Program Coordinator, Southern Appalachians

National Forest Foundation

Southern Appalachians Program Coordinator developing and implementing conservation projects for National Forest Foundation. Collaborating with diverse partners and managing grants in Southern Appalachians.

Posted 7/3/2026full-timeTennessee, Virginia • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $68,000 - $82,750 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Support the Southern Appalachians Program Manager in developing NFF’s role in the Southern Appalachians subregion in alignment with the U.S. Forest Service and local partners, with potential elements including partnerships and communications; planning and consultation; project design and implementation; monitoring; and development of both immediate and long-term funding mechanisms.
Coordinate budgets and reporting associated with grants from federal, state, and local government sources, as well as philanthropic support from corporations, foundations, and individuals.
Prepare associated grant and funding reports.
Work with the Southern Appalachian Program Manager and the U.S. Forest Service to help manage and track cooperative agreements and their associated project budgets and timelines.
Work with NFF staff to communicate project needs and the community benefits and accomplishments internally, to invested stakeholders, to the general public, and other relevant audiences.
Build and maintain close and mutually beneficial relationships among federal and state agency partners, local government, Tribal nations, and indigenous communities, nonprofit organizations, and the NFF to implement effective community-based conservation partnerships.
Advance a variety of projects as an implementation partner, including but not limited to fuels and vegetation management, reforestation, outdoor recreation, watershed resiliency, and other conservation projects across the Southern Appalachians.
Support the advertising, negotiation, awarding, and invoicing of multiple contracts for services related to the on-the-ground implementation of conservation projects.
Work directly with contractors, consultants, nonprofit organizations, and agency partners to coordinate the on-the-ground project implementation effectively and efficiently.
Conduct ongoing communication with partners on the status of project planning, implementation, and project successes.
Support priority subregional projects, such as red spruce restoration efforts.
Facilitate collaboration and partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, other federal and state agency partners, local governments, Tribal nations and indigenous communities, and nonprofit organizations.
Support the NFF’s Advancement team to raise funds and develop long-term funding sources for the NFF’s work across the Southern Appalachians.
Maintain a breadth of knowledge about current trends, emerging issues, policy interventions, and innovations in the field of conservation programming to enhance the NFF strategic efficacy.
Serve as a point of contact for the NFF across the Southern Appalachians and the Southern Region.
Assist as necessary with the NFF program of work in the Southern Region, which may include the management of diverse, short-term projects or events.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Undergraduate degree, in conservation, watershed science, forestry, outdoor recreation, natural resource management, environmental science, or related field (or equivalent experience)
Three (3) years of work experience with conservation programs, project planning, and/or managing project implementation.
Experience with land and watershed science, policy, and management.
Commitment to the mission of the NFF and familiarity with the U.S. Forest Service and National Forest lands management.
An understanding of natural resources and community-based issues in the Southern Appalachians.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, and administrative skills.
Strong writing skills and public speaking experience.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.
Ability to work independently to advance program priorities, demonstrating sound judgement in seeking guidance to ensure programmatic alignment and effective communications.
Ability to conduct fieldwork, including travel on remote Forest roads and occasional hiking on rough terrain to project sites, and occasional light tool use.
Ability to represent the NFF with diverse constituents in a clear and professional manner through excellent written and oral communication skills, and excellent interpersonal skills.
Ability to collaboratively manage programs and evaluate their outcomes against quantifiable measures of success.
Ability to work with a wide range of people with differing and sometimes conflicting opinions, and to always maintain neutrality.
Ability to work well and be flexible in a team-oriented environment.
Must have valid U.S. driver’s license and clean driving record
Ability and willingness to travel regularly, work in outdoor conditions, and maintain a flexible work schedule, including participation in weekend and evening events.
Familiarity with ArcGIS online, journal builder, cartography, and map design.
Preference for a candidate with intermediate or above GIS skills, including the ability to create project maps, ArcGIS Story Maps, and other products.
Excellent analytical skills with a strong attention to detail.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical and dental insurance paid at 75% by the organization for you and any dependents
Vision insurance paid 50% by the organization for you and any dependents
Health savings account (HSA) with employer contributions between $1,878-$3,750 per year, predicated on coverage type
Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSA)
Employee assistance program (EAP) at no cost
403(b) retirement plan with a 5% employer match after one (1) year of service
Short-term and long-term disability insurance at no cost
Basic life and AD&D insurance at no cost, with voluntary life insurance options
Whole life insurance at a discounted rate
Employees start with 35 days of annual leave, sick leave, personal leave and holidays (annual leave accrual rates increase with years of service)
Family & medical leave for up to sixteen (16) weeks with up to four (4) weeks paid
Training & Development Programs
Professional development reimbursement for up to $1,000 per year
The opportunity to support an incredible mission and travel to / work in spectacular locations.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Project DesignBudget ManagementFieldworkAnalytical SkillsWriting Skills

Soft Skills

Excellent CommunicationInterpersonal SkillsOrganizational SkillsTeam CollaborationNeutrality in Conflict Resolution

Certifications

Valid U.S. Driver’s License