Engagement Manager

About the role

Catawba Riverkeeper is an environmental conservation non-profit with the mission to preserve, protect, and restore the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River Basin for all through education, advocacy, and engagement. Our 5,600 square mile river basin includes over 8,900 miles of waterways across 26 counties in North and South Carolina. We provide accurate, science-based information about our region’s water source and the issues affecting it.

Responsibilities

• Implements the Engagement Department strategic plan and annual work plans aligned with organizational priorities.
• Translates strategic goals into measurable public engagement initiatives.
• Supports development of annual goals, budgets, work plans, and performance metrics.
• Ensures programs use experiential learning, community science, stewardship, and clear calls to action.
• Integrates equity, accessibility, inclusion, and environmental justice into all engagement efforts.
• Leads the overall management of the Floating Classroom program.
• Supervises educators, captains, seasonal staff, and volunteers.
• Hosts programs on the Floating Classroom as needed.
• Oversees scheduling, curriculum delivery, logistics, safety coordination, and program quality.
• Helps to expand partnerships with schools, community organizations, and public audiences.
• Evaluates program outcomes and identify opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Supports vessel operation and maintenance with Boat Captains.
• Leads planning and implementation of multiple regional Conservation Field Day events annually.
• Coordinates environmental partners, agencies, schools, universities, and volunteers.
• Oversees event logistics, staffing, budgets, and program evaluation.
• Strengthens partnerships that expand educational impact and student participation.
• Supervises Engagement Department staff and seasonal employees.
• Recruits, trains, mentors, and evaluate team members.
• Affirms staffing needs and recommends improvements.
• Maintains department budget and annual operating plans.
• Maintains expenditures and ensures responsible use of resources.
• Manages staffing plans and supports efficient program operations.
• Develops sustainable funding opportunities for engagement initiatives.
• Collaborates with Development on grant proposals, reports, sponsorships, and donor stewardship.
• Participates in donor meetings, tours, and presentations.
• Builds and maintains strategic partnerships with schools, nonprofits, agencies, universities, and corporate partners.
• Negotiates and manages partnership agreements, contracts, and MOUs.
• Facilitates collaborative projects that advance watershed education and stewardship.
• Represents the organization at meetings, conferences, and community events.
• Ensures engagement programs intentionally serve historically underserved communities.
• Develops partnerships that reduce barriers to participation.
• Incorporates environmental justice principles into program design and evaluation.
• Tracks equity outcomes and recommends improvements.
• Establishes measurable program outcomes and collects participation and impact data.
• Prepares reports for leadership, funders, and the Board.
• Uses evaluation results to improve program effectiveness and demonstrate impact.
• Serves as a member of the leadership team.
• Collaborates across departments to align engagement, development, communications, and conservation goals.
• Supports organizational fundraising, public events, and strategic initiatives.

Requirements

• Exhibits a passion for the mission of Catawba Riverkeeper.
• Successfully pass a standard criminal background review.
• Always maintains a valid driver’s license.
• Willing to work some nights and weekends.
• Able to assist with moving kayaks and other recreation equipment.

Education & Experience

• Demonstrated passion for clean water, environmental justice, and healthy communities in the Catawba-Wateree River Basin region.
• Bachelor’s degree in related field to job requirements.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working in non-profit.
• Extensive experience with educational program development.
• Experience with staff development and management.
• Competency with managing budgets.
• Comfortable with Microsoft Office and Google suite of products, project management tools, and ticketing and payment systems preferred.

Location

The Engagement Manager will be based at Catawba Riverkeeper’s main office at Confluence in Cramerton, NC with remote work as appropriate. Travel throughout the Catawba-Wateree 26-county region in North and South Carolina for program coordination and execution may also be necessary.

Catawba Riverkeeper

Catawba Riverkeeper provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.