Position Title: Western, NC Youth Conservation Crew Leader

Conservation Legacy Program: CCNC

Site Location: Based out of Old Fort, NC

Wages: $20-25 per hour, based on prior experiences and certifications

Terms of Service:

Start Date: June 1st
End Date: July 31st
(Season end dates may vary depending on crew assignment, project timelines, and organizational needs. Final service dates will be confirmed upon placement)

TO BE CONSIDERED, APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY MAY 11TH.

Organizational Summary:
Conservation Legacy is a nationwide non-profit. The Corps programs within the organization engage participants in diverse conservation and community projects that serve public and private lands. These projects provide opportunities for personal and professional development and strive toward a high priority of needs for public land managers and community partners. Through the mission of engaging future leaders who protect, restore and enhance our nation’s lands through community-based service; Conservation Legacy works toward a world with healthy lands, air and water; thriving people and resilient communities.

Program Summary:
Conservation Corps North Carolina empowers young adults through meaningful outdoor work that benefits North Carolina’s land and water and fosters healthy communities. A program of Conservation Legacy, CCNC partners with public land managers and community organizations across the state to engage motivated individuals—typically ages 15–30—in challenging and impactful conservation service projects. These projects may include trail construction and maintenance, habitat restoration, hazard fuel reduction, invasive species removal, and other technical conservation work. CCNC crews and individual placements gain hands-on experience, professional development, and the opportunity to positively impact North Carolina’s natural resources and communities.

Description of Duties:
The Youth Crew Leader position is an opportunity to make a difference in high school youths’ lives while completing conservation projects on public and private lands. Leaders will be mentors, educators, and facilitators for high school youth working to promote the health and resiliency of our land, air, and water.

This position is part of a partnership between CCNC and the U.S. Forest Service to deliver the Old Fort Youth Conservation Corps program. The Youth Crew Leader position requires patience, a consistently positive mental attitude, mentorship, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of competence in the outdoors. It also involves an administration role, where weekly paperwork is due in a timely manner to supervisors. Finally, crew leaders must exhibit the ability to effectively work on diverse teams and those from a variety of populations and communities.

Through trail and land stewardship projects in Western North Carolina, Crew Leaders will introduce youth to careers in conservation and public lands while modeling professionalism, accountability, and a strong work ethic. The goal is to create a safe, supportive, and growth-focused environment where young people can challenge themselves, develop new skills, and see the real impact of their work in their own community.

Standard youth crew schedule consists of working Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, with evenings and weekends off.

Responsibilities:
In this role, the Crew Leader will guide and support a team of up to six high school–aged youth, ages 15–18, through CCNC’s Youth Conservation Corps program. Leading a youth crew requires a higher level of supervision, structure, and day-to-day coaching than working with young adult crews. Crew Leaders will provide hands-on technical instruction while also helping participants build confidence, teamwork skills, and basic workplace readiness.

Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor assistant crew leader, provide valuable feedback, give opportunities for growth, delegate responsibilities, and encourage technical and leadership skill development.
• 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 safe, healthy, cohesive, other-centered and team-oriented community.
• Follow and enforce all policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent the program. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and drugs while involved in the program.

Project Management & Implementation

• Train, motivate and supervise a crew of high school youth to efficiently complete tasks and objectives outlined in conservation projects, while working long hours and managing high quality of work and crew morale.
• Think critically to resolve issues and problems, requesting assistance or help when needed.
• Communicate & coordinate logistics with project partners, Assistant Crew Leader, & staff.

Safety & Risk Management

• Monitor, manage, and promote the holistic health of the crew, including physical and emotional (intimidation free community environment) safety.
• Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety.
• Transport crew and equipment safely in organizational vans or large SUVs with trailers in accordance with CL Driver policy.
• Manage and document incidents in the field and activate incident response system, if needed, per Conservation Legacy policy.

Administration

• Thorough documentation of crew hours, accomplishments, disciplinary actions taken, and incident response according to Conservation Legacy policy and procedure
  Manage food budget and credit card purchases.
• Track and submit credit card receipts for all expenses every month.

Day Crew Management

• Oversee, manage and assume responsibility for all crew members during work day.
• Connect with project partners (as needed) to ensure fulfillment of project objectives.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Ability to commit fully to the program and its mission.
• Understanding and experience with the mission and field management considerations of conservation corps and public land agencies.
• MUST hold current CPR/AED certification or be willing to receive certification prior to start date.
• Ability to effectively manage all aspects of crew life and production within a 40-50 hour work week.
• Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.
• Willingness to learn to be a part of a dynamic community of peer leaders.
• Must be adaptive, patient and able to maintain a positive perspective throughout.
• Physically fit and able to work long days in adverse conditions.
• Must be able to speak, understand and write English.
• High School diploma or GED certificate.
• Must be 21, have a clean driving record (insurable by Conservation Legacy) and a current driver’s license.
• Must be able to pass Conservation Legacy’s criminal history check requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Wilderness medical certifications such as Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, or Outdoor Emergency Care.
• Experience with CCNC or other conservation corps.
• Experience working with youth (high school students) within leadership roles.
• Experience with experiential and/or environmental education.
• Experience with LNT principles.
• Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people.
• Strong time-management skills.
  Desire to work on a variety of conservation-based projects.
• Strong conflict resolution skills.
• Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others.

Our Commitment:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards hours.

Expectations:

CCNC is an independent, non-residential program. Crew Leaders are responsible for their own housing, food, and transportation when not in the field unless otherwise specified.

Supervisor/Staff Name and Contact Information:

Jackie Meyer, Senior Youth Program Coordinator

jmeyer@conservationlegacy.org

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.