Restoration & Engagement Associate

The Restoration & Engagement Associate will join CRWA’s growing River Restoration program team to engage watershed residents in advancing river restoration projects and policies across the watershed. The Restoration & Engagement Associate will engage in advocacy, coalition-building, community event management, and other means of effective outreach to watershed residents. The Restoration & Engagement Associate will also develop relationships with watershed elected officials to advance river restoration and climate resilience policies in the Charles River Watershed.

This is a full-time position that reports to the Senior Restoration Program Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Develops and implements watershed restoration and advocacy campaigns that build resilience across the watershed.

• Builds and maintains relationships with local and state elected and appointed leaders on issues related to climate resilience, water quality, land conservation, and ecological restoration.

• Advocates for and works closely with watershed communities to update and implement climate-smart local by-laws and regulations and on-the-ground actions. 

• Maintains, builds, and strengthens relationships with existing and new allies.

• Collaborates with towns, residents and community partners to identify opportunities for restoration actions and help advance them (e.g., dam removal, culvert replacement, daylighting and stream restoration, and wetland restoration).

• Conducts outreach to build support for long-term goals such as daylighting of urban streams, dam removal, and wetland restoration.

• Organizes and presents workshops for elected officials on climate resilience and watershed restoration.

• Support CRWA’s advocacy team with state-level ecological restoration advocacy.

• Tracks progress toward advocacy and project goals.

• Grant writing and reporting.

• Other administrative duties as required.

• Conduct work in accordance with CRWA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Educational background and/or work experience in the fields of environmental policy, political science, communications, and/or climate adaptation.

• Paid or volunteer experience with community engagement, community organizing, planning community events, or political campaigns a plus. 

• Experience or background with environmental or climate justice issues preferred.

• Comfortable working outdoors.

• Demonstrated strong, clear communication skills, including the ability to communicate about CRWA’s mission and work to the public.

• Highly organized and detail-oriented.

• Ability to work with a diverse group of people from all backgrounds.

• Bi-lingual candidates preferred.

• Demonstrated high level of courtesy and professionalism.

• Commitment to CRWA’s mission.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google GSuite.

• Able to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

• This position requires regular travel to and from CRWA's Newton field office and throughout the Charles River watershed during the fieldwork season; therefore, a valid driver's license and reliable access to a personal vehicle is necessary to perform the critical functions of this role.

• Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment at CRWA. CRWA is unable to sponsor employment visas at this time.

Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time position based in Boston with competitive salary and benefits, including generous paid time off, employer contributions to health insurance premiums and retirement plan, and a public transit stipend. CRWA’s office operates on a hybrid remote/in-person schedule. Starting salary for this position is $60,000 annually.