Indigenous Conservation Corps Crew Leader

Indigenous Conservation Corps Crew Leader

Reports to: Program Director

Locations: Cherokee, NC

Season Dates: Late May-July 26th, 2024

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Exempt

Wages: $685-$785/Week DOE, Paid Bi-Weekly 

Benefits: Health Insurance (eligible 60 days after start date), professional development; S212 certification, Basic First Aid/CPR certification

Conservation Corps North Carolina:   

The mission of Conservation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) is to empower young adults through meaningful outdoor work that benefits North Carolina’s land and water and creates healthy communities.    

CCNC is a program of Conservation Legacy that partners with public land managers in North Carolina to engage motivated young adults (ages 18-30, or 35 if a veteran) to complete challenging and impactful conservation service projects throughout the region. Projects may include trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, hazard fuel reduction, and ecological restoration.  Crews may also complete technical and/or specialized projects depending on project partner needs, including disaster relief if the opportunity arises.  

Project Work: 

Projects take place across southwest North Carolina, including work with the USDA Forest Service and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Tribe. Seven weeks of this eight-week program are a day schedule, meaning the crew returns home at end of work hours. One week of this program will be an overnight/camping week, equipment such as tents and sleeping bags will be provided as needed. During their time in the field, Crew Members work outdoors in all types of weather conditions, performing manual labor related to environmental conservation and restoration projects. These hands-on projects include public access improvements, trail construction and maintenance, forest management, habitat restoration, invasive species treatments, heritage work related to ancestral lands, disaster relief, fire & fuels reduction, and much more. The focus of this program is to equip crew members with job skills related to conservation. Crew members will also receive cultural enrichment through learning Tribal management practices and history related to natural resources. Most projects require hiking out to remote work sites for the day with tools, equipment, and day pack. 

Position Summary:  

Conservation Corps North Carolina's Crew Leaders perform many roles and are the key to our program’s success. The position is multi-faceted and demanding, but with opportunity for enormous rewards. Successful candidates will demonstrate resourcefulness, situational flexibility, effective communication skills, excellent judgement, maturity, initiative, professionalism, and the desire to devote themselves to a crew experience where the needs of others are placed above oneself. The Crew Leader position requires mentorship, patience, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of comfort in the outdoors. Crew Leaders are ultimately responsible for successes and shortcomings of the crew.

Schedule & Crew Life: 

The Indigenous Conservation Corp crews consist of 3-5 EBCI crew members and 1 Crew Leader who provide project expertise, mentorship, training, and support for the success of all participants. The crew will typically meet in Cherokee, NC at the beginning of each workday. Transportation from Cherokee, NC will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Crews will work on a daily schedule, working ten-hour days with three days off per week. The day starts with a stretch circle and safety meeting and includes two fifteen-minute breaks and a half hour break for lunch

When on overnight projects, crews work together to plan meals and complete all necessary chores (cooking, washing dishes, etc). We can accommodate most dietary restrictions. Camp chores will be completed every evening, with many evenings including group discussions on conservation topics. Food is not provided while on the day schedule.

CCNC supports a culture of feedback and growth. Crew Members will set goals at the beginning of the season and review their performance through both self-evaluation and a review with their Crew Leader in the middle and at the end of their season. Evaluations will cover topic areas including Professionalism, Responsibility/Leadership/Communication, Community Engagement, Project Work, Safety & Organization, and Equipment. Crew Members will also be asked to evaluate their Crew Leaders’ performance, the overall program, and their experience at the end of their term. 

Required Skills

Minimum Qualifications:  

·        Exhibits the ability to effectively work on diverse teams or with a variety of populations, including those underrepresented at our organization and those of BIPOC communities. 

·        Experience with tools and equipment used for landscaping and forestry work

·        Must have a clean driving record (insurable by CCNC) and a current driver’s license.  

·        Experience with influencing diverse groups of employees to achieve common goals.  

·        Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment. 

·        The ability to carry out assigned work independently or with minimal supervision. 

·        The ability to communicate effectively, manage complexity cultivate innovation, drive and influence results of oneself and others. 

·        Ability to work well with others and to seek assistance when needed to carry out assignments. 

·        Ability to keep others, in remote locations, accountable to expectations. 

·        Must be able to pass the organization’s criminal history background check requirements. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

·        Experience working with and supporting Indigenous Communities

·        Experience with chainsaw use

·        Experience with trail design and layout.

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements: 
Essential eligibility requirements for the program must be met. If you are unable to meet certain requirements, we may be able to assist you with some modification unless it alters the fundamental nature of the program, compromises the health and safety of participants or staff, or places an undue financial or administrative burden on the organization. These requirements are written the same for all positions and therefore may not apply directly to your position. 

·        Frequently required to walk, hike, sit and talk or listen 

·        Required to use hands to operate objects, tools or controls, and to reach with hands and arms 

·        Regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds 

·        Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision and the ability to focus 

·        Required to drive a CCNC vehicle 

·        Must be able to speak, understand, read and write English 

·        Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions 

·        Ability to pass Conservation Legacy’s criminal history checks 

·        Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and provide primary documentation to support this 

Leadership & Mentorship   

·        Manage, supervise, and lead the day-to-day details of project work.  

·        Implement skills training on worksite and facilitate intentional discussions via informal lessons to contribute to the crew’s personal growth and group dynamics.  

·        Promote individual corps member development and a healthy, supportive community.  

·        Must be willing to follow and enforce all CCNC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent Conservation Corps North Carolina. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from the use of alcohol and drugs while involved in the program.  

Project Management 

·        Train and motivate a crew of six to eight young adults (18-30) to complete conservation projects efficiently on public lands.  

·        Visit and plan project work ahead of hitches. 

·        Delegate project work & investment among ACL and crew.  

·        Manage on-the-ground quality and quantity of project work.  

·        Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems.  

·        Communicate effectively & coordinate logistics with project partners, members, and CCNC   

Safety & Risk Management 

·        Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site 

·        Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety 

·        Transport crew and equipment safely in CCNC’s vans or large vehicles with trailers 

Administration 

·        Complete professional documentation of time sheets, daily and weekly project reports, corps member and peer evaluations, disciplinary action forms, incident reports, emergency response plans, and submit in a timely manner 

·        Responsible for all project related outcomes and deliverables 

·        Manage food budget and credit card purchases, including receipt reconciliation 

Safety and Judgment: 

·        Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. You must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds. 

·        Effectively perceive, understand and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during exposure to the hazard 

·        Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions 

·        Perceive and comprehend significant and apparent hazards, including those hazards previously identified by others 

·        Respond appropriately to stress or crises 

·        If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others 

·        Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site 

·        Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety 

·        Transport crew and equipment safely in CCNC’s vans or large SUVs with trailers 

Environmental Ethics: 

·        Learn, practice, and teach ‘Leave no Trace’ techniques 

Outdoor Skills and Fitness (where appropriate): 

·        Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living/travel and work skills as appropriate to the project. Additionally, remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and safe, avoiding environmental injuries 

Training Supervision 

·        Work with Program Coordinator and Field Supervisor's to plan seasonal trainings. 

·        Facilitate and supervise training hitches for both Crew Leader Training and Crew Member Trainings.  

Recruitment 

·        Support recruitment staff with interviews and reference checks as it relates to Crew Member Hiring.   

Other Duties 

·        Successfully engages, leads and supports an inclusive work environment for those of underrepresented populations within the organization and the communities we serve.  

·        Leads and/or participates in organizational-wide teams, projects and initiatives that support the work of the Strategic Plan goals.   

CCNC is a drug-free organization.  Alcohol and illegal substances are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps/program activities and on CCNC, North Carolina State University, and program partner property.

To Apply: submit an application with a resume attached. Cover letters are optional. 

**You must upload a resume in addition to your application**

"Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager."