Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan (CWIP) Coordinator

Susquehanna River Basin Commission•Harrisburg, PA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) is recruiting a full-time contracted term employee to coordinate the Conowingo Watershed Implementation Plan (CWIP) for a three-year term. The Coordinator will work across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York to strengthen interstate coordination, build implementation capacity, align resources, and advance nutrient-reduction projects supporting Chesapeake Bay restoration. The position is managed and supported by SRBC and works closely with the CWIP Steering Committee and jurisdictional leadership representatives. CWIP is a collaborative effort involving Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, and SRBC. It complements, rather than replaces, existing state Watershed Implementation Plan commitments under the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load framework. Participating jurisdictions are pursuing approximately 6 million pounds per year in additional nitrogen reductions. CWIP implementation includes statewide pay-for-success programs in Maryland and Pennsylvania, as well as technical assistance and grants in targeted interjurisdictional watersheds. The Coordinator provides dedicated day-to-day leadership and continuity across these efforts. The role has two equally important dimensions: maintaining CWIP coordination, milestones, reporting, and partner communication; and developing strategies, partnerships, funding opportunities, and projects that can produce additional nutrient reductions beyond existing state commitments. Work combines office and authorized remote work, field and partner travel, and in-person meetings. Regular in-person presence and travel within Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York are expected. Salary is $74,000–$94,000 based on relevant experience, with SRBC employee benefits applicable to the term position, including health care insurance and participation in the Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, natural-resource management, water resources, environmental planning, conservation, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
Professional experience in environmental protection, watershed restoration, resource conservation, water quality, or a closely related field.
Strong project-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, track commitments and deliverables, and move work forward across multiple organizations.
Established outreach mechanisms and strategies.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including meeting facilitation, public speaking and presentations, report writing, stakeholder engagement, and communicating technical information to varied audiences.
Working knowledge of water-quality restoration and ability to help advance nutrient-reduction projects from planning toward implementation.
Ability to build productive relationships with governmental, nonprofit, technical, agricultural, academic, and community partners.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly within the Pennsylvania–Maryland–New York portion of the Susquehanna/Chesapeake Bay watershed and attend in-person meetings as required.
Valid driver's license.
Submit a cover letter with salary expectations and a resume emphasizing relevant experience by November 23, 2026.
Successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screening is required.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Chesapeake Bay restoration programs and/or Chesapeake Bay Program processes.
Experience in watershed implementation planning and execution.
Experience with agricultural conservation and nutrient-reduction practices.
Experience in interstate or multi-jurisdictional collaboration.
Experience in government, nonprofit, or watershed program coordination.
Grant writing, funding strategy, or proposal development experience.
Experience with conservation implementation partnerships and on-the-ground project delivery.
Working knowledge of GIS.
Three to five years of experience in a related field.
Advanced degree in a relevant field.

Responsibilities

Strengthen existing partnerships and cultivate new relationships in priority watersheds to advance agricultural conservation, stream and floodplain restoration, wetland restoration, and other water-quality improvement projects.
Help partners identify restoration opportunities, coordinate technical expertise, address implementation challenges, and move projects from planning through implementation.
Connect partners with funding opportunities and assist in developing project concepts, funding proposals, implementation strategies, and collaborative delivery approaches.
Serve as a central point of contact among Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, SRBC, EPA, and other CWIP partners; maintain communication, align priorities, and facilitate collaborative implementation.
Identify and advance innovative or high-impact nutrient-reduction approaches and, where feasible, move selected projects from concept toward implementation.
Lead gap analysis of partner needs, including developing and distributing surveys, leading workshops or meetings, and preparing recommendations.
Organize partner meetings, technical exchanges, field tours, and other opportunities to share successful approaches, build implementation capacity, and encourage participation in CWIP activities.
Prepare annual progress reports, outreach and implementation summaries, and practical tracking tools such as project/practice spreadsheets and infographics.
Maintain regular communication among SRBC, the three jurisdictions, and implementation partners.
Work with jurisdictional partners to communicate accomplishments, identify emerging opportunities and challenges, and support progress reporting coordination.
Contribute to CWIP communications strategies, including developing newsletter content.
Lead outreach and serve as a public-facing and partner-facing point of contact.
Identify and coordinate funding sources for local CWIP implementation and capacity building, including state pay-for-success programs, grants, and potential matching opportunities.
Assemble or support funding proposals and implementation partnerships.
Compile and analyze implementation information to strengthen future strategy, document results, and communicate benefits achieved.