Land Stewardship Manager

About CFC: Citizens for Conservation (CFC) is a volunteer-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is dedicated to a mission of “Saving living space for living things through protection, restoration and stewardship of land, conservation of natural resources, education, and community involvement.” CFC proactively preserves and restores land with the help of volunteers and donors actively engaged in protecting the health and beauty of the land for future generations. CFC works within the community to foster conservation ethics and practices. CFC is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, which consists of 10-15 members. 

Position Overview: The Land Stewardship Manager has two primary responsibilities: habitat restoration and volunteer mentoring/support. This position is key to implementing CFC’s land conservation, restoration, and stewardship initiatives in collaboration with CFC staff and volunteers. Stewardship priorities are established by the Restoration and Land Stewardship Committee, in coordination with the Conservation Director and other team members. 

The role involves leading habitat restoration projects alongside partner staff and volunteers, as well as overseeing general restoration activities. Additionally, the Land Stewardship Manager will support twice-weekly volunteer workdays, conduct outreach to engage potential volunteer leaders, build relationships, and mentor and empower these leaders. The position also involves fostering collaboration and networking among existing CFC volunteers and volunteer communities affiliated with partner organizations. 

1. Habitat Restoration: In collaboration with CFC staff and volunteers, the Land Stewardship Manager will lead efforts to develop and manage diverse native plant and animal communities within CFC preserves and partner-owned lands. The primary ecological responsibility of this role is to support native plant diversity and ecological integrity through the active management of displaced or invasive species. 

Key ecological restoration activities include: 

• Mixing, transporting, and applying herbicides
• Mowing and preparing fire breaks
• Participating in prescribed burns
• Maintaining selected trails and deer exclusion fences
• Monitoring both invasive and native species for stewardship planning
• Collecting, cleaning, and sowing native seeds
• Planting native plugs
• Assisting in the care and stewardship of the native seed nursery/farm
• Maintaining stewardship tools and equipment
• Documenting restoration work and communicating needs as they arise

This role is hands-on and field-focused, requiring both ecological knowledge and a commitment to collaborative land stewardship. 

2. Mentor and Support: The Land Stewardship Manager will lead, mentor, and support interns and volunteers in developing strong, community-based ecological stewardship. This will be achieved through regular ecological restoration workdays at CFC and partner preserves, during which the Manager will guide participants in key stewardship practices such as brush cutting, managing invasive species, and harvesting and sowing native seed. A central focus of this role is to cultivate a culture of shared leadership and continuous learning. 

Working with volunteer stewardship groups, the Land Stewardship Manager will also teach foundational ecological skills—including restoration planning, plant and animal identification, and volunteer coordination—with the goal of building active, resilient stewardship communities across CFC preserves. The Conservation Director and current volunteer leaders will provide mentorship and support, helping the Land Stewardship Manager grow as a collaborative leader and educator. 

This position follows a Tuesday–Saturday schedule and is supervised by the Conservation Director. Seasonal flexibility is required, including occasional afternoon-to-evening shifts (July–September) to support volunteer activities during the growing season. Initial orientation to responsibilities and the organization will be provided. Salary commensurate with qualifications.  

Required Qualifications: 

• Minimum three years working in natural resource management, environmental sciences, or related fields.
• Minimum of three years of restoration field experience with a deep understanding of northern Illinois plant communities and methods for restoration of degraded ecosystems.
• Knowledge of the methods, materials, tools, and equipment used in natural area management, and the understanding of occupational hazards and precautions required for safe operation.
• Minimum two years experience with chainsaw use, maintenance, and safety within a conservation context.
• Collaborative personality with a passion for ecology and the leadership ability to collaborate with a wide range of community members, including volunteers, stewards, and partners.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and collecting spatial data in the field.
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects within designated timelines while delivering high-quality results
• Willing to work in adverse weather conditions, remote locations, variable terrain, and physically demanding circumstances.
• Ability to perform tasks that require walking, bending, standing, kneeling, climbing, reaching, sitting and to perform lifting tasks up to 50 pounds.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license to travel to various locations to monitor restoration projects, perform field surveys, and inspect in-house and consultant fieldwork.
• If not already in possession of or trained in the following skills, must be willing to obtain Illinois Pesticide Applicator’s License, National Wildfire Coordinating Group s-130/s-190 firefighter training certificates, Chicago Wilderness Brush Pile Burn Boss Training.

Equal Opportunity Employer 

CFC is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, gender expression or identity, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, protective order status, veteran status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, ancestry, religion, pregnancy, certain arrest or criminal history records, homelessness and use of lawful products outside of work during non-working hours or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. 

About Our Pay and Benefits 

The Land Stewardship Manager is a full-time permanent position located in Barrington, Illinois. This position reports to the Conservation Director. Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, a 401(k) plan, and paid time off. The salary range is $60,000 – $65,000, commensurate with experience. 

How to Apply 

Click here https://bit.ly/CFCStewardshipMgr to apply and share your cover letter and resume.