and/or familial status, pregnancy, gender identity and expression, military or veteran status, political affiliation, or any other characteristics that may be protected by applicable law.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter and your resume or CV to Michael Collins, Executive Director, at mike@americanclimatepartners.org