Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River Basin. ORK is seeking an enthusiastic individual to join our team as an Upper Watershed Representative. This position will be based in the upper watershed, which includes parts of Greene, Taliaferro, Warren, Hancock, Washington, Jefferson, Burke, and Emanuel Counties. 

The position will primarily serve the counties in the upper watershed by engaging in local issues, investigating community complaints, organizing local volunteers, and leading educational and outreach activities. Candidates ​should have a passion for water resource protection, an outgoing personality, and the ability to work with diverse communities. This position will work under the Executive Director/Riverkeeper. 

Salary and Benefits

Salary will be based on qualifications and experience, with a minimum salary of $38,000.00 per year. Benefits include a generous leave policy, paid holidays, contributions to an IRA retirement account, health insurance stipend, cell phone allowance, and reimbursement of travel and other business-related expenses.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Work directly with the public to explain the vision and mission of Ogeechee Riverkeeper, the functions and values of the river system, and recruit members of the public to assist with efforts to protect, preserve, and improve water quality
• Attend county and municipal governmental meetings and special events as necessary to foster relationships and engagement with necessary public leaders
• Assist with grassroots organizing to update local ordinances to protect vulnerable communities and support smart, sustainable development
• Lead in the planning, organizing, and coordinating education, outreach activities, and community engagement events throughout the upper watershed
• Conduct initial appraisal of pollution complaints or concerns in upper watershed to be investigated by Riverkeeper 
• Assist with organization’s legislative efforts
• Maintain database and documentation of monitoring sites, enforcement sites, and other information as is necessary 
• Lead in recruiting and organizing volunteers and interns in the upper watershed
• Assist with ORK’s fundraising efforts and events as needed

Requirements

Knowledge:

• A bachelor’s degree required in a professionally appropriate field or 3 years work experience in a similar role
• Experience in environmental education, public outreach, environmental advocacy, and/or legislative/policy work
• Passionate about water quality restoration and protection of Georgia’s rivers, creeks, swamps, and underground water resources

Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communications, including public speaking, with an emphasis on persuasion and generating action
• Capable of successfully working in diverse communities throughout the Ogeechee River Basin
• Demonstrated time management skills including multi-tasking
• Proficiency with computer applications and software, including Google Workspace and Zoom
• Open, engaging, and friendly personality
• Superb interpersonal and leadership skills to collaborate effectively with a broad range of constituents

Abilities:

• Ability to work in various situations; confidence in ability to convey information to major internal and external players
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision and with a sense of urgency to complete tasks accurately and on schedule
• Ability to interact in a positive and productive fashion with residents, landowners, agency representatives, users of the river and streams, elected public officials, staff, members, and alleged violators
• Ability to endorse and champion organization’s advocacy efforts
• Ability to handle canoe and kayaks
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and proof of vehicle insurance

Working Conditions

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an Upper Watershed Representative encounters while performing the essential functions of the role:

• Much of the position will be performed remotely. The employee will provide own office environment and equipment. Occasionally, the employee may need to complete tasks in rural, outdoor settings, such as documenting a pollution complaint. As an environmental nonprofit, off-site events are often partially or entirely outdoors. Occasional regional travel may be required.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to receive oral and written instructions in English and to clearly communicate in English in person, over the telephone, through email, and through other electronic means.
• The employee is required to visually or otherwise identify, observe, and assess. Special vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

DISCLAIMER

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by an Upper Watershed Representative. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required to do this role. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 21 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.