The PLANT CONSERVATION MANAGER (PCM) plans, prioritizes, and implements management activities to protect and restore plant communities on Catalina Island. PCM supervises small-and-large scale restoration projects, invasive plant species control, vegetation monitoring, and/or other habitat restoration projects related broadly to the natural vegetation of Santa Catalina Island, other Channel Islands and Southern California. The position will supervise multiple staff, technicians and interns in the department. The position is also expected to interact with staff at all levels within the organization and partner organizations, including donors, landowners, contractors, volunteers, and the community.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Plant Conservation Manager will perform any combination of the duties listed below as needed or assigned:
Develops and implements a strategy to safeguard and restore ecological processes and plant communities, especially chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grasslands, endemic oaks and Catalina ironwood on Santa Catalina Island.
Manages Plant Conservation staff, interns and volunteers involved with plant conservation program activities and conducts programmatic outreach with island stakeholders.
Formulates annual goals and updates target species lists for invasive species control under Catalina Island Conservancy’s Invasive Plant Management Plan. • Identifies and pursues funding opportunities from foundations and government agencies to finance monitoring and restoration projects.
Ensures that programs are following legal requirements and ensures that safety is followed across programs.
Maintain our federal status as a land management entity and submit all governmental documents on time.
Works with development and communications on writing articles and envisioning donor events. Ensure the plant program is an asset for donor supported endeavors. • Works daily with operations to ensure proper protocols are in place, interns are receiving equitable treatment, projects are completed, labor is available when needed, and improvements are made to our organization’s assets.
Recommend appropriate resource management practices to improve the ability of the Conservancy to accomplish its mission. Effectively communicate progress and results through professional organizations and publications, staff training, presentations to general public, internal/external media.
Coordinates with government agencies, NGOs, universities, and colleges in the conservation of natural areas and open space in the Channel Islands and Southern California.
Performs essential administrative functions including, but not limited to, the following: develop and manage operating and capital budgets; purchase services and materials; maintain and care for equipment and tools; maintain payroll and human resource records; conduct performance evaluations for assigned employees; implement safety policy and procedures for assigned areas.
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:
Knowledge of Southern California native plant communities and natural history, and island invasion biology strongly desired. Knowledge of threats from non-native species invasions in California or elsewhere.
Experience in implementing restoration projects and managing work crews, including planning, scheduling, contracting, hiring, supervision and evaluation. • Ability to design and implement applied habitat restoration projects.
Ability to manage and/or analyze invasive plant or plant community monitoring data.
Ability to schedule, coordinate, organize and manage diverse activities in a dependable manner. Meet deadlines.
Experience with and the ability to supervise sage use of a variety of field tools and equipment used in implementing restoration projects, including chain saws, mowers, weed eaters, and herbicide application equipment (including backpack sprayers and power sprayers). Implement protocols to prevent seed dispersal, follow decontamination protocols, and conduct all operations according to accepted safety standards and established protocols.
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Access, Garmin Global Position Systems (GPS) and ESRI platform.
Demonstrated skills in budget management and proposal/grant/report writing.
Strong applied plant ecology and botanical skills. Ability to become quickly proficient in the flora, ecology, and natural history of Santa Catalina Island.
WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Employee must desire to live and work on Catalina Island and be comfortable with the major aspects of island life including schools, medical care, housing, shopping, and transportation.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The office environment has moderate noise levels andis a non-smoking environment. Field conditions are strongly weather-dependent and may be hot, dusty, cold, muddy, and/or wet depending on season and degree of exposure. Smoking is allowed only at limited designated locations on the island. Work may be conducted independently or with groups of staff and volunteers. Hiking conditions include steep, rugged terrain with unstable rocky substrate and cactus. Wild animals, including bison and rattlesnakes, may also be encountered in the field and pose some threat.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Position involves functioning in both field and office environments. The office environment has moderate noise levels and is a non-smoking. Field work involves manual labor, hiking long distances over rugged terrain and through dense scrub, and routine handling of plants. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
Master’s Degree preferred, but not required, Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Resource Management, Botany, Biology, Environmental Studies or related field.
Experience preparing funding proposals and knowledge of funding sources in California and nationally.
Five (5) or more years of supervisory and applied conservation management experience.
Experience with financial and legal administration.
Demonstrated experience with various regional, state and federal agencies (e.g. CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and National Park Service) with regards to plant, animal and environmental concerns, protocols and procedures. A familiarity with CEQA, NEPA and CA Coastal Commission and SEA programs preferred.
Possession of, or ability to obtain, a State of California qualified applicator license or certificate.
Must possess a valid California Driver’s License and ability to operate a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
