Stewardship Program Coordinator

Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Job Summary

Under the supervision and direction of the Manager of Volunteer Resources, responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of an efficient and practical program for the coordination of Ecological Stewardship Volunteers, individuals and volunteer groups whose efforts support the District's mission to restore land back to a healthy ecosystem. This is a full-time position, located at Mathew Bieszczat Volunteer Resource Center (VRC), 6100 North Central Ave., Chicago, IL.

Typical Duties

Administers the Ecological Stewardship Volunteer Program. Supports Ecological Stewardship Volunteers and acts as the representative of these volunteers to the District.

Advocates for volunteers by representing the volunteer's point of view to the District and informs staff about any volunteer-raised issues. Initiates action on any issues that strengthen the volunteer-District relationship.

Communicates regularly with ecological stewardship volunteers on information pertinent to their roles and general information about the District. Co-chairs the Key Stewards group.

Leads, supports, and supervises stewardship volunteer workdays, trainings, and other District and volunteer events. Provides guidance and direction in the use and application of land management concepts, herbicide, tools, and equipment.

Visits and works with Site Leaders of all volunteer managed sites at least once per year. Works with the Site Leaders to assure District policies and protocol are being followed.

Works closely with Department of Resource Management in the development and implementation of the ecological stewardship volunteer program.

Implements volunteer policies, procedures, and standards. Takes corrective action for volunteer performance, as needed under the Manager of Volunteer Resource's guidance.

Enforces rules and regulations, policies and procedures as set forth by the District; administers the reporting of all volunteer workdays to District Departments, government entities and officials and municipalities.

Assists with developing, coordinating, and instructing training activities for District staff and volunteers.

Oversees the supply, tool, and herbicide inventory, ordering and delivery system.

Coordinates the herbicide license application, training, testing and renewal process.

Develops recruitment strategies to increase volunteer engagement and retention. Builds volunteer engagement by soliciting additional volunteer involvement, actively communicating with volunteers, empowering volunteers to be more connected to the District, and building affinity with the District.

Administers the volunteer database/website. Trains volunteers and administrative staff on data entry.

Works with individual volunteers and groups to keep hours worked recorded accurately on database/website. Liaises with volunteer database/website provider and District website provider.

Oversees other Volunteer Resources staff on various administrative tasks such as supply delivery program, supply inventory, activity permits, training requirements and credentials, herbicide licensing, vehicle use and maintenance.

Continually evaluate all aspects of the volunteer program to ensure effectiveness and to recommend and implement changes as appropriate.

Maintains professional relationships with various groups, organizations, public landowners, and government agencies within the area of volunteerism, conservation, and land management. Develop relationships and participate in networking with other volunteer coordinators in the area.

Provides backup to other Volunteer Coordinators within Volunteer Resources.

Performs other departmental and District duties as assigned.

Works within the philosophy and key values of the department and District.

Minimum Qualifications

Must possess a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in biology, botany, zoology, natural sciences, environmental sciences, ecology, environmental education, or a substantially similar area; OR an associate degree AND at least 4 years of full-time work experience in a nature related role; OR a high school diploma or GED AND at least 6 years of full-time work experience in a nature related role.

Must possess at least 3 years of full-time work experience supervising volunteers.

Must possess at least 3 years of full-time work experience in an organization related to natural science.

Must possess a valid driver's license and enter the information in the license field provided on the online application.

Must possess: (1) a valid Illinois Pesticide Applicator License OR official documentation verifying that the exam has been passed, (2) a certificate of completion of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group S130/S190 courses OR the 2-day Chicago Wilderness Midwest Ecological Prescription Burn Crew Member Training, (3) the District's Stewardship Workday Leader certification; (4) the District's Chainsawyer Feller 1 certification; OR be willing to obtain all of the above licenses and certifications within 11 months of date of hire and maintain them as a condition of continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

Possession of at least 2 years of experience in ecological restoration, OR at least 1 season of work with the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC); OR at least 1 season of work experience as a Conservation Corp Crew member; OR at least 1 season of work experience with partners such as the Chicago Zoological Society, Chicago Botanic Garden, Greencorps Chicago, Friends of the Forest Preserves, the Student Conservation Association, Cook County, the City of Chicago, or the Chicago Park District.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics

Ability to perform, coordinate, and train others in the implementation of restoration work aimed at restoring the natural ecosystem to a healthy condition utilizing basic principles of plant ecology.

Knowledge of the basic principles and concepts related to ecology and plant physiology

Strong knowledge of the basic principles and techniques used for restoration management.

Ability to identify native (including endangered and threatened) and non-native plant species and understand their respective ecosystems and management techniques including, but not limited to, proper herbicide application procedures.

Knowledge of or ability to learn and apply established State and District rules and regulations regarding land management and Forest Preserves District Land Management Guidelines.

Strong knowledge of and ability to perform herbicide applications and the ability to train and oversee use by volunteers and District staff.

Strong knowledge of equipment used for restoration management, including chainsaws, brushcutters, herbicide application equipment, bowsaws, loppers, and the ability to train and oversee use by volunteers and District staff.

Familiarity with the District's natural areas.

Adept at managing and coordinating volunteers to carry out the goals and objectives of the District at assigned land management sites.

Strong ability to resolve conflicts and work through differences of opinion between volunteers, partners, the public and District staff relative to land management techniques and programs.

Must possess strong communication and excellent interpersonal skill sets with a focus on customer service with the ability to work and communicate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and ages.

Must possess strong organizational and attention to detail skill sets with the ability to track and structure simultaneously running programs, trainings, and events that involve multiple volunteers and District staff.

Ability to plan, organize, supervise, and direct the work of up to 5000 volunteers.

Ability to prepare written material for training, recruitment and regular communication with district staff, volunteers, and the public; familiarity with Microsoft Office applications

Ability to maintain records and prepare required reports.

Ability to align, organize and execute activities with the mission of the District

Maintain required licenses and certifications for this position as a condition of continued employment and obtain additional certifications and licenses deemed appropriate by the District for this position.

Ability to work remotely, if required

Ability to work extended, flexible, weekend, evening and holiday hours as required. This position requires approximately 35-50 weekend days per year and 15-25 evenings per year. This position is on call via phone approximately 40 weekends and holidays per year.

This position requires exposure to a hazardous work environment including but not limited to exposure to fire, smoke, herbicides, natural elements, inclement weather, hazardous plants and animals and the physical ability to perform various types of physical exertion including, but not limited to lifting, pulling, pushing, and moving objects of moderate to heavy weight.

This position requires traveling to work assignments throughout the county for which the employee must provide own adequate means of transportation.

This position may require the employee to work out of various locations temporarily to facilitate District operations.

The duties listed are not set forth for purposes of limiting the assignment of work. They are not to be construed as a complete list of the many duties normally to be performed under a job title or those to be performed temporarily outside an employee's normal line of work.

Benefits Package

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

Basic Term Life Insurance

Pension Plan and Deferred Compensation Program

Employee Assistance Program

Paid Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time

You May Qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

For further information on our excellent benefits package, please click on the following link:

http://www.cookcountyrisk.com/

Veteran's Preference

When applying for employment with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, preference is given in the application process to honorably discharged Veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States for more than 180 consecutive days or during War Time. To take advantage of this preference, a Veteran must:

Meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

Identify themselves as a Veteran on their employment application by answering Yes to the question "Are you a military veteran?"

Attach a copy of their DD 214, DD 215, or NGB 22 (Notice of Separation) at the time of application by uploading it as part of your application. If there are multiple DD 214s, DD 215s, or NGB 22s, please submit the one with the latest date. Coast Guard must submit a certified copy of the military separation from either the Department of Transportation (before 911) or the Department of Homeland Security (after 911).

Veteran must provide original applicable discharge papers at time of interview.

General District Employment Requirements

PROOF OF EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES WILL BE REQUIRED FOR AN INTERVIEW.

MUST BE A RESIDENT OF COOK COUNTY OR ESTABLISH RESIDENCY IN COOK COUNTY WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT AND REMAIN A RESIDENT AT ALL TIMES DURING EMPLOYMENT WITH THE DISTRICT.

The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is an equal opportunity employer and ensures against discrimination in employment on the basis of a person's race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income, housing status, or gender identity. We value our employees and the different talents, expertise, and viewpoints that each brings to the table. We believe a robust exchange of ideas results in better decision-making and we commit to providing a constructive, safe, and positive work atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and empowers individuals to thrive in their jobs.