WATERSHED COORDINATOR FOR FOURMILE WATERSHED COALITION

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1 Position Title: Watershed Coordinator Employment Status: Full-time, Salaried Reports To: Four Mile Fire Protection District Board Location: Salina Station Salary Range: $62,000 to $68,000 WATERSHED COORDINATOR FOR FOURMILE WATERSHED COALITION The successful applicant will be a proven leader who is capable and willing to serve the larger purpose of restoring an environment and community that survived a recent disaster. The Watershed Coordinator is challenged to keep the Coalition unified in working toward our vision while working with the diversity of the residents and landowner s issues and their community s needs. This will require extraordinary communications skills, knowledge and perseverance. You must have the physical ability to hike sometimes remote, strenuous conditions and lift up to 50 pounds and pass a Background Security Check. We offer you the opportunity to have a position with a high degree of independence and flexibility, competitive salary and benefits and the support and assistance of dedicated volunteers. To Apply: In your cover letter, please demonstrate your ability to help us achieve our mission, which is: The Fourmile Watershed Coalition s mission is to identify, evaluate, obtain funding for, and implement projects within the Fourmile watershed to continue recovery from the 2013 flood, improve protection of the community to future wildfire and flood events, and provide a long-term framework for future resiliency planning and response. Be sure to highlight your experience and qualifications, as well as your aptitude for this position. You will find a description of the kinds of tasks you will need to perform or supervise, plus extensive background information, below. Please a PDF of your cover letter and resume to fourmilewatershed@gmail.com. Include, as the subject of the Last Name Coordinator Position. [Applications also can be mailed to: Fourmile Fire Protection District, 87 Four Mile Canyon Drive, Boulder, CO ] The cover letter should clearly demonstrate the applicant s qualifications and ability to fulfill the stated duties of the position. All applications must be received by April 1. No phone calls, please. POSITION SUMMARY The Watershed Coordinator will perform a variety of tasks for implementation of flood and fire resiliency projects. The Coordinator will organize and work with stakeholders, outside agencies, and canyon residents. Development of the stakeholder coalition includes facilitating a charter and conducting regular meetings. Regular communication and consensus building are important elements of working with the coalition. In addition to working with the coalition, the Coordinator will work closely 1

2 with other agencies, nonprofit organizations, individual citizens, volunteer groups, land-owners and other identified stakeholders to assure successful implementation of priority projects. Much of the area being privately owned, directly engaging and approaching residents will be necessary for many projects and creating a coalition. Newsletters, website, and open house meetings are some of the tools that may be used. Other organizations or agencies will have ongoing activities in the area (for example, Boulder County Transportation and EPA) that the coordinator will need to keep advised of. The coordinator will also manage prioritizing, planning, and implementation of projects. Project planning includes seeking funding for specific projects, directing and coordinating volunteer groups, hiring and overseeing contractors, and assuring appropriate permit activities are complete. Implementation will require managing project scope, schedule, and budget. Communicating project progress and milestones to stakeholders and funding agencies is an essential part of this job. The Watershed Coordinator will supervise a Program Assistant and contractors who will provide additional support to the Coordinator and Coalition s efforts. Funding for this 18-month position is provided by a U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant. Upon satisfactory review of Watershed Coordinator performance by the Fourmile Watershed Coalition, the Fourmile Fire Protection District, and the State of Colorado, the termmay be renewed for a second 18-month term. Primary Duties: Project Management (40%): Using the Watershed Master Plan and the Community Wildfire Plan, identify, implement and evaluate priority programs and projects in an efficient and compliant manner ensuring collaboration and leverage with all stakeholders. Support for funded flood restoration and fire mitigation projects will begin Spring 2014/2015. Coordinate Watershed Coalition activities (25%): Facilitate creation of the coalition and its rules of operation. Present status of planning, grants, and opportunities to the board and address their comments and concerns. Provide leadership and effectively communicate desired approaches of the Advisory Board to the Fire District Board. Fire District Board decisions will also need to be communicated to the Advisory Board. Assist in preparing meeting agendas and coordinating priorities and deadlines. Community Outreach and Education (25%): Communicate strategies, projects and news about the watershed to all landowners and stakeholders using the appropriate media for each target audience. Represent the coalition at existing community events. Leverage resources from various volunteer organizations. Prepare outreach materials, press releases, PowerPoint presentations and displays. Respond to stakeholder concerns. Development of a website should be considered. Staff Management, Oversight and Organizational Sustainability (10%): Effectively supervise and support other coalition employees in all administrative and program management activities to ensure employee satisfaction, regulatory compliance, programmatic success and 2

3 organizational excellence and financial stability. This effort will increase over time to assure long-term organizational sustainability. Required Qualifications Bachelors or Masters Degree and minimum 3 years experience working in a professional environment. Natural resource, emergency services, and project management experience will be helpful. Experience coordinating contractors, volunteer groups, or employees to achieve completion of restoration projects in a community devastated by natural disaster. Knowledge of and relationships within flood affected communities within Boulder County is helpful. Ability to translate program, project, and agency requirements into layman s terms to engage residents and other community stakeholders. Proven track record of building rapport and bridges with and among diverse stakeholders. Ability to facilitate meetings. Ability to express compassion in addressing resident and landowner issues. Excellent skills in interpersonal relationships, organizational effectiveness, community outreach, consensus building and program management. Excellent writing, presentation and public relations skills. Must be able to apply for and manage grants from private, corporate and government sources. Ability to work independently, establish work priorities and manage time effectively. Proficiency in the use of MS Word and Excel, ability to learn new computer applications, with preference given to candidates who have an understanding of geographic information systems (GIS) and their use in watershed planning, and website development and maintenance. Valid driver s license and reliable, insured personal transportation. Ability to occasionally attend multi-day conferences, work evenings and weekends. Physical ability to hike sometimes remote, strenuous conditions and lift up to 50 pounds. Must be able to pass a Background Security Check. Nonprofit management experiences a plus. Required qualifications in bold are critical to this job position and will receive strong consideration. Salary and Position Details A salary range of $62,000 to $68,000 will be offered with an opportunity for a performance raise after one year of employment. This position is currently funded for 18 months, with the intention of continuation for an additional 18 months through existing funding sources. Health care benefits and vacation will be offered. The Four Mile Watershed Coalition is not a legal incorporated entity. The coordinator will be employed and provided office space by the Four Mile Fire Protection District. Fourmile Fire Protection District is an Equal Opportunity Employer and no otherwise qualified individual shall be subject to discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or religious affiliation, sex, familial 3

4 status, age, genetics, disability, or national origin in any phase of employment for this position. Further, the work to be performed under this contract is subject to the requirements of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 70u (Section 3) which states that employment and other economic opportunities generated by HUD assistance shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be directed to low and very low-income persons, particularly persons who are recipients of HUD assistance for housing. Fourmile Creek Watershed Coalition Background and Structure The September 2013 floods across Colorado s Front Range resulted in $3.4 billion in damages and changed the local population s relationship to their local creeks and rivers. The flood also triggered an outpouring of support from neighbor to neighbor and community to community. Boulder County led a process to create a watershed-wide master plan for all flood-affected watersheds. Implementation of these master plans is being strongly supported by watershed coalitions. Severe damage to roads, loss of private infrastructure, bridges, homes, and alteration of the drainage occurred throughout Four Mile Canyon and Gold Run drainages. Residents trapped during the flooding were evacuated, unable to return home for weeks. Local governments, overwhelmed by the extent of the devastation, struggled in creating a process for homeowners to return. The process of returning home left many residents frustrated and reluctant to engage agencies involved. Once residents were able to return, roadways were under a constant state of repair work and residents also had to address numerous - sometimes a complete loss of home property damage issues. Most of the property within the Four Mile Fire Protection District is privately owned land. The Fourmile Creek Watershed which includes the Fourmile Creek, Gold Run, and numerous smaller tributaries is a narrow and steep creek valley in the Colorado Front Range. It is unique in its wealth of historic and cultural features with numerous historic townsites established as early as the 1850 s to support the then growing mining industry. Moreover, it is cherished by the residents for the mountain lifestyle and solitude it provides separate from the City of Boulder, and for the numerous wildlife and ecological benefits afforded by the creek and its corridor. (Baker and Associates, Four Mile Creek Watershed Master Plan). The Four Mile Fire Protection District is the only unit of local government unique to the portions of the Fourmile watershed that suffered extensive damage during the September 2013 floods. No watershed or other coalition exists to exclusively serve this area. The District boundaries cover over 13 square miles within the watershed and has a population of approximately 2,200 residents. The Fourmile Watershed Coalition will operate with the Fourmile Fire Protection District as fiscal agent and is the employer of the coordinator. The coalition membership is a group of stakeholders with broad interests. This membership will prioritize the work of the coordinator and provide regular feedback. The Watershed Coalition membership currently includes City of Boulder, County of Boulder Transportation, Xcel Energy, Pine Brook Water, USFS, and residents. Membership for other individuals or groups will be considered in the future by the coalition. Governance documents are currently being created. 4

5 Study and planning of the area has identified watershed protection projects. The Fourmile Creek Watershed Master Plan (Baker and Associates December 2014) provides the most definitive summary of watershed conditions after the September 2013 floods. This plan identifies and prioritizes a number of implementable projects. The Fourmile Community Wildfire Protection Plan, as well as needs provided by the District, identify fire mitigation projects. Implementation of projects from these plans improves resiliency and reduces hazards. Funding for implementation has not been identified. 5