Position Description

 

The Chesapeake Bay Trust seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Program Officer for the Urban Trees Grant Program. The Trust was tapped to administer this new grant program by the Maryland General Assembly via HB 991 of the 2021 legislative session, and its goal is 500,000 new urban trees planted (and maintained) within the next eight years.   Duties will include assisting potential applicants with ideas and proposal generation; identifying new potential grant applicants and applications; soliciting, reviewing, and administering awards to nonprofit organizations, governments, schools, and other applicants that are committed to planting trees in urban, underserved areas as defined in the statute.  The position will require frequent site visits to proposed and completed project sites. This person will be a key member of a 20+ person staff and will report to the Urban Trees Program Manager.

 

About the Trust

 

The Chesapeake Bay Trust seeks to engage and empower diverse groups to take actions that enrich the natural resources and local communities of the Chesapeake Bay region. The Trust is a nonprofit grant-making organization established by state government in 1985. The Trust currently makes 350-400 grants and other awards per year ranging from $100 to ~$400,000 for projects in the K-12 environmental education, on-the-ground restoration, science, capacity building, and community engagement realms. In the past 15 years, the Trust has increased its grant-making four-fold through various revenues streams under the purview of four Trust departments, with annual awards of approximately $12-20 million.  This new urban tree initiative will serve to almost double the Trust’s grant-making again.

 

 

Specific Duties:

  • Serve as a key lead for the Urban Trees Grant Program focused on urban tree planting projects that enhance livability in underserved communities across Maryland.
  • Proactively, identify potential applicants to the Urban Tree Program, identify what help these applicants might need to apply and successfully complete a project, encourage them to apply, and provide help as they develop project ideas and grant proposals.
  • Reactively, respond to potential applicants who have expressed interest in the Urban Tree Program, and assistance with the application process.
  • Lead the analysis and review of grant applications received by the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
  • Prepare grant summary reports and analysis for Technical Review Committees, any funding partners, the Maryland General Assembly, and Board of Trustees.
  • Administer Urban Tree grant awards in a wide size range ($5,000 to potentially as large as $1 million), including preparing grant agreements, assisting grantees with project issues, reviewing status and final reports, approving payments, reviewing change requests, and more.
  • Develop a suite of professional development activities, which could include participating in (and presenting at conferences, at seminars, at symposia, and/or in publications.

 

Qualifications

 

  • The successful candidate must have specific experience and track record of success in one of the following two fields:
    • Tree planting and/or forestry and/or urban natural resources restoration initiatives OR
    • Engagement of communities in community health and natural resources issues
  • Experience engaging underserved communities is a plus.

 

Candidates must have the following skills, abilities, and/or qualifications:

  • Strategic thinking skills: ability to set priorities, balance short-term and long-term objectives.
  • Proficiency in managing budgets and contracts.
  • Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of programs, especially spreadsheet programs.
  • Ability to conduct site visits to project locations submitted by grant applicants (personal vehicle and valid driver’s license required to facilitate site visit travel).
  • Ability to work independently as well as in group settings.
  • Exceptional project management and time-management skills, with the ability to manage and meet tight deadlines.

 

 

Position Salary and Benefits

$50,000-$60,000 with an excellent benefits package and opportunities for related professional development through workshops, training programs, and conferences.

 

Application Instructions and Deadline

Applications will be considered through July 15, 2022, though the position will remain open until filled. Please send a resume and cover letter via email to talent@cbtrust.org and place job title “Program Officer – Urban Trees” in the subject line of the email.  In your cover letter, please address your ability, based on your skills and experience, to accomplish the specific duties of the position as outlined above. Please describe why you would be an excellent member of the Trust team and why you would be an excellent choice to lead this new urban tree initiative. Applicants that do not address these two points in a cover letter but instead simply outline past experience are unlikely to be considered.

 

The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or disability in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. We encourage applications from people of color.