Overview

Job Title: Municipal Policy Specialist  

Location: The Watershed Institute – Pennington, NJ
Job Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Policy Director 

 

About The Watershed Institute 

The Watershed Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping water clean, safe and healthy. We work to protect and restore our water and natural environment in central New Jersey through conservation, advocacy, science and education. Our team is passionate about the environment and committed to making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve. Our offices are located in LEED platinum Watershed Center on the 950-acre Watershed Reserve in Hopewell Township near Pennington. The Watershed Institute is committed to building a culturally diverse organization and strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds.  

 

Position Overview 

The Watershed Institute, a dynamic and multifaceted non-profit conservation organization, is seeking a full-time Municipal Policy Specialist to work in its Policy Department under the direction of the Policy Director.  

 The Municipal Policy Specialist works with municipal officials, including elected municipal governing bodies, Environmental Commissions, Planning & Zoning boards, municipal staff, and community members to promote policies and ordinances that protect and enhance clean water and the environment within the Millstone and Central Delaware Watersheds. 

Multi-tasking, meeting deadlines, prompt communications skills, and the ability to attend evening meetings are essential qualities for this position.   

 

Key Responsibilities 

  • Manage Regional Watershed Working Groups.   
  • Plan and execute quarterly meetings of representatives from the municipalities in the Stony Brook, Assunpink, Lower and Upper Millstone watersheds.  
  •  Manage a SharePoint site the group uses to share information.  
  • Advocate at the municipal level for strong environmental protections   
  • Advocate for the adoption of strong environmental protections in 30 towns across central New Jersey at municipal meetings and in meetings with stakeholders.  
  • Educate and collaborate with community members interested in working on water-related environmental issues.  
  • Provide and deliver educational content for The Watershed Institute’s Community Watershed Advocate Program.  
  • Collaborate with other members of the Policy, Science and Education teams  
  • Participate in planning for the annual NJ Watershed Conference and webinars.  
  • Partner with staff in the organization’s Science Department to provide municipalities with water quality data collected through the StreamWatch program.  
  • Join Watershed Institute education events including World Water Day, the Butterfly Festival and Trenton RiverFest.  

This position requires appearing and speaking at municipal meetings (Town Council and Committee, Planning Board, Zoning Board, Environmental Commission, etc.), state policy meetings, regional environmental workgroup/coalition meetings, and community meetings. A typical week may include two or more evening meetings. Occasional meetings on Saturday may be required as determined by municipal scheduling and the Policy Director 

 

Qualifications 

  • Knowledge of water-related environmental issues relating to stormwater management, water quality and flooding  
  • Familiarity with municipal government (Planning, Environmental Commissions, etc.)  
  • Three or more years of relevant experience 
  • Excellent listening, public speaking and writing skills including the ability to communicate technical information effectively to a wide range of audiences  
  • Strong team player and comfortable working independently with minimum direction  
  • Ability to prioritize multiple concurrent projects  
  • Bachelor’s Degree   
  • Computer skills including major software packages (MS365 including Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, etc.) and ability to learn additional skills as necessary  

 

Compensation & Benefits 

  • Salary Range: $50,000 – $60,000 based on experience. 
  • Health, dental, vision and Life insurance. 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution. 
  • Benefits include paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal time. Some evening and weekend hours are required with this position.   
  • Professional development opportunities. A collaborative and mission-driven work environment. 
  • On-site shared housing is available for rent.  

How to Apply:
Submit your resume and cover letter to Jobs@thewatershed.org. Please include “Municipal Policy Specialist” in the subject line. 

The Watershed Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

To apply for this job email your details to Jobs@thewatershed.org