Crew Program Manager

About WisCorps:

Our mission is to engage the next generation of environmental leaders through guided, hands-on service opportunities that benefit our region’s public lands. Our primary focus is to engage young adults through hands-on service opportunities in environmental stewardship, accomplished through partnerships with land management agencies and environmental education organizations across Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest.

WisCorps is a division of Central Conservation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation agency that empowers environmental organizations working to care for our Earth.

Position Overview:

The Crew Program Manager (CPM) reports to the Division Director and is responsible for leading, managing, and overseeing the Crew Program. As a primary representative for WisCorps partnerships, the Crew Program Manager guides Crew Program projects through their lifecycle, ensuring that members, partners, and programmatic and compliance needs are met. The CPM provides WisCorps management and supervises Field Coordinators, AmeriCorps Crew Leaders, and AmeriCorps Crew Members. Additionally, the manager oversees project logistics and monitors the program budget, while collaborating with partners on program evolution. The goal is to drive the program’s sustainability and growth into new areas, and to act as a catalyst for creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive culture within the Crew Program and the organization as a whole.

The CPM is a full-time permanent position based out of the WisCorps office in La Crosse, Wisconsin. They will travel throughout Wisconsin, and occasionally the Upper Midwest. They are directly responsible for up to three Field Coordinators who supervise AmeriCorps Crew Leaders and support 2-3 field crews each. WisCorps expects to run as many as six simultaneous AmeriCorps crews during the 2024 field season (May – November). The CPM will be ultimately responsible for staff and crew hiring, crew project preparation, implementation, and reporting through Field Coordinators. They will work directly with each Field Coordinator and project partner to ensure crew safety, high-quality work, and a positive crew community. The CPM must be comfortable with physical labor and longer field days (including some nights/weekends) in outdoor and unpredictable conditions. Extensive travel, including overnight stays, is expected during the field season.

The CPM is responsible for providing administrative support to the Division Director and liaising with Crew Program project partners. The position will oversee policies, procedures, and office systems.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

• Be a leader within the organization and community for equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Continually create and support a culture of equity and inclusion within the Crew Program
• Seek to remove barriers to participation and create a safe and welcoming environment for crew members and staff from communities traditionally marginalized in the conservation movement, including, but not limited to, BIPOC, AAPI, LGBTQIA+, Hispanic/Latinx, and individuals with disabilities
• Lead with an anti-racist mindset and continually evaluate WisCorps policies and procedures to identify and refine or remove those that do not support equity, diversity, and inclusion

Management & Supervisory Duties

• Work with the Division Director to develop recruitment plans, help ensure a diverse pool of applicants, and oversee hiring field staff, crew members, and crew leaders
• Train, supervise, and evaluate current and future Program staff, including Field Coordinators, Crew Leaders, and Crew Members
• Manage the Crew Program and oversee field coordinators and up to eight crews (May – November)
• Collect and approve Program staff and participant timesheets
• Lead and or delegate AmeriCorps end-of-term evaluations
• Be on call during non-work hours to respond to crew emergencies or incidents throughout the field season
• Conduct regular site visits and evaluations of project sites and check on field coordinators, crew leaders, and crew members
• Facilitate regular Crew Program staff meetings
• Ensure that policies and procedures are followed and address discipline issues when necessary

Programmatic Duties

• Ensure that the Crew Program provides both a positive experience for participants and high-quality work for project partners
• Actively observe, seek, and evaluate feedback from crew members, crew leaders, staff, and project partners and use gathered data to improve the program continually
• Represent WisCorps at conferences, community, and recruitment events
• Regularly visit crews and project partners in the field to build rapport and get hands-on with the program on the ground – use firsthand knowledge to inform decision-making

Training Duties

• Lead and support seasonal training, delegate training responsibilities, and ensure successful seasonal training for field coordinators, crew leaders, and crew members
• Design and implement an engaging, inclusive, and practical crew management curriculum for the  Crew Program, including camp and crew management and one-on-one check-ins
• Create and maintain written training resources, visuals, and standard training procedures
• Identify inefficiencies and challenges within the Crew Program

Risk Management & Safety Duties

• Manage and or oversee participant and staff incident response from initial report through recovery, including workers’ compensation claims
• Create a culture where risk management practices are written, trained, followed, evaluated, and refined
• Maintain a work environment that is both physically and emotionally safe
• Ensure compliance with OSHA safety standards and all state and local worker protection laws
• Maintain appropriate certifications for self and staff (e.g., pesticide applicator, chainsaw, First Aid/CPR)

Projects and Logistics Duties

• Oversee the planning, scheduling, implementation, and evaluation of the Crew Program calendar and projects
• Oversee the implementation project itineraries and pre-project site visits and assist with communication before, during, and after the project
• Maintain and develop relationships with project sponsors, agency partners, and community organizations
• Work closely with the Division Director to determine current and future equipment and supply needs, including fleet vehicles and trailers, tools, equipment, and supplies

Data Collection Duties

• Ensure Members and Project Partners complete timesheets, incident reports, evaluations, accomplishments/performance measures, feedback forms, and others as necessary
• Organize and process Crew Program project data for end-of-season and annual reporting

Financial & Administrative Duties

• Carry out tracking and reporting systems for program and project outcomes
• Collaborate with the Director to develop and comply with annual budget targets
• Work with the Division Director to identify and secure new funding sources to support the Department and to ensure grant compliance and timely reporting

QUALIFICATIONS:

• An experienced manager with a minimum of four years in a leadership role with a conservation corps or similar agency that hosts AmeriCorps members.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation, Conservation, Sustainability, Environmental Science, Education, or related degree preferred. (Substantial experience in conservation work and/or youth programming will be considered instead of Degree)
• Experience leading or supervising a group or team and managing outdoor projects are required. Relevant experience in youth leadership, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and/or natural resource management is preferred. Experience working on manual labor projects, using hand tools, operating chainsaws, and driving fleet vehicles and trailers is desirable.
• Extensive experience and working knowledge of environmental restoration project solicitation, management, and implementation. Types of projects include but are not limited to trail building, carpentry, habitat restoration, including manual and herbicide & pesticide invasive species control, and general resource management.
• Experience with hand and power tools, including brush cutter and chainsaw operations. Advanced chainsaw and crosscut certifications – a plus
• Current WFA/CPR certificate or better or ability to attain WFA/CPR within 30 days of starting
• Applicants must be capable of working long hours on strenuous, labor-intensive projects. Training and work projects often require heavy lifting, constant bending, digging, and long hikes to and from the worksite. This position will primarily work outside in all weather conditions and environments, including but not limited to remote areas, cold, rain, snow, heat, humidity, wind, etc. The noise level in the atmosphere is quiet to loud. PPE is provided, and use is required.
• Demonstrated ability and desire to create and nurture a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Can inspire and lead a team toward a common goal
• A systems thinker who looks for ways to improve processes and ensure replicability
• Can effectively delegate tasks and follow up to ensure timely completion
• Demonstrated ability to create and effectively manage program budgets
• Highly motivated, organized, and detail-oriented
• Excellent communication skills, actively seeks to close communication loops, and ability to seek common ground
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Software and Google Drive, including Outlook, Excel, and Word
• Valid driver’s license and insurable driving record
• Ability to pass WisCorps and AmeriCorps criminal history check requirements
• Believes in WisCorps’ mission and willing to adhere to organization policies and procedures

All job offers are contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.

WisCorps provides equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran per applicable federal, state, and local laws. We are committed to assuring equal employment opportunity and access to services, programs, and activities for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and need to access information in an alternative format or need it translated to another language, please get in touch with us by phone at 608-782-2494, by email at [email protected], or by Wisconsin Relay 711.