Restoration Partnerships Coordinator

The Division's Regional Restoration Partnership Program assists in this state-wide effort through the establishment of DER Partnerships with watershed groups and other regional organizations. These partnerships increase regional and local capacity to advance locally identified ecological restoration and climate resiliency priorities which are shared by DER and its selected Regional Partners. With funding and support from DER, Regional Partners provide technical and financial assistance to help municipalities, NGOs, and others develop and implement high-value restoration and protection actions that target DER's priority ecological stressors, including habitat degradation, streamflow stress, impaired water quality, and climate change impacts.

Building our team

Do you aspire to support efforts to restore and protect our natural landscapes and communities? We're looking for someone passionate, solution-driven, and inspired to build lasting relationships through collaboration and inclusion. Join us as DER's Regional Restoration Partnership Coordinator (Regional Planner II) to work with Regional Partners and our dedicated DER staff to restore our rivers and wetlands and help communities adapt to climate change.

Position Highlights

The Partnership Coordinator will support the Regional Partnership Program through coordination, capacity building, and outreach. This role relies on the ability to actively listen and facilitate meaningful actions to expand regional collaboration and planning efforts and advance partner-prioritized ecological restoration activities.

Program Coordination: Support Regional Partners in the advancement of locally-driven ecological restoration and climate resiliency priorities through planning and implementation efforts. Assist the Partnership Program with grant review, budget development, and program evaluation.

Capacity Building: Engage with Regional Partners and other watershed-based organizations to evaluate the needs and obstacles for regional and local ecological restoration capacity building; contribute to the development of tools, approaches, trainings, and best practices that address capacity building needs; and work with Partnerships to share and help implement capacity building solutions.

Program Outreach: Develop working relationships with regional NGOs, agencies, and other stakeholders to share ideas, collaborate on approaches, and identify synergies for building restoration capacity throughout the Commonwealth.

This position will be based in DER's Boston office. Once established in the role, a hybrid schedule consisting of in-office work and telework will be provided. In-state travel to conduct site visits and meetings is also required. Salary commensurate with experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in urban or regional planning, environmental planning, urban studies, architecture, landscape architecture, civil, environmental, or transportation engineering, environmental sciences, or a closely related field with at least three years of relevant professional work experience.

Knowledge of social, political, economic, legal, technical, and ecological factors, trends, and challenges associated with planning and implementing ecological restoration and nature-based climate adaptation activities.

Understanding of the unique climate impacts and resilience challenges facing aquatic ecosystems and surrounding communities, such as sea level rise, extreme weather events, and changing patterns of precipitation and temperature.

Familiarity with strategies for effective, collaborative projects with public agencies, non-profit organizations, and municipalities.

Familiarity with building trusting relationships between organizations, stakeholders with disparate interests, and marginalized or underrepresented communities.

Aptitude for inclusive facilitation to overcome barriers and find meaningful collaborative solutions.

Ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of internal staff, demonstrating personal initiative as well as the ability to work well in a team, both virtually and in person.

Demonstrated proactive, action-oriented, and flexible approach to advancing program goals and tasks with available resources.

Familiarity with managing budgets, reporting, and tracking deliverables.

Ability to relay technical information accurately and engagingly.

Commitment to a growth mindset and continuous learning.

Excellent organizational and documentation skills.

Excellent writing, interpersonal, and overall communication skills including strong editing skills.

Excellent all-around computer skills, including MS Office Suite and ArcGIS Online (AGOL) or Arc GIS Pro.