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Easement Monitoring and Stewardship Manager

Job Details

Experienced
AFT Headquarters - WASHINGTON, DC
Fully Remote
Full Time
$70000.00 - $80000.00 Salary

Description

Who We Are

American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres, and supported thousands of farm families by improving farm viability and farmland access. Long an agroecosystems leader, AFT is now riding a new wave of growth, driven by agriculture’s most pressing needs and opportunities. 

 

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Director of Land Protection Projects, the Easement Monitoring and Stewardship Manager monitors and stewards land owned and protected by AFT while supporting the general functions of the Land Protection team.

 

Position Summary

As an integral and experienced part of the AFT Land Protection team, the Easement Monitoring and Stewardship Manager, serves as a primary point of contact with landowners, farmers and ranchers, develops baseline reports and management plans, monitors AFT’s agricultural conservation easements across the United States and performs related follow-up stewardship activities in accordance with AFT’s policies and Land Trust Standards and Practices.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Manages stewardship of AFT’s easements and other land conservation interests, including fee land. Addresses landowner requests and questions related to easement terms; develops baseline reports, management plans and other related documents, creates parcel maps, implements conservation easement defense standards and practices; monitors easements for compliance with agricultural conservation restrictions.
  • Serves as a point of contact for items related to AFT easements and easement stakeholders including landowners, property managers, farmers and ranchers, neighbors, partner organizations and other AFT staff. Continuously works to cultivate positive working relationships with landowners.
  • Annual monitoring visits to AFT’s portfolio of protected farms and ranches across the United States. Demonstrates best practices for monitoring visits and subsequent reporting.
  • Works in coordination with the Land Protection Projects Director and Legal staff to address complex stewardship items such as easement interpretation, use requests and approvals, amendments, easement assignments and transfers and AFT’s response to easement violations.
  • Assists with developing regenerative agricultural land management plans that complement AFT’s easement acquisitions. Collaborates on internal strategies to accelerate regenerative practices on easement-protected land.
  • Works closely with the Land Protection Operations Team (LP Ops) to ensure stewardship operational standards in line with the eligibility requirements for the Land Trust Alliance’s Terrafirma insurance program. Coordinates with LP Ops to ensure AFT’s easement recordkeeping and other functions are aligned with Standards and Practices and Terrafirma.
  • Actively contributes to monitoring and stewardship CRM, including monitoring visit details and updates to landowner and property information.
  • Participates in regular meetings of the Legal and Stewardship staff to discuss pressing stewardship items and foster internal collaboration.
  • Works with the Director of Land Protection and Operations team to inform resource needs as part of AFT’s annual budgeting work planning processes.
  • Provides support for other AFT programmatic functions, as requested.

Qualifications

  • Experience monitoring agricultural conservation easements and working knowledge of Land Trust Standards and Practices. Experience developing regenerative management plans.
  • Experience with mapping software.
  • Experience with agricultural easement stewardship including annual monitoring, baseline and present condition reporting, assignments, use approvals, easement defense and managing violations.
  • Experience working with farmers and agricultural landowners. Basic knowledge of farming and ranching practices, natural resource management and farm and ranch business management.
  • Excellent interpersonal, writing, and organizational skills. Knowledge of best practices for land files and electronic recordkeeping.
  • Experience with land conservation software (i.e. Landscape).
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.
  • Willingness to travel frequently by air.
  • Possess a valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.
  • Ability to navigate using maps and/or GPS, walk in rough, rural, and wide-open terrain, and be willing to work outdoors in all weather.

 

Education & Experience 

  • A bachelor’s degree in a related field.
  • A minimum of two to five years’ experience with easement stewardship.

 

Working Conditions & Travel

  • The position is based remotely, with occasional in-person check-ins at AFT offices expected.
  • This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, and phones.
  • Occasional work in the evenings or on weekends may be required to meet deadlines. Completion of a federal background check during the initial months of employment is required for this role. Continued employment is contingent on successful completion of this background check.
  • Requires extensive travel throughout the country (up to 50%).

 

Supervisory Responsibility  

This position has no supervisory responsibility. 

 

Compensation

This position offers an annual salary of $70,000 - 80,000. 

 

American Farmland Trust offers a full benefits package for full time employees:

  • Insurance coverage begins the 1st of the month following the date of hire. 
  • Medical & Prescription Coverage
  • Dental Coverage
  • Vision Coverage
  • Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
  • Voluntary Life Insurance
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – Healthcare & Dependent Care
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees accrue 13 “sick days” per year.
  • Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year maximum.
  • Holidays: AFT observes twelve fixed holidays and a week between Christmas and New Years off during the year (all offices closed) plus a choice of up to three (depending on hiring month) floating holidays.


Why you should apply:

  • Be a part of a purpose-driven, committed, knowledgeable, high-performing, experienced and fun team
  • A diverse and inclusive work environment
  • A cause and mission you can be proud of
  • Competitive compensation & benefits
  • Remote work opportunities
  • Flexible scheduling


Timeline

To be considered, applicants must submit a resume, a cover letter, and complete all screener questions. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled.

 

We believe diversity drives innovation. We are inclusive. We embrace differences. We recognize and respect the fundamental value and dignity of all our employees. We celebrate the unique traditions, heritages, and experiences our employees bring to the workplace. We are committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive culture that promotes and values diversity, and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work every day. Please see AFT’s statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice.

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