Senior Manager, Climate Resilient Water Systems

Senior Manager, Climate Resilient Water Systems

Climate Resilient Water Systems Overview

The Climate Resilient Water Systems (CRWS) team is dedicated to developing water policy and management solutions that balance water supply and demand and increase the resilience of water systems that support communities and ecosystems. The team has established a reputation as a trusted and credible partner with diverse stakeholders, governments, and water agencies; expertise in groundwater challenges and solutions; and as an advocate for transformational change in water policy and practices that incorporate ecosystem and environmental justice goals. The work currently is focused within California, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Colorado River Basin, New Mexico, and Texas, with active exploration of new work in other domestic U.S. and international locations. 

Overall Function

The Senior Manager, CRWS will play a critical role in advancing the CRWS team’s objectives in the Southwest. Working under the direction of the Senior Director, CRWS, the Senior Manager’s primary responsibility will be to oversee and implement CRWS’s strategy to advance proactive groundwater management, including multibenefit land repurposing, in New Mexico. This position will also support outreach and project implementation in other geographies, such as Texas and Arizona, and support the team’s agricultural water conservation efforts more broadly.

The Senior Manager will report to and support the work of the Senior Director in overseeing program administration, project management and implementation, strategy development, and fundraising. Additionally, they will collaborate internally across EDF, as well as externally, building and fostering relationships with a wide range of stakeholders to drive transformational change in water policy and management.

Location: This position is based remotely in New Mexico, West Texas, or the Texas Panhandle where travel to New Mexico would be efficient.

This is a 2-year fixed-term contract position with opportunity for extension.

Key Responsibilities

• Deepen and expand relationships with key agricultural, environmental, tribal, community, water agency, academic and public entities in New Mexico to better understand the community water issues and needs.
• Ensure effective development and implementation of proactive groundwater management and agricultural water conservation strategies that respond to the needs of relevant communities.
• Collaborate and coordinate with EDF’s State Affairs Southwestern team to advance improved groundwater management and conservation policies in the New Mexico State Legislature.
• Educate and advocate at the New Mexico Legislature related to improving groundwater management and conservation.
• With support from partners and consultants, oversee administration and advancement of the New Mexico Groundwater Alliance, a coalition of state agency leaders, NGO’s and local groundwater management entities.
• In collaboration with the Senior Director, support the development and refinement of strategy related to EDF’s water portfolio in New Mexico.
• Guide and contribute to public communication and thought leadership (e.g. expert panels and other speaking engagements, blogs, op-eds and other articles, and participation on carefully selected external advisory board/councils and/or steering committees) to advance awareness of groundwater challenges and solutions.
• Lead outreach as needed with key individuals and associations within the agricultural community in Texas.
• Support CRWS team in strategically expanding tools and approaches to other water scarce agricultural regions in the United States.
• Persuade, influence, motivate, and lead others, including engaging in public speaking and formal presentations related to the work to internal and external audiences.
• Develop and oversee plans and budgets for projects primarily under the Senior Director’s purview and review, including updating budget and strategic planning documents and work plans.
• In coordination with the Senior Director and CRWS leadership, engage with foundation officers and individual donors supporting the team’s work, coordinate with development staff to report to them as required, identify new sources of funding, and assist with proposal and report development.
• Participate in advancing EDF DEI goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant work experience and a Bachelor’s degree required. A Master’s degree or law degree may substitute for up to 2 years of experience.
• Expert knowledge of water policy and management in the western U.S., water scarcity challenges and solutions, and climate impacts to water supply and demand.
• Knowledge and background in agricultural-related work also preferred.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking skills, including demonstrated ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences through reports, blogs, conference presentations, etc.
• Outstanding research and analytical skills.
• Attention to detail, personal organization skills, and exceptional project management skills, including demonstrated ability to use independent judgment to plan, prioritize, and organize a diversified workload and meet deadlines.
• Proven ability to lead small teams, oversee multiple complex projects concurrently, and work collaboratively with multidisciplinary internal team members and external partners in a dynamic environment across multiple time zones.
• Strong ability to set priorities and take initiative consistent with broad strategic guidance and to execute in a fast-paced environment with diverse stakeholder interests.
• Ability to build strategic relationships and successfully advocate for and advance objectives.
• Adaptive, constructive and proactive problem solver.
• Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competency, and inclusivity and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 20% of the time.