Illinois Farmland Protection Specialist

AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST•Champaign, IL

22d•$65,000 - $70,000•Remote

About The Position

The Illinois Farmland Protection Specialist will be essential in accelerating the pace of permanent agricultural land protection in Illinois, emphasizing the Chicago metro region. This role is an exciting opportunity to work with innovative agricultural and conservation groups across the state to facilitate key programming to protect working lands, strengthen farm businesses, and support a new generation of farmers accessing land. The Specialist will lead AFT’s outreach and programmatic efforts to protect agricultural land in Illinois. The Specialist will become familiar with NRCS policies and guidance related to conservation easement program implementation and will provide direction, feedback, and support to entities (such as land trusts and public PACE programs) and NRCS staff on projects. The Farmland Protection Specialist will work within AFT while working closely and learning from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. This position provides an excellent opportunity to grow expertise in land protection and work closely with many state and national partners. This position is termed for 18-months, funded through a cooperative agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Specialist will be based in Illinois within a 75-mile radius of Chicago and will work closely with AFT’s Midwest Senior Farmland Program Manager and Illinois NRCS to support the promotion and administration of NRCS easement programs, specifically the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE).

Requirements

Excellent written and verbal communication skills; experience and comfort interacting with diverse stakeholders, including farmers, agricultural landowners, agency staff, land trusts, elected officials, and professional service providers.
Understanding of the land trust landscape in Illinois and engagement with agricultural conservation easements.
Dedication to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice within AFT, agriculture, and the food system.
Highly motivated with strong interpersonal skills and willingness to grow professionally.
Well-organized and disciplined.
Ability to understand and communicate complex issues quickly.
Sound judgment, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
Excellent project management skills and experience working in diverse teams of colleagues, peers, and external partners.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and with cross-functional teams and success in a position that worked across traditional reporting lines.
Demonstrated ability to work remotely.
Obtain and maintain a federal security clearance from USDA-NRCS.
A master’s degree in a relevant field or a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 4 years of related work experience in natural resources, conservation, land protection, agriculture, and project management.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with agriculture, natural resources, and agricultural conservation easement transactions is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide support to NRCS in promoting, delivering, and implementing entity-held easement programs across the state, with a special emphasis on the greater Chicago region in Illinois.
Support AFT and NRCS with farmland protection and agricultural conservation easement program outreach.
Identify support needs from eligible entities, such as local land trusts and county PDR programs, and assist with capacity building to efficiently develop and complete agricultural conservation easement projects. This will include providing direct application and program assistance.
Work with AFT’s National Agricultural Land Network (NALN) to provide content and assist with programs that support agricultural land protection professionals.
Develop and maintain systems for tracking and coordinating land protection projects and regularly communicate the status of each task associated with a project to NRCS and the appropriate entity.
Ensure that agricultural conservation easement projects awarded NRCS funds stay on track with the expected timeline for completion.
Work with entities to promote conservation practice adoption on eased lands.
Coordinate communications between NRCS, entity, and any necessary contractors working on a project if needed (such as facilitating a discussion between a land surveyor and NRCS technical reviewer to resolve an issue).
Complete other duties as assigned that contribute to the successful outreach, administration, and acquisition of agricultural conservation easement programs and projects.

Benefits

American Farmland Trust offers meaningful vacation, medical, retirement, and other benefits.
Insurance coverage begins the 1st of the month following the date of hire.
Medical & Prescription Coverage
Dental Coverage
Vision Coverage
Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
Voluntary Life Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – Healthcare & Dependent Care
Health Savings Account (HSA)
401k Plan
Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees accrue 13 “sick days” per year.
Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year maximum.
Holidays: AFT observes twelve fixed holidays and a week between Christmas and New Years off during the year (all offices closed) plus a choice of up to three (depending on hiring month) floating holidays.