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Feb 27 / BARD CEP

Director, Western Long Island Sound Program, Save the Sound-New Haven, CT

Organization: Western Long Island Sound Program

Position Title: Director, Western Long Island Sound Program, Save the Sound

Location: New Haven, CT

Hours and Compensation: Full time. Commensurate with experience

Application Deadline: March 10, 2014

 

Job Description:

The Director of Save the Sound’s Western Long Island Sound Program is a newly-created senior position leading the organization’s new office in Mamaroneck, New York. Save the Sound, a program of New Haven-based Connecticut Fund for the Environment, is the largest advocacy organization dedicated to the restoration and protection of Long Island Sound. We have decided to establish a program focused on the western Sound and based in New York to tackle the serious problems faced by this region of the Sound. This is a rare opportunity for a motivated and talented leader to help grow a program focused on one of the great natural resources of the northeastern United States.

Over the past year, with the support of a dedicated Western Sound Committee, we have laid a solid foundation of research, advocacy, community outreach, and fundraising. Our basic objectives are to make the western Sound healthy for wildlife and people. Our primary areas of focus will be nitrogen and bacterial pollution.

Low oxygen conditions in the western Sound have a devastating impact on fish populations. Excess nitrogen is a primary driver of this low oxygen condition. We have completed an extensive review of the status of nitrogen discharges from sewage treatment plants on the Sound. Although significant progress has been made in reducing nitrogen from New York and Connecticut sewage treatment plants, the next several years are pivotal and will require substantial investments. Our research identifies important nitrogen reduction milestones to track, and prepares us to assure compliance with these milestones.

Bacterial pollution leading to beach closures is a critically important and galvanizing issue. Last summer, we initiated a citizen-based water quality monitoring program in Mamaroneck that identified and led to the elimination of two significant pollution sources. We initiated a Sound Swim Alert system that informs a growing network of interested supporters whether it is safe to2

swim at their local beaches. We launched an environmental education program based at yacht clubs. Finally, we summarized the legal obligations that coastal communities must meet to monitor bacterial and nitrogen pollution from their stormwater systems and track down and eliminate these sources of pollution.

The Director’s job will be to build and expand these programs. The successful candidate will lead a project team out of our Western Long Island Sound office, will report directly to the Executive Director of Save the Sound, and will collaborate closely with Save the Sound’s Director of Legislative and Legal Affairs.

Program and development related responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Develop and implement a strategic work plan for the western Sound.

Monitor and report to the public on nitrogen reduction milestones.

Coordinate and implement a volunteer-based testing program for bacteria. Save the Sound ultimately intends to expand this program to all Westchester and Connecticut municipalities with serious bacterial pollution, through its Mamaroneck and New Haven offices.

Advocate with and before Westchester municipalities, Westchester County officials, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC), and ultimately with their Fairfield County counterparts, to identify and eliminate critical pollution sources.

Negotiate municipal compliance with stormwater pollution regulatory obligations, and negotiate municipal and county compliance with obligations to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows.

Be an effective and visible spokesperson for Save the Sound in New York and oversee a public engagement and communications effort that will gather support for Save the Sound’s work and mission.

Work with civic allies who support our mission.

Supervise Save the Sound employees and contractors who work out of the Mamaroneck office. Initially this will include supervision of seasonal employees focused on education, outreach, and development, and supervision of our citizen-based water quality monitoring effort in coordination with Save the Sound’s Director of Green Projects.

Work closely and collaboratively with Save the Sound/CFE staff in New Haven, especially our legal, development, communications and outreach staff, to meet program objectives.

Work closely with and expand the volunteer Western Sound Committee, as it provides programmatic input and helps to expand donor support for this office and program.

Work with the Executive Director and in close collaboration with our Development Director and her staff to cultivate and deepen relationships with existing and potential major donors who will support the western Sound office and program.

Work with the Executive Director and Development Director to craft effective private foundation proposals and governmental applications.

Desired Qualifications:

We are looking for a highly motivated individual with demonstrated advocacy, communications, development and leadership skills, interested in building and expanding the western Long Island3

Sound office and dedicated to restoring the western Sound. A minimum of four to six years of relevant experience is required. Strong preference will be given to applicants with a law degree or a master’s level degree in marine science or a related field.

Background and Program: Save the Sound, a leader in protecting Long Island Sound’s shoreline, marine habitat and water quality for more than 30 years, merged with Connecticut Fund for the Environment in 2004. Linking CFE’s legal, scientific and policy expertise with Save the Sound’s stewardship, restoration, and community outreach capability has further enhanced our reputation for leadership in protecting and restoring the Sound. We work with thousands of partners and stakeholders, including elected officials and community leaders, individual citizen advocates (9,900), volunteers (2,500), and members (5,500). Save the Sound operates as a distinct program within CFE.

Save the Sound’s programs include:

Green Projects, which has spearheaded and completed four major river restoration projects in the past four years, engaged scores of volunteers to build several rain gardens last spring, is designing a multi-block green infrastructure project in downtown Bridgeport, and will implement a half dozen new river and coastal restoration projects in Connecticut and New York in 2014-16.

Coastal Cleanup, which in the past ten years has brought together more than 17,000 volunteers who removed nearly 137,600 pounds of trash from the Connecticut shoreline.

Advocacy, which led the legal fight that protected Long Island Sound from Shell Oil’s proposal for a 20-story liquefied natural gas facility in the middle of the Sound, and more recently, helped secure more than $1.5 billion in grants and low-interest loans for sewage treatment upgrades in scores of municipalities across Connecticut for 2014-2016. We are now fighting to protect the Sound’s last large unprotected coastal forest (the 1,000 acre Preserve in Old Saybrook) and are leading the campaign to save Plum Island, a relatively pristine and beautiful island near Orient Point, NY that is home to extraordinary wildlife and habitat.

Connecticut Fund for the Environment is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on any basis when considering applicants. Salary is commensurate with education and experience. The generous benefits package offered with this position includes medical insurance, long-term disability and term life insurance, a competitive 403(b) retirement plan and travel reimbursement.

How to apply:

Please submit a cover letter and resume describing your interest and qualifications for this position by COB on Monday, March 10, 2014. You can submit your materials electronically to: Ms. Valerie Wormely-Radford;[email protected].