Associate Director, California Central Valley River Restoration

About American Rivers

American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 4.4 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and the strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers.

The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities – including within our organization. The life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that different people bring to our work provides perspectives, experiences, and competencies which are critical to our effectiveness in protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and conserving clean water for people and nature.
JOB SUMMARY

The Associate Director, California Central Valley River Restoration, will help American Rivers develop and implement projects to protect and restore critical rivers and floodplains in California.

The Associate Director will be part of the Central Valley Program. The Central Valley Program is one of three programs (along with Dam Removal and Headwaters) within American Rivers ’ robust California Region. The Central Valley Program team works to expand floodways and restore floodplains to protect and restore habitat for native species, increase community resilience to flooding and drought from climate change, and improve water quality and access to rivers for local communities. The Central Valley Program team works to protect and restore all rivers in California and primarily works in the river basins of the Central Valley, including the Sacramento River Basin, San Joaquin River Basin, and the San Francisco Bay-Delta.

We are seeking a team member to develop and manage on-the-ground restoration projects from conception to implementation—including securing funding; managing contracts; managing budgets and schedules for public and private grants; conducting community outreach, and coordinating with multiple agencies, partners, and consultants.

The Associate Director will support the general activities of the Central Valley Program while focusing their project management efforts in the Sacramento, Stockton, and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta areas. Candidates located within or proximate to these geographies will be given preference.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Work with the Central Valley Program team to develop and implement multi-benefit strategies for restoring floodplains at scale, prioritizing areas that improve nature access and reduce flood impacts for vulnerable communities;

- Manage funding, planning, and implementation of multi-benefit river restoration projects in California, including community outreach, partner engagement, environmental assessments, project design, monitoring, budgeting, contracting, permitting, invoice tracking, soliciting bids, and project construction oversight;

- Manage and ensure compliance with grant agreements, contracts, and subcontracts, and develop and track contracts, scopes of work, deliverables, timelines, and reports;

- Help develop solutions to technical, legal, and political challenges of planning and implementing restoration projects throughout California;

- Conduct community outreach to solicit feedback and engage diverse partners to plan and implement river restoration projects and programs;

- Participate and represent American Rivers in regional collaborative efforts;

- Work with American Rivers ’ Central Valley Program and national staff to support exchange of knowledge and experience on multi-benefit floodplain restoration across regions within American Rivers ;

- Identify sources and work with the Central Valley Program to develop fundraising proposals and grant applications for identified projects;

- Draft comments and advocacy letters to shape river and water