Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape Coordinator
The leadership of the Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape Partnership (MDSL) seeks a highly motivated and qualified individual to become the Coordinator for this newly designated landscape. The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies, state, tribal, and local governments, universities and non-governmental organizations that work with willing landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use practices around military installations and ranges. Landscape partners from the Department of Defense, Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, California Natural Resources Agency, tribal and local governments, universities, and a number of private conservation organizations have identified approximately 3.5 million acres within the Landscape’s boundary as critical to important natural resources, working economies, and military readiness and mission sustainment. The Coordinator will have the opportunity to work with a broad array of partners to advance diverse natural resource conservation goals, promote climate resilience, and foster the strong military-community partnerships within the project’s geographic boundaries. This individual will also collaborate with Coordinators from the other Sentinel Landscapes (currently 17 others) 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 the Mojave Desert’s economy, culture, and natural environment, all with the goal of maintaining long-term military readiness/mission sustainment and climate resilience across the landscape.
The Coordinator is expected to be a “force multiplier” who will work with Sentinel Landscape partners to help them achieve project goals. The Coordinator’s role may be summarized as three main tasks:
Create and advance strategies to achieve the goals outlined in the Sentinel Landscape Implementation Plan and other strategic objectives most critical to MDSL partners;
Ensure local, state, regional, and federal coordination and communication between partners inside and outside the landscape;
Secure funding and other support required to help implement goals.
The Coordinator will therefore be responsible for shaping the Partnership in collaboration with the diverse partners. This person will work primarily independently but will have access to the people and resources of some of the leading public and private natural resource institutions in their Partnership’s region and the surrounding areas, and be expected to interact with high-ranking military and government officials.
The Coordinator will report to an Executive Committee representing the broader partnership. The Coordinator will work with partners to refine conservation objectives in the areas described below and may seek funding for the partners to implement those actions. The Coordinator’s role as a facilitator is to foster collaboration amongst partners, assist in elevating projects, and recognize emergent opportunities.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Coordinator will be expected to work closely with partners to:
Serve as the primary point of contact and representative for the MDSL Partnership;
Communicate natural resources and defense concerns to audiences most critical to the MDSL Partnership;
Define success for the MDSL, and create and refine a blueprint or strategic plan that will lead to this goal;
Develop and maintain an implementation plan to help achieve clearly defined goals and help prioritize appropriate short- and long-term actions and strategies;
Coordinate with partners, and work independently as necessary, to secure and manage public and/or private funding for priority projects;
Coordinate with relevant ongoing initiatives that align with the Partnership goals and strategy;
Establish and create a system for tracking project metrics to be used for reporting purposes;
Develop a strategic communications plan for both internal partners, as well as for external outreach and engagement that targets key audiences, including local, state and federal partners;
Collaborate with coordinators and staff from other sentinel landscapes to enhance learnings across partnerships;
Take responsibility for all reporting to the Federal Coordinating Committee and funders;
Host regular virtual meetings and at least one in-person convening of the MDSL partners; provide brief, electronic updates to this group on a regular basis, and interact with the Federal Coordinating Committee (FCC) frequently.
Minimal Requirements
Bachelor’s degree and equivalent experience, in one or more of the following fields (or related): Public Relations, Strategic Communications, Natural Resources Conservation, or Biology;
Project Management in land use planning;
Strong verbal and written communications skills;
Strong facilitation skills and experience;
Proven capacity to coordinate diverse interests to achieve large-scale goals;
Proven fundraising experience with public agencies, private foundations, and/or corporations;
Broad understanding of political, cultural, economic, and environmental issues within the MDSL region and within the state of California itself;
Familiarity with or the desire to learn about DOD and military operations locally, its mission(s), and encroachment management and land use planning.
Desired Qualifications
Knowledge and experience with Mojave Desert natural resources, land management, and environmental planning;
Expertise in various land management plans for different government agencies;
Experience with DOD and military operations, preferably in Mojave Desert or California;
Strong understanding of the relationship between the DOD training and testing mission and natural resource conservation and encroachment challenges;
Experience in working with tribal, state, and local governments and universities;
GIS experience.
Location
The expectation is a hybrid position, with the candidate residing within or close to the Mojave Desert area. This may include, but is not limited to, Ridgecrest, Barstow, Lancaster, Victorville, Yucca Valley, Ontario, or Palm Springs. The Coordinator may telework or be provided office space within a partner organization, depending on needs and opportunities. The candidate will be expected to travel within the region of the MDSL for in-person meetings with partners regularly, and occasional travel to other parts of the state or country to meet with partners.
Background: Sentinel Landscapes Partnership
The www.sentinellandscapes.org page describes Sentinel Landscapes as working or natural lands important to the Nation’s defense mission – places where conserving the working and rural character of key landscapes strengthens the economies of farms, ranches, and forests; conserves habitat and natural resources; and protects vital test and training missions conducted on those military installations that anchor such landscapes.
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense (DOD), and the Interior established the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding in 2013. The Partnership is a nationwide Federal, state, local and private collaboration dedicated to promoting natural resource sustainability and the preservation of agricultural and conservation land uses in areas surrounding military installations. Agencies from the three Departments coordinate the Partnership at the national level through the Sentinel Landscapes Federal Coordination Committee.
The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership seeks to recognize and incentivize landowners to continue maintaining these landscapes in ways that contribute to the nation’s defense. Where shared interests can be identified within a Landscape, the Partnership coordinates mutually beneficial programs and strategies to preserve, enhance or protect habitat and working lands near military installations to reduce, prevent or eliminate restrictions due to incompatible development and other encroachment threats that inhibit military testing and training.
Compensation
The salary range is $90,000 to $120,000 based on relevant qualifications and experience.
This position is full-time, 40 hours per week.
Benefits
LegacyWorks Group offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, a Health Savings Account, vision and dental coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, home office equipment stipend, and unlimited vacation time alongside wellness/sick leave.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Workplace
The MDSL prioritizes an inclusive, safe, and secure work environment that values diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences, and is free from discrimination. The Coordinator will be expected to participate in tasks, trainings, outreach and other activities that support Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI), aiming to create an inclusive work environment that allows partners from diverse backgrounds to thrive and improves outreach and public engagement. For example, this may include contributing to or attending trainings on JEDI issues such as on implicit bias, presenting at outreach events at locations with greater diversity, and providing input on partnership practices to be more inclusive.
To Apply:
Email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to Angela@legacyworksgroup.com, with Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape Coordinator Position in the subject line. Applications are only accepted electronically. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of the activities, duties, or responsibilities required. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled (interviews anticipated to be scheduled January - February).
About 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 Coordinators and 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.