Conservation Assistant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

The purpose of the class is to manage the operations of the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (RSWCD), which includes coordinating, planning and implementing environmental and conservation programs in Richland County and promoting coordinated outreach and information programs for the Richland County Conservation Department (RCCD), and the Richland County Conservation Commission (RCCC).

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential Functions:

• Provides technical and financial oversight for RSWCD's projects, including direct and indirect supervision of project participants, interns, volunteers, Administrative Assistants and other staff. Coordinates diverse project teams from Richland County departments, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), university partners, not-for profit organizations, and Conservation Districts statewide.
• Develops, coordinates, and conducts comprehensive education programs for the RCCD in support of Richland County programs of the RSWCD and the RCCC. This includes working closely with the Richland County Public Information Office (RCPIO) as these programs service a wide audience including landowners, farmers, teachers, students, natural resource professionals, public officials, and the general public.
• Performs various financial responsibilities, including state and federal grant administration, proposal writing, budgeting and accounting, report preparation, project implementation, and direct and indirect supervision of grant participants and subcontractors.
• Develops new and synthesizes existing educational materials, including brochures, print and digital media and photography/videos, and conducts programs to promote and educate public officials, citizens, and professional organizations about conservation easements, historical restoration projects, greenways, mitigation banking, watershed and water quality protection projects, and other natural resource conservation programs.
• Conducts and oversees fieldwork, research, and data analysis in support of technical and grant funded programs. Communicates results to a technical audience through technical reports, articles, and presentations.
• Works cooperatively with K-12 Richland County schools to develop, coordinate, and conduct environmental and conservation programs and curricula, teacher certification programs, and in-service training for teachers. When appropriate, aligns programs and curricula with relevant academic standards and guidelines. Mentors school conservation projects and provides support for classroom conservation education.
• Works cooperatively with the Richland County Public Works Department (Stormwater Management Program) to develop, coordinate, and conduct environmental and water quality programs to mutually benefit water quality and conservation efforts in developed and urbanizing areas of the County.
• Represents the RCCD and works to develop, coordinate, and conduct cooperative educational programs with, but not limited to, Richland County Public Works, Solid Waste and Recycling, and Sustainability Coordinator; the City of Columbia, Clemson University, University of South Carolina (USC), USDA, SC Department of Agriculture, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, SCDNR, and organizations such as the Gills Creek Watershed Association, Richland County Stormwater Consortium, Sustainable Midlands, the SCACD, and the Environmental Education Association of SC.
• Notifies and monitors the RSWCD Board of Commissioners to ensure compliance with deadlines and reporting requirements as required by state and federal agencies and organizations including SCDNR, USDA-NRCS, SC Association of Conservation Districts (SCACD), and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD).
• Creates long-range plans and annual work plans for the RSWCD. Evaluates program effectiveness and uses results to drive development of future activities and long-range program plans. Responsible for creating and monitoring budgets associated with grants and conservation programs.
• Creates and manages annual budgets and oversees daily and project-based accounting and bookkeeping for the RSWCD. Supervises the Administrative Assistant, interns, and others in conduct of these duties.
• Indirectly supervises the educational activities conducted by the Conservation Coordinator and Administrative Assistant in the RCCD to include planning and scheduling of educational events and programs, development of education materials including brochures, print and digital media and photography/videos to promote conservation easements, historical restoration projects, greenways, watershed protection projects and soil and water conservation programs.
• Represents RCCD, the RCCC, and the RSWCD in local, statewide, and national conservation conferences and workshops. Creates letters, statements, and other materials that represent the opinions and views of the RSWCD. Serves as a spokesperson for the RSWCD.
• Organizes the RSWCD Board and ensures Commissioner compliance with deadlines and reporting requirements as required by state and federal agencies and organizations including SC Department of Natural Resources, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, SC Association of Conservation Districts, and National Association of Conservation Districts. Oversees administrative tasks such as the preparation and publication of agendas, minutes, and other RSWCD communications. Supervises the Administrative Assistant in conduct of these duties.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Bachelor's Degree in Science, Education, or related liberal arts field. Master's degree or completion of work toward a Master's degree preferred.
• Two (2) years of professional-level experience in an environmental, conservation, and/or historic restoration-related field of work. Knowledge of, and specific experience with, programs administered by the RSWCD, the RCCC and/or the RCCD preferred.

-or-

• Any combination of education and experience that meets the requirements for performing the essential functions of this job.

Licenses/Certifications/Other:

• Must possess a valid state driver's license.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS REQUIRED

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Data Involvement: Requires gathering, organizing, analyzing, examining or evaluating complex environmental, conservation, budgeting, planning and policy information and to develop educational materials and programs.
• People Involvement: Performs professional-level work involving technical, educational and policy data, solving both people and work-related problems. Works in a dynamic environment, responsible for developing educational policies and best practices in coordination with County staff, other state and federal agency educational staff, K-12 teachers, professional organizations and citizen groups.
• Involvement with Things: Requires the use of office machines including copiers, scanners, printers, and computers (to include GIS mapping, photographic and video editing software). Must be able to interpret and understand County technology policy and establish methods and follow procedures for operating computer, photographic equipment and the implementation of internet-based media (podcasts, video and applicable social media).
• Reasoning Requirements: Both inductive and deductive reasoning and decision-making are critical job components, which can affect a large segment of the organization and the general public. Will also be required to provide directions or assignments to subordinate staff, co-workers and coordinate and advise the educational activities of other professional cohorts employed with other governmental agencies, K-12 schools (teachers), professional organizations and citizen groups.
• Mathematical Requirements: Performs professional level work requiring a wide range of technical, scientific, and educational methods applied to complex problems; assists in the planning and sequencing of activities of the RCCD related to educational activities and marketing the programs administered by the RCCD. Requires the knowledge and use of basic mathematical calculations, accounting, algebra, geometry and descriptive statistics.
• Language Requirements: Must be able to speak informally to groups of co-workers and management, as well as formal presentations in order to train and/or educate teachers, professional organizations and citizens groups; Will be required to write educational articles and reports and/or develop presentations for specific audiences. Must be able to professionally represent the RCCD, the RSWCD and the RCCC in print and electronic media outlets. Requires reading newspapers, trade journals, manuals and professional publications to be well informed and topically current in the environmental and conservation educational field.
• Mental Requirements: Perform professional level work requiring a wide range of technical, scientific, or managerial methods applied to complex problems. Assists in the planning and sequencing of activities of the RCCD. The position will require the use of creative ability and resourcefulness to solve complex problems encountered in real-time and respond in a professional manner to questions encountered during educational outreach and training activities. Work regularly requires sustained concentration and focus on details.
• Computer Requirements: Must be proficient in use of Microsoft Office.
• Judgments and Decisions: Responsible for training, educating and coordinating other governmental and private-sector professionals, requiring frequent informed decisions affecting co-workers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a fluid environment with established rules and standard procedures, but must be able to address fluid real-time situations, both in and out of the office, with many variations from the daily work tasks.

Physical Requirements:

The work is light work which requires the person in this position to occasionally exert up to 20 pounds of force to grasp, lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual Acuity: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. Including color, depth perception, and field vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

May be required to work hours other than the regular schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays. This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee's physical presence at the workplace. The job risks exposure to no known environmental hazards. The job may risk exposure to bright/dim light, dusts and pollen, extreme heat and/or cold, wet or humid conditions. Work is performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs. Requires frequent fieldwork in various indoor and outdoor environments.

EEO AND ADA MESSAGE

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

Richland County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

Richland County has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.