TITLE: Northwest River Restoration Director
CLASSIFICATION: Director I or II
DEPARTMENT: Conservation
WAGE CATEGORY: Full-time, Exempt
REPORTS TO: Northwest Region Director
LOCATION: HYBRID. Oregon/Washington preferred. The work of this role may be conducted remotely with full access to the needed operating systems and technology. There are times that the work will need to be conducted in-person in Washington and Oregon, with travel estimated 3-5 days per month. Other occasional regional and national travel to meetings and training may be required.

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ABOUT AMERICAN RIVERS

American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers℠.

American Rivers centers the ongoing work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in all that we do. The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities, and we seek to build and embody this diversity in our organization and throughout the conservation field. The life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that everyone brings 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 Director of River Restoration will support American Rivers’ efforts to restore riverscapes through dam removal in the Northwest Region. We are looking for candidates who can lead coalitions of land managers, State and Federal agencies, other NGOs, and Tribal Nations to further develop the Northwest Dam Removal Program through process-based river restoration approaches that balance ecological, social, and cultural values as well as feasibility considerations. The Director will work locally to help scale dam removal efforts in the Northwest through assessments, regional and national policy and advocacy work, supporting regional workforce development, and by providing technical support for regional dam removal and related river restoration projects.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead dam removal and related river restoration efforts in the Northwest Region.
• Work with Tribes, agencies, practitioners, and communities to assess enabling conditions for removing dams and develop strategies to overcome existing barriers likely to include funding and policy bottlenecks, workforce development, and other community of practice support needs.
• Support dam removal trainings for project managers.
• Regularly respond to requests for technical and strategic project planning assistance to advance multi-benefit dam removals and river restoration in the region.
• Serve as a subject matter expert to advocate for and advance multi-benefit dam removal projects and associated river restoration policy.
• Effectively communicate dam removal approaches and benefits to a wide array of audiences including Tribes, scientists, community-based organizations, landowners, and the public, using a variety of mediums, including but not limited to public and professional conference presentations, and potentially through published reports or papers. Represent American Rivers at conferences and other events.
• Advocate for and incorporate the perspectives and solutions presented by frontline BIPOC communities and Tribal Nations into regional strategies and project plans.
• Develop funding applications and manage grant awards for the Program.
• Be an active teammate with the American Rivers’ Northwest Region Team and the National Dam Removal Community of Practice, engaging in team meetings, collaborating with colleagues on project ideas and approaches, and developing, refining, and implementing effective restoration strategies.
• Work will involve travel in Washington and Oregon for partnership meetings, site visits, etc., as well as traveling nationally for conferences, trainings, and retreats as needed.
• Some aspects of the job description may be tailored to fit the specific skills and interests of our selected applicant and may include other duties as needed.
• This position may supervise others.
  
  MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• Holistic understanding of Northwest rivers and riverscape restoration.
• No less than 8 years of relevant experience in river restoration project or program management.
• Demonstrated ability in the evaluation of tradeoffs to identify and prioritize multi-benefit river restoration projects, including ecological, social, and cultural values.
• Experience developing funding applications and managing grant awards preferred.
• A team player with strong interpersonal and leadership skills, as well as the ability to work well with a diverse range of people. Experience working with multicultural communities, including engagement of Tribal nations and organizations, BIPOC, and Latinx communities.
• Strong project and contract management organizational skills, with demonstrated experience meeting challenging project deadlines by effectively managing teams and developing/managing project scope, schedule, and budgets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, effective communication, and the ability to facilitate partners and agency representatives in decision-making, consensus-building, and collaboration.
• Demonstrated strength in critical thinking, problem-solving, judgment, and dependability.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
• Four-year college degree in natural resources with training in hydrology, geomorphology, and biology.

LOCATION
Oregon/Washington preferred. The work of this role may be conducted remotely with full access to the needed operating systems and technology. There are times that the work will need to be conducted in-person in Washington and Oregon, with travel estimated 3-5 days per month. Other occasional regional and national travel to meetings and training may be required.

COMPENSATION
The anticipated salary range for this position is $81,672 – $98,423, depending on experience and qualifications. Full-time employee benefits include health, dental, and life insurance; a retirement plan, training budget, sick leave, 11 paid holidays, four weeks of paid vacation, paid sabbaticals every seven years, and a 3% retirement match. American Rivers offers TIAA-CREF Social Choice, including green impact, as an
investment option.

COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY
Our community’s core values motivate us to Lead with Collaboration and Trust, Infuse Equity and Justice, Deliver Results, and Ensure Staff and Volunteers Thrive. American Rivers offers staff professional development and training opportunities, engages in equitable hiring and retention practices, has taken the Green 2.0 pay equity pledge and participates in the transparency report, provides “no meetings” weeks, and hosts People of Color, Accessibility, LGBTQAI+, Women’s Leadership, Parents and Caregivers, and DEIJ affinity groups and committees led by staff and board members.

American Rivers is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request reasonable accommodation, please contact the Human Resources department at 202-243-7050 or humanresources@americanrivers.org. Please note that one week’s advance notice is preferred.

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Applicant must be legally allowed to work as an employee in the United States.
American Rivers is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Candidates of all personal and professional backgrounds are encouraged to apply.