The vision of the EDF’s People and Nature Program is that the world meets human needs for food, water, and coastal protection in ways that improve ecosystems, rather than harming them. When it comes to natural resources in this country, we have scarcity and inefficiency problems that will be exacerbated by climate change. EDF is uniquely equipped to help fix this problem by accelerating the development of systems that make conservation and efficient land and water management profitable. We believe that this will be critical to helping the nation meet one of its greatest challenges: how to support a growing population without continuing to overspend our precious natural capital.

The Mississippi River drains 40% of the continental US, provides water to 50 cities and more than 15 million people, and accounts for 78% of the world’s exports of grains and soybeans, much of those exports shipped on the river through New Orleans. Yet, the alterations in the river and across its watersheds have had unintended consequences for water quality, wildlife habitat, and flow regimens. Now, the increasing impacts of climate change are threatening the river’s communities, agricultural systems, and ecological functions. EDF has worked for decades in both the upper basin and the lower Mississippi River delta. With deepening climate risks, EDF, with other national and local groups, seeks to connect resilience efforts across the upper and lower basin, build local capacity for new solutions, and safeguard the river, its ecology, economy, and communities.

EDF’s Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds workstream within the People and Nature team works in a bold and collaborative manner to ensure that the resilient ecosystems and communities along coasts and rivers can thrive with water and are safe, equitable, and prosperous places to live, work, and play.

Overall Function

As member of EDF’s Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds workstream within the People and Nature team, the Manager, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds will coordinate and implement strategic priorities to align science, policy, funding, and capacity to build landscape and community resilience across the Mississippi River Basin. Additionally, this position will cultivate relationships across the Mississippi River Basin with key stakeholders in government, corporate, academic, non-profit, and community sectors to build diverse coalitions and advocate for practical and technically sound solutions to advance the overall strategy.

The Manager will report to the Senior Director, Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds, will work within a matrixed team, and will be expected to coordinate staff and consultants from multiple EDF teams including Climate Smart Agriculture, Coasts and Watersheds, Political Affairs, EDF+Business, and U.S. Region.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead an internal project team to advance internal strategies and positively reinforce outcomes, including science, finance, policy, and DEIJ/partnership activities to support implementation of natural infrastructure at scale in the Mississippi River Basin.
• Execute and adaptively refine multi-year strategic plan , establish budgets, and negotiate project agreements and scopes of work.
• Participate in advancing EDF DEI goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with key national, regional, and state-level agricultural, environmental, and other relevant entities and community groups (e.g., USDA, Upper Mississippi River Basin Association, Iowa Finance Authority, etc.) to advance natural infrastructure and watershed approach strategies and the overall strategic vision of the project through partnerships and collaboration.
• Independently conduct research, analysis, and evaluation of existing and proposed resilience programs and policies to identify and prioritize strategies, goals, and tactics.
• Communicate project and initiative results in writing and through public presentations to diverse audiences and, in collaboration with the EDF Communications team, media outlets.
• Represent EDF at external meetings and conferences and provide expert level information.
• Serve as trusted source of information on landscape and community resilience to internal and external stakeholders.
• Engage in fundraising support activities and collaborate on proposals and reports required by grantors or other requesting parties.
• This position will be expected to be available for regular travel throughout the Basin to attend in-person meetings and events.
• Additional relevant responsibilities as assigned.