The Finger Lakes Land Trust, a regional non-profit land conservation organization, is seeking a full-time Conservation Coordinator to work out of its Ithaca, New York office.

Position Summary

This position supports both the land protection and land stewardship departments by helping to ensure a smooth transition of land protection projects from planning and implementation to long-term stewardship. The Conservation Coordinator creates and manages efficient, scalable systems to organize and process project documents and information. Careful data and records management is essential to sound operating procedures, the retention and protection of important information and records, and compliance with Land Trust policies and accepted standards of the Land Trust Alliance and Land Trust Accreditation Commission.

This position also provides general operations support and assists with protection and stewardship team systems management, including software technical support and training. This work is primarily office-based, and the Conservation Coordinator serves as the primary point of contact for these processes and systems.

The Conservation Coordinator will be supervised by the Director of Conservation, and work closely with land conservation and stewardship staff, and other staff and volunteers to advance the organization’s land conservation efforts.

Primary Duties

Information Management: Responsible for reviewing, organizing, storing, and maintaining files and records to ensure the Land Trust’s filing systems are complete, accessible, and up to date. This includes:

• Managing digital and paper files (ex. digitizing, duplicating, naming, storing, organizing, purging, etc.) in accordance with policy and department directives.
• Entering and updating data in digital archives, centralized files, and the LOCATE database.
• LOCATE software use, tech support, training, and reporting.
• Transferring key easement monitoring and preserve management documents to stewardship staff after land transactions are complete.
• Maintaining complete, well-organized project archives, with special attention to older land projects.
• Deer Management Program website and administrative support, including fielding inquiries from participants.
• Helping to improve file management and record-keeping systems and incorporate new technologies and software.

Project Support: The Conservation Coordinator will be an expert in real property and conservation easement transactions to provide support to the Land Protection staff leading up to, during, and after project closing. This includes:

• Collect and process incoming information and inquiries from landowners interested in learning about land conservation options.
• Ensure that LTA Standards and Practices are followed.
• Process documents related to land transactions, including those related to real estate closings and subsequent recordings.
• Maintain a working knowledge of real estate, LTA best practices, and municipal recording requirements.
• Build strong relationships with Land Trust protection, stewardship, operations, and finance staff.
• General organization support, such as assisting with outreach planning, mailings, and events.
• General administrative assistance to both remote and office staff, including the Deer Management Program, tax exemption process, etc.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a field related to the position (principally information management, but potentially also law, administration, secretarial or library science, land conservation, environmental studies, or realtor training) plus two or more years of relevant work experience.
• Highly organized and thorough, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience and skill with computers, software, and technology related to file management; knowledge of current methods related to records management and databases.
• Ability to work as part of a team, as well as independently, to accomplish required tasks and achieve objectives.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people.
• Physically able to walk to an off-site document storage facility and carry a box of files.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge or experience related to various documents pertaining to real estate transactions, such as deeds, title reports, purchase contracts, appraisals, surveys, etc.
• Knowledge or experience related to land trust administration, and in particular accreditation.
• Willingness to represent the Land Trust at events; interact with a wide variety of people; and promote the mission and work of the organization.
• Possess and maintain a valid NYS driver’s license and willingness to use a personal vehicle for work-related travel (with mileage reimbursement).
• Knowledge or experience related to conservation land management and stewardship such as: drafting land management plans, conducting environmental hazard assessments, conservation easement monitoring, installing public recreational improvements, and/or coordinating volunteers.
• Ability to read and understand maps, use a compass, and orient oneself and be comfortable traveling on foot in forested conditions and on large rural properties.
• Notary Public registered in New York.

To Apply

Please email a cover letter and resume to Molly Corley at mollycorley@fllt.org with the job title in the subject line.

Additional Information

Competitive salary and benefits package ranging from $49,725 to $58,000 commensurate with experience. This is a full-time position located in the FLLT main office in Ithaca, NY.

The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) is a non-profit conservation organization that protects more than 35,000+ acres of undeveloped lakeshore, gorges, forests, meadows, and farmlands. The FLLT owns and manages a network of nature preserves that are open to the public and holds conservation easements on properties that remain in private ownership. The organization focuses on protecting critical habitat for fish and wildlife, conserving lands that are important for water quality, connecting existing conservation lands, and keeping prime farmland in agriculture. The FLLT has 23 dedicated staff members and more than 200 active volunteers. 

The Finger Lakes Land Trust is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.