Conservation Easement Specialist

Conservation Easement Specialist
ID:AUT-012Location:Salt Lake CityProgram:ACE
Wage/Hr:$33.00Hours/Week:24 - 32Minimum Age:55

Being Age 55 or Older is Good for The Environment! The Agricultural Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program offers unique opportunities in Scientific, Technical, and Agricultural support for individuals aged 55 and over to support the Department of Agriculture?s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through a grant administered program awarded to National Experienced Workforce Solutions (NEW Solutions). This is a unique program where your talents, expertise, and experience will truly be valued. The ACES program provides an opportunity to work side-by-side with NRCS staff that are doing important work every day. Benefits: Paid Health Insurance Premium for positions budgeted at 60+ hours per pay period, Accrued Vacation and Sick Leave, Paid Federal Holidays, and optional Vision and Dental Insurance available for positions budgeted at 35+ hours per pay period. Positions listed here do not guarantee employment for any definite period. Enrollment in the Experienced Worker Programs administered by NEW Solutions is temporary. The enrollment relationship between NEW Solutions and the Enrollee is an "at-will" relationship. This means that an Enrollee is free to terminate enrollment at any time during the enrollment period, and NEW Solutions and the Agency have the right to terminate the relationship with the Enrollee. PLEASE NOTE: An ?ACES Enrollee? is not a federal employee, nor an employee of NEW Solutions. An ?ACES Enrollee? is a participant in a grant program established through a Cooperative Agreement funded by the USDA-NRCS and administered by NEW Solutions. This opportunity applies to applicants legally eligible to work in the United States.

Qualifications:

Minimum of 15 year(s) of experience in Easements on either a state or National level, experience with both external and internal customers in providing technical assistance in the development of an Easement. Experience in Easement application software. Special experience preparing State conservation policy and other NRCS State directives that meet the requirements of National policy and procedure. Special Experience to train staff on NRCS programs, acquisition review, and responding to closed easement findings or requests. OR BA/BS Degree in Agriculture, natural resources, agronomy, or other related field of Study.

  • Valid State Driver?s license; Experience desired with NRCS Easement program requirements related to Grasslands Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program, Farmland Protection Program, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (Agricultural Land Easements, Wetlands Reserve Easements), and Emergency Watershed Protection Program-Floodplain Easement (EWPP-FPE).
  • Experience required with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access
  • National Easement Staging Tool (NEST), PowerPoint
Duties:

This position would provide technical support to the NRCS Easement Program coordinator to assist with the application obligation and easement closing, respond to monitoring reports, and train NRCS staff on easement programs and the easement process. This duty will require working with external customers, Utah State land trusts, private landowners, Utah State Agencies, and the NRCS Utah State Easement Team. This position will also provide support for the processing and obligation of current-year applications and management of prior-year Agricultural Conservation Easement Program easements. This position will provide monitoring and management of the closed Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), Farm and Ranch Lands Protections Program (FRPP), and Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs (ACEP).

  • Assist the Utah Easement Program Coordinator in processing and obligating current-year ACEP easements. Assist with prepping for Internal Controls Reviews (Pre-obligation and Prepayment/Closing).   30%
  • Assist the Utah Easement Program Coordinator in managing prior-year ACEP contracts.   10%
  • Provide Easement Obligation and Acquisition training to UT NRCS staff and partner staff.   25%
  • Assist the Utah Easement Program Coordinator in monitoring closed ACEP, GRP, WRP, and FRPP easements. Respond to findings of Monitoring Reports and closed easement requests.   20%
  • Provide Team leads technical assistance and awareness of Easements as requested.   15%

Other:
  • Annual information system security, anti-harassment, and civil rights training.
  • If needed to carry out a project.
  • Travel Requirements: Travel may be required to achieve Utah Easement goals.
  • Overnight travel: Few times a year.
  • Remote work arrangements are available for this position.

NEW Solutions is committed to promoting equal opportunity and to an environment free from discrimination and harassment in any form administering Experienced Worker Programs under cooperative agreements with federal agencies. It is NEW Solutions' policy to comply with all applicable laws that provide equal opportunity and to prohibit unlawful discrimination in enrolling participants in the federal programs.