Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape Coordinator Position Description
Position Purpose:
The purpose of this position is to promote, coordinate, and execute the mission and vision for the Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape (KRSL), located in eastern Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains. The KRSL is part of the National Sentinel Landscapes Partnership (NSLP), a landscape-scale coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, as well as non-governmental organizations that work with willing landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land-use practices around military installations and ranges.
The Coordinator will work with a broad array of partners to advance diverse natural resource conservation goals, promote climate resiliency, and foster the strong military-community partnerships within the project’s geographic boundaries. This individual also will collaborate with Coordinators from the 18 other sentinel landscapes across the country. This is an exceptional opportunity to help advance an extraordinary land and natural resources conservation partnership and “move the needle” for projects that benefit Pennsylvania’s natural environment, cultural resources, and economic vitality, all with the goal of maintaining long-term military readiness, mission sustainment, and climate resiliency.
The high-level, full-time Coordinator is expected to be a “force multiplier,” working with sentinel landscape partners to advance and achieve project goals. The Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape was designated in 2024 so the Coordinator position is new. Broad goals have been established for the KRSL, but they require project management, refinement, communication, and coordination with partners to advance the partnership’s objectives and secure funding for implementation. The Coordinator will be responsible for shaping the partnership in collaboration with a steering committee. This person will work largely independently, but will have access to the people and resources of leading public and private institutions. This individual should have superior communication and organizational skills and be committed to helping the partners achieve the on-the-ground projects necessary for the program to prosper. This person will be a team-builder and will be expected to nurture strong relationships with organizations and key partners within local communities along the Ridge. Applicants are expected to be knowledgeable on conservation practices and have a general understanding of military and state/federal government systems, policies, and processes. Prior experience working with coalitions that have included governmental and non-governmental organizations is strongly desired.
The position will be employed by LegacyWorks Group (LegacyWorks or LWG), a nonprofit contracted by the Department of Defense (DOD) to serve as the Support Organization of the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership (SLP) and as the place of employment for numerous sentinel landscape positions.
Description of Duties:
Serve as the primary point of contact and representative for the KRSL.
Develop an implementation plan based on the four goals of the landscape (below).
Develop and maintain strong relationships with key partners in the landscape to facilitate shared conservation, working lands, and outdoor recreation goals that enhance and preserve the integrity of installation operations, primarily at the anchor installation, Fort Indiantown Gap (the nation’s second busiest National Guard training center. Coordinate meetings of these partners as needed.
Build relationships with other military installations in the landscape boundary, including Letterkenny Army Depot, Carlisle Barracks/Army War College, and Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg. The Coordinator will work with installation personnel to identify concerns and collaborate on solutions.
Coordinate with local county farmland preservation boards and land trust organizations as well as federal and state partners to secure permanent agricultural conservation easements on prime farmland soils.
Develop, plan, execute, and manage programs and projects that accomplish goals.
Present updates and accomplishments to the KRSL Steering Committee regularly.
Act as liaison between the working groups (divided by goal) and the steering committee. Support each working group in the implementation of annual action plans and the projects, programs, and initiatives entailed.
Develop and distribute progress reports related to the implementation plan.
Coordinate across all relevant constituencies and partners to develop organized and efficient lines of communications and engagement. Regular travel around the state will be necessary.
Conduct landowner and municipal outreach to further the understanding and opportunities available through the KRSL at the local level.
Develop a communications plan.
Prepare good news stories and press releases to communicate accomplishments.
Prepare and deliver presentations and speak effectively about the KRSL and its goals.
Collect and report data/metrics to partners and the Federal Coordinating Committee (FCC).
Report to the FCC as required. Provide timely responses to FCC communiques.
Attend workshops and meetings convened by the FCC.
Serve as liaison to the NSLP Management Team (the set of federal and non-federal staff who administer the NSLP).
Report to host organization LWG as required. Provide capacity support to LWG on sentinel landscape matters as needed.
Maintain relationships with other sentinel landscapes. This will include occasional travel to other landscapes for events and meetings.
Work across the state-designated Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape to assure coordination and mutual benefit.
Develop and maintain a long-term funding strategy for KRSL activities. Research and pursue funding to help accomplish goals. Develop annual budgets and oversee the finances.
Minimum Qualifications:
College degree or equivalent experience in a related field required.
Minimum of 5 years of program management experience, specifically overseeing or liaising with decentralized teams.
Superior verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated experience working with federal and state agencies or similar external partners.
Experience with conservation easement acquisition processes, including acquiring appraisals, obtaining clear title, and negotiating easement terms, and working with federal, state, and local partners to acquire easements.
Experience working with diverse constituencies, including bipartisan coalitions, tribal communities, and communities of color.
Ability to develop positive partnerships with communities, elected officials, landowners, organizations, and other interested parties.
Proven fundraising experience with public agencies, private foundations, and/or corporations. Grant-writing experience a plus.
Broad understanding of political, cultural, economic, and environmental issues within the KRSL boundary and within the state itself.
Familiarity with or the desire to learn about DOD and military operations locally, mission(s), and encroachment management and land-use planning.
Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
Willingness to travel regularly statewide and participate in trainings nationwide as necessary.
Must be available for occasional weekend and evening work.
Valid U.S. driver’s license.
Desired Qualifications:
Experience with DOD and military operations, preferably in Pennsylvania or the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast.
Strong understanding of the relationship between the DOD training and testing missions and natural resource conservation and encroachment challenges.
Experience working with local and state governments, Pennsylvania preferred.
GIS experience.
Compensation and Benefits:
Compensation commensurate with experience. The position is full-time exempt of 40 hours per week.
As a full-time salaried employee, the Coordinator is eligible to participate in LegacyWorks’ medical and dental insurance plans if elected (at this time, employer contribution is 50 percent of the cost for the employee only) and for an $100/month home office equipment allocation from LWG to contribute to the costs of remote work. LWG also has a 401k plan in which the Coordinator is eligible to participate; no match contribution is offered at this time.
LWG has an unlimited paid time off policy that encompasses both holidays and vacation days. This is a trust-based pact between employer and employee and amongst team members, and it is up to each member to communicate effectively about planning time off and manage this policy responsibly.
Travel expenses on behalf of the SLP are fully covered by allocated funds; LWG may provide a company credit card or reimburse pre-authorized business and travel expenses as managed by the designated budget authority.
Location:
Within the KRSL boundary with either a remote or hybrid schedule. In-person meetings and events within or surrounding the KRSL will be required. The Coordinator may be provided office space at a partner organization, depending on need and availability.
To Apply:
Email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to Rose McCarthy, who is serving as the Interim Coordinator, at rosmccarth@pa.gov, with “KRSL Coordinator Application” in the subject line. Applications will only be accepted electronically. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of the activities, duties, or responsibilities required. Activities, duties, and responsibilities may change at any time, with or without notice. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The position will start ASAP.
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Background: Sentinel Landscapes Partnership
Sentinel landscapes are areas in which natural and working lands are well suited to protect defense facilities from land use that is incompatible with the military mission. They are areas where conservation, working lands, and national defense interests converge. They are anchored by at least one high-value military installation or range and contain high-priority lands for the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, and the Interior. They encompass agricultural and/or forestry lands and are the appropriate size and scale to address the ecological restoration objectives defined for each landscape.
The USDA, DOD, and DOI established the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding in 2013 to streamline federal assistance to landowners and land managers in areas where the agencies have shared interests. Voluntary landowner assistance programs across the three federal agencies typically provide funding to permanently protect a property through a conservation easement or help to offset costs associated with preserving natural resources. However, despite using similar funding mechanisms, USDA, DOD, and DOI programs vary significantly in scope and mission. By aligning federal assistance programs around military installations and ranges, sentinel landscapes allow USDA, DOD, and DOI to mitigate internal resource constraints and advance their collective objectives.
Agencies from the three departments coordinate the partnership at the national level through the FCC. The FCC designates locations as sentinel landscapes and then works to deliver voluntary federal assistance to landowners who sustainably manage their properties as farms, ranches, timberlands, or open space. The FCC then collaborates with state, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, landowners, and land managers to develop and implement projects on the ground within the sentinel landscapes. This enables the SLP to consider each individual sentinel landscape's unique geography, economic drivers, cultural heritage, and natural resource challenges. The FCC also designates landscapes that hold onsite benefits for the FCC member agencies to collaborate on natural resource conservation and management. Overall, the USDA, DOD, and DOI use taxpayer dollars more efficiently by aligning their efforts in sentinel landscapes to accelerate work on the ground with fewer resources.
Background: Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape
The Kittatinny Ridge Sentinel Landscape, in eastern Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains, was designated in 2024 through a national, competitive process.
The KRSL supports military readiness as the home of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Fort Indiantown Gap—frequently the busiest National Guard training center in the country, the Army’s second busiest heliport, and one of only three specialized Army NG aviation facilities.
Rapid population growth and development around the KRSL’s main highways have decreased open space and increased light pollution, threatening the Gap’s nighttime training capabilities. These pressures also impact sensitive species, like the eastern regal fritillary butterfly and cerulean warbler; prime farmlands; ecosystem services, including drinking water and timber; recreational resources; and climate change resilience. Currently, only 20 percent of the KRSL is protected, which has attracted a myriad of partners to collaborate on strategic actions aimed at safeguarding this landscape.
For more information, please see this fact sheet and this story map.
Key goals established by the KRSL include:
Preserve training missions and enhance readiness in the Kittatinny Ridge military corridor.
Increase coordinated and holistic land conservation, natural resource protection, and stewardship initiatives.
Support working lands productivity and economic development.
Improve nature-based recreational resources and access to sustain small-town economies.
Background: Federal Coordinating Committee
The FCC is the group of leaders from select federal agencies that coordinate, oversee, and fund the SLP at the national level. The FCC consists of representatives from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and Forest Service; the DOD Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program; and the DOI Fish and Wildlife Service. The FCC works to advance the goals and actions of the SLP, including enhancing coordination among defense, agricultural, conservation, and climate resilience stakeholders. The FCC also awards designations to new sentinel landscapes on a biennial basis through a competitive application process and provides the funds to hire this Coordinator position.
Background: LegacyWorks Group
“LegacyWorks Group is proud to serve as the Support Organization for the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, and in this role manage funding from federal agency partners and serve as the place of employment for sentinel landscape employees, including Resilience Specialists.
“Our team is open-hearted, entrepreneurial, and highly collaborative. Team members have a variety of leadership, facilitation, and project management experience as well as a diversity of cultural and educational backgrounds. We seek curious candidates with big hearts and sharp minds who learn fast. Our team members are comfortable with complex challenges that require collaboration, innovation, diplomacy, relationship building, leadership, and high levels of partner and community engagement. We approach new ideas and challenges with optimism and show up open, curious, and committed to learning. Our work requires a commitment to exploring the edges of what is possible and thus requires continuous personal and professional growth.
“We seek out high-impact opportunities that often will not move forward unless we can play one or more catalytic roles, including facilitation, project management, process design, strategy development, planning, leadership development, community engagement, securing and structuring funding or financing, designing, and launching funds, data dashboard development, and more.”