Riparian Grant Specialist (Program Specialist 3)

The Riparian Grant Specialist (Program Specialist 3) will be responsible for building positive working relationships with diverse stakeholders and entities, including conservation districts and external partners.

• Monitors and processes RGP grant applications.
• Checks applications and project data in SCC’s Conservation Practice Data System (CPDS) for completeness and provides initial review of alignment with guidelines and SCC policies.
• Routes applications for review by other SCC staff, tracks awards as issued by finance staff team.
• Monitors and supports implementation of RGP grant awards.
• Provides technical resources and support to awardees.
• Resolves questions and issues as they arise from awardees.
• Monitors spending and progress of RGP awards including quarterly progress check-ins with CDs, review of monthly spending reports, identification of any issues or anomalies occurring through these processes, elevates issues as appropriate to supervisor or others.
• Use knowledge of riparian restoration and knowledge gained from conservation district award implementation to support program administration process improvements (e.g. updates and improvements to the application, reporting tools, and data collection).
• Develops schedule, protocol, and template for 5-year technical project site/field reviews and coordinates site visits with conservation districts.
• Integrates observations from site reviews into program administrative improvements.
• Provides technical advice to RGP participants on program practices, rules, policies and procedures to conservation district staff, other agencies and the public; ensuring compliance with policy and guidelines.
• Identify, develop or distribute resources to aid conservation districts to implement RGP awards and riparian restoration, in collaboration with Science Hub.
• Tracks RGP-related activities and data.
• Assists in the development of report template and SCC data platform.
• Assists in program reporting processes for RGP portion of agency-wide biennial and annual reports.

• A Bachelor’s Degree AND Two years of experience in natural resources or agricultural grant management, program administration, or related field.
• OR Any combination of relevant experience, including strong working knowledge of ecological restoration principles.
• Computer skills with Microsoft applications
• Strong customer relations, customer service, negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Hold a valid Driver’s License, free from serious traffic violations
• Ability to travel (including overnight)
• Ability to handle multiple projects with competing deadlines in a dynamic work environment
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, including public speaking and the ability to research, organize and present varied and complex subjects in an approachable and understandable manner
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills necessary to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other agency staff, partner organizations and conservation district supervisors and staff
• Ability to understand and follow agency safety policies and other standards established to maintain a safe work environment
• Proven ability to work comfortably with people of widely differing temperaments, perspectives, cultures, work styles and preferences

• Benefits
• Flexible/Hybrid Work Arrangement
• Paid Time Off
• Health Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave
• Paid Vacation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Professional Development Opportunities

The Washington State Conservation Commission (SCC) is a non-regulatory state agency that supports and coordinates our state’s 45 conservation districts and administers voluntary conservation programs.