TITLE: STAFF CREW LEADER

START DATE: LATE JUNE

END DATE: LATE OCTOBER 

REPORTS TO: PROGRAM MANAGER

STARTING SALARY: $685.00/ WEEK, PAID BI-WEEKLY 

LOCATION: ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

STATUS: SEASONAL 

CONSERVATION CORPS NORTH CAROLINA:   

The mission of Conservation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) is to empower young adults through meaningful outdoor work that benefits North Carolina’s land and water and creates healthy communities.  

CCNC is a program of Conservation Legacy that partners with public land managers in North Carolina to engage motivated young adults (ages 16-30) to complete challenging and impactful conservation service projects throughout the region. Projects may include trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, hazard fuel reduction, and ecological restoration. Crews may also complete technical and/or specialized projects depending on project partner needs, including disaster relief if the opportunity arises   

Projects take place across North Carolina, including work with the US Forest Service, the National Park Service, State Parks, and other land managers. During their time in the field, CCNC field crews camp overnight and work outdoors in all types of weather conditions, performing heavy manual labor related to environmental conservation and restoration projects. These hands-on 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.   

POSITION SUMMARY:  

Conservation Corps North Carolina’s Staff Crew Leaders perform many roles and are the key to our program’s success. Leaders are expected to provide project expertise and offer mentorship, training, and support to 4-6 crew members. 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.  

This position will 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 Staff Crew Leader bears ultimate responsibility for member development, as well as high quality and high quantity project accomplishments for our partners.  

CCNC is an independent, non-residential program. Staff Crew Leads are responsible for their own housing, food, and transportation when not in the field unless otherwise specified. Some equipment is available to borrow throughout the season, but Staff Crew Leaders are asked to supply as much of their own personal outdoor gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, day pack, multi-day pack, work pants, hiking/work boots, etc) as possible. In the field, CCNC will provide food, group camp equipment, tools, protective gear, and transportation between Camp Slocum and project sites. 

SPECIFIC POSITION INFORMATION

This Staff Crew Leader position will be leading a crew of 4-6 members in the Appalachian Mountains. The crew will be remote, and rig-up and de-rig near Asheville, North Carolina and perform Chainsaw and trail related duties. If selected for an interview, more information will be shared to candidates.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, FUNCTIONS & COMPETENCIES: 

PARTICIPANT ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:  

Essential eligibility requirements for the program must be met. If you are unable to meet certain requirements, we may be able to assist you with some modification unless it alters the fundamental nature of the program, compromises the health and safety of participants or staff, or places an undue financial or administrative burden on the organization. 

• Frequently required to walk, hike, sit and talk or listen. 
• Required to use hands to operate objects, tools or controls, and to reach with hands and arms. 
• Regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds 
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision and the ability to focus 
• Required to drive an CCNC vehicle 
• Must be able to speak, understand, read and write English 
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions 
• Must successfully pass Conservation Legacy’s criminal history checks.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

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. 
• Must be willing to follow and enforce all CCNC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent Conservation Corps North Carolina. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from the use of alcohol and drugs while involved in the program.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & IMPLEMENTATION  

• Train and motivate a crew of six to eight young adults to complete conservation projects efficiently on public lands. 
• 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 CCNC staff.

SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENT  

• Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site. 
• Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety. 
• Transport crew and equipment safely in CCNC’s vans or large vehicles with trailers.

ADMINISTRATION  

• Complete professional documentation of time sheets, daily and weekly reports, corps member and peer evaluations, disciplinary action forms, incident reports, etc., and submit in a timely and highly detailed  
• Responsible for all project related outcomes and deliverables. 
• Manage food budget and credit card purchases, including VISA receipt reconciliation.

ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS:  

• Learn, practice, and teach ‘Leave no Trace’ techniques.

OUTDOOR SKILLS AND FITNESS (WHERE APPROPRIATE):  

• Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living/travel and work skills as appropriate to the project. Additionally, remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed to remain generally healthy and safe, avoiding environmental injuries. 
• Live in a physically demanding, possibly remote environment for an uninterrupted period of up to several weeks. Conditions of this environment may vary significantly and may include severe and/or trying weather. The remoteness is such that it may require at a minimum one hour, but perhaps in excess of 12 hours, to reach the nearest advanced medical care.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Leadership experience with youth or young adults. 
• Must be able to demonstrate strong project management skills. 
• Current Wilderness First Aid Certification with CPR/AED 
• S-212 Chainsaw Certification
• Technical trail construction and maintenance experience. 
• Physically fit and able to work long days in adverse conditions. 
• Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel, LNT principles. 
• High School diploma or GED certificate.  
• Must be 21, have a clean driving record (insurable by CCNC) and a current driver’s license. 
• Ability to pass Conservation Legacy’s criminal history checks 
• Willingness to deploy on a Disaster Response.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

• 1-year experience with CCNC or another Conservation Corps 
• Current Wilderness First Responder Certification with CPR/ AED. 
• Background with experiential and/ or environmental education.  
• Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people.  
• Strong conflict resolution skills. 
• Experience with Disaster Responses. 
• Forest Service chainsaw certifications.

Conservation Legacy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

SUBSTANCE FREE:  

• In accordance to a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

Required Skills Required Experience

PROBLEM SOLVING: Demonstrated ability to analyze problems and develop appropriate solutions.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Demonstrated ability to lead and manage projects under minimal supervision and meet required deadlines.

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE:   Must be willing to complete programming course.  Requires the ability to read blueprints and use measuring instruments.

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE: Experience in a manufacturing environment required.  Working knowledge of lean manufacturing techniques, principles, and tools preferred.  Must have or obtain a fork lift license.