Careers

Arkansas Conservation Projects Manager

Ozark Land Trust (OLT) is a private, non-profit conservation land trust that works cooperatively with landowners in primarily the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas to accomplish their conservation goals. This most commonly involves the acquisition and stewardship of conservation easements and conservation lands.  Since its founding in 1984, OLT has worked with over 100 landowners to permanently protect over 33,000 acres of forests, prairies, farms, rivers, bluffs, caves, and other natural resources.

The Conservation Projects Manager is a full-time, permanent exempt employee supervised by the Executive Director. This position is remote, but staff must live in Arkansas and be willing to travel frequently to the counties of the Ozark Bioregion in Arkansas. Occasional travel for staff and board meetings in Missouri required.

Responsibilities

1. The primary focus of the position (80%) is developing, negotiating, coordinating and completing new permanent protection projects in the Ozarks Bioregion of Arkansas.This includes:

  • Responding and providing information to landowners seeking to conserve their land;
  • Meet with prospective and active landowners at their property for project work;
  • Developing landowner agreements and project memos;
  • Drafting, negotiating, and closing real estate transactions;
  • Drafting conservation easements;
  • Collecting field data and drafting baseline document reports;
  • Documenting each project phase according to Land Trust Standards and Practices;
  • Implementing Natural Resources Conservation Service ACEP-ALE program with agricultural landowners of the Ozarks Bioregion of Arkansas.
  • Developing partnerships for potential funding sources;
  • Drafting grant proposals and reports;
  • Remaining current with Land Trust Standards and Practices and other legal issues associated with land conservation;
  • Developing a land protection strategy to identify conservation priorities;
  • Staff member to the Land Conservation Committee.  This includes (but is not limited to) assisting the Board Committee Chair in developing the agenda and developing support documents to provide for the Committee.

2. Other duties (20%), including (but not limited to):

  • Representing OLT at conservation partner meetings in Arkansas;
  • Developing and reviewing content for media and social outreach efforts;
  • Attending quarterly board meetings;
  • Attending other OLT board committee meetings as needed;
  • Coordinate with the Stewardship Manager for drafting policies, procedures, templates, informational letters to landowners, and lease agreements;
  • Assist Stewardship Manager with monitoring existing conservation easement and fee-owned lands in Arkansas;
  • Coordinate with the Conservation Manager for processing violations, amendments, and landowner requests specific to Arkansas.

This position is currently funded for 18 months. Ozark Land Trust is actively pursuing permanent funding, and the successful candidate will assist with grant development and other funding efforts to support the position’s long-term sustainability.

To apply, submit your resume, cover letter, and any required application materials to [email protected]. Review of applications will begin September 4, 2026.