All Abilities Crew Leader @ Appalachian Conservation Corps

Appalachian Conservation Corps

Application Info

All Abilities Crew Leader

Description

Title: All Abilities Crew Leader

Dates: 2022 Seasonal Position, Beginning in Spring 2022

Reports to: Crew Program Manager

Starting Salary : Starting at $685.00 paid Bi-Weekly

Location: Harrisonburg, VA _ _

Status: Seasonal _, Exempt ___

Benefit Eligible : Partial

Appalachian Conservation Corps:

Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC) works to connect young people to critical conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania. As a corps program, ACC partners with public land managers to identify, plan, and complete projects that improve public access, habitat quality, and economic development. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation service organizations. Our programs focus on service, place-based learning, life skills development, appreciation of diversity, civic responsibility, and career development. ACC also provides an opportunity for members to learn about the local environment and issues affecting it and introduces individuals to recreation and resource management careers. ACC welcomes national applicants, but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.

Position Summary:

ACC’s first All-Abilities crew will be focused on engaging individuals in exploring adaptive techniques to trail building & other conservation projects. The program seeks to connect young adults who have a disability or a disability/accessibility studies background ​to outdoor recreation and natural resource management careers with the goal of increasing recreation opportunities for all ability levels. Crew training will focus on adaptive tool use and industry protocols such as ADA trail standards and Leave No Trace.

Appalachian Conservation Corps’ 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. Crew leaders will not only be responsible for their daily tasks when leading crews, they will also be responsible for supporting ACC Staff in project logistics, recruitment, and administrative tasks when necessary.

This position may be joined by an AmeriCorps Crew Leader, an AmeriCorps leadership position focusing on the continued development of leadership skills. While this will be a collaborative relationship, the Crew Leader bears ultimate responsibility for member development, as well as high quality and high quantity project accomplishments for our partners. This Crew Leader will be focused specifically on our All-Abilities Crew. They will be responsible for community networking, project planning, and hiring of the crew.

Project Work:

Projects take place across the Appalachian Region, including work with the US Forest Service, the National Park Service, and other land managers. During their time in the field, Crew Leaders camp overnight and work outdoors in all types of weather conditions, performing manual labor related to environmental conservation and restoration projects. These projects include visitor access improvements, trail construction and maintenance, habitat restoration, invasive species treatments, historic restoration, disaster relief, and much more. Most projects require hiking out to remote work sites for the day with tools, equipment, and day pack.

Schedule:

Typically, Crew Leaders will meet at an ACC Office in (Harrisonburg, Beckley, etc), travel in a crew vehicle to their project site and remain in the field for 9 days at a time, followed by 5 days off. While in the field, crews work 8-10 hours a day. The day starts with a stretch circle and safety meeting and includes two fifteen-minute breaks and a half hour break for lunch.

Once Crew Leaders are selected and prior to their start date, they are required to complete an online enrollment process that includes completing e-forms, uploading IDs, and beginning their background check process. For those with limited access to online platforms, accommodations may be available and can be discussed during the interview process.

Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

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.
    • Mentor AmeriCorps Crew Leader while delegating project responsibilities, crew life oversight, and member development to them.
    • Mentor other Crew Leaders and support them with tasks and administrative responsibilities.
    • Must be willing to follow and enforce all ACC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent Appalachian Conservation Corps. 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 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, ACL, members, and ACC staff.

_Training Supervision*_ *

    • Work with Crew Program Manager and Coordinator 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, specifically for our All-Abilities Crew.
    • Support ACC with building relationships in local and regional communities.

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.

Physical Requirements:

Periodic overnight travel and non-traditional work hours, inclusive of weekend and evening hours. To successfully perform essential functions this position is required to sit, stand, walk, and communicate. This position may be required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl on an infrequent basis. They must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer. The ability to drive an organizational vehicle is also required. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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.
  • Minimum of 2 years of experience in youth development or corps field.
  • Must hold current Wilderness First Responder Certification with CPR/ AED.
  • Must hold current USFS A Sawyer Certification.
  • Willingness to deploy on a Disaster Response.
  • Technical trail construction and maintenance experience.
  • Must have a clean driving record (insurable by ACC) 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.
  • Familiarity with Microsoft Office programs and applications, or similar platforms.
  • Ability to keep others, in remote locations, accountable to expectations.
  • Must be able to pass the organization’s criminal history background check requirements.
  • Experience leading Conservation Legacy programs, members, or administrative systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Global experience with accessibility/disability policy and/or adaptive approaches
  • USFS B Sawyer Certification.
  • Rigging competency.
  • Rock work competency.
  • Experience with trail design and layout.

Mid-level

Nonprofit- NGO

$685 a week (paid bi-weekly)

Location

Harrisonburg, VA, USA

Category

External

Posted

2022-03-07 00:00