Project Manager

About Us

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is the leader of a movement to connect everyone in America to the outdoors. A national nonprofit, TPL partners with communities to create high-quality parks and protect public lands—especially in communities that need them most—to improve public health, create social cohesion, strengthen historic and cultural connection to place, and increase climate resilience. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, generated over $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.

About the Role

As a vital member of the Bay Area Parks for People Program Team, the Project Manager will be responsible for a full range of activities associated with the delivery of The Trust for Public Land’s mission in the Bay Area. The Bay Area Parks for People Team creates high-quality, community-driven, welcoming recreational spaces in Bay Area neighborhoods that have suffered from historic disinvestment and environmental injustice. This work includes managing park, trail, schoolyard, and other open space projects from start to finish, including project selection, partnership building, advocacy, community engagement, design, and construction administration.

The Project Manager will be based in the San Francisco office. A hybrid in-person/remote office model will be in place for the foreseeable future. This position requires occasional ‘off-hours’ work, including participation in weekend and evening meetings and events. The Project Manager will engage in field work at various project sites in the Bay Area (San Francisco, Richmond, Oakland, and Hayward), and occasionally in the San Joaquin Valley (Stockton, Fresno, Bakersfield). Access to reliable transportation is required.

Responsibilities

• Manage the planning, community engagement, design, and construction of new and existing public parks and other open spaces.
• Conduct site selection and evaluation for new projects.
• Select, hire, and manage landscape architects, architects, engineers, contractors, and other consultants needed to deliver the projects.
• Develop and manage project schedules, budgets, and contracts.
• Conduct community outreach and stakeholder engagement.
• Work with partner organizations, public agencies, diverse communities, and public and private funders.
• Manage public grants for project delivery.
• Track project progress and deliverables, organize meetings, and define agendas.
• Scope potential funding and develop grant applications.
• Develop graphics needed for the project, including presentation boards, flyers, etc.
• Coordinate with and support the work of other TPL California and national teams.
• Advocate for parks and open recreational space in cities in the Bay Area.
• Work with the Program Director and Philanthropy team to build philanthropic support for the program.
• Build and manage external partnerships in collaboration with the Program Director.
• Help identify new projects and partnership opportunities.
• Strategize with team members on program development and organizational goals.
• Collaborate with team members to develop tools and best practices for the program.
• Work with TPL’s national staff to advance the organization’s goals and initiatives, and share information internally.
• Seek professional development opportunities to advance individual skills and program mission.

Qualifications

• Alignment with The Trust for Public Land’s mission and a passion for social and environmental justice are essential.
• A degree from an accredited university in Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning, or similar fields is desired but not mandatory.
• 3-5 years of experience managing projects with authentic community engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with people of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and communities, and understanding of environmental justice issues in low-income, urban communities.
• Experience in proposal writing, and hiring and managing design professionals and construction contractors.
• Experience with community engagement, including working with community-based organizations and public agencies.
• Experience with project approval and permitting processes with Bay Area government agencies.
• Ability to manage complex projects from start to finish with a low level of supervision.
• Ability to work as part of a team and support the framework of a national organization.
• Ability to collaborate and negotiate with diverse groups and interests.
• Ability to multi-task, meet schedules, and achieve long-term goals.
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail.
• High degree of creativity, vision, flexibility, and resourcefulness.
• Excellent oral, written, and graphic communication skills.
• Basic graphic design skills: decent level of proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, PowerPoint; hand drawing skills are a plus.
• Fluency in Spanish or other languages besides English is a plus.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Vacation and sick pay plus holidays.
• Year-end office closure.
• 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match.

Pay

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $72,000–$82,000, commensurate with experience. This role may be eligible for additional locality pay above the base salary based on the candidate’s San Francisco work location.