Coastal Project Lead

Georgia Conservancy is hiring a Coastal Project Lead in Savannah, GA, to lead coastal conservation initiatives, including marsh restoration, marine wildlife protection, and sustainable fisheries. Responsibilities involve fieldwork, partner coordination, educational outreach, and supporting various programs like the South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative and North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation. The role requires collaboration with stakeholders and participation in community engagement activities.
Georgia Conservancy is seeking a Coastal Project Lead to provide leadership and implementation support across multiple Georgia Conservancy initiatives, with a focus on Coastal programs. This position’s allocation of effort and time may be adjusted as program priorities, organizational needs, and funding opportunities evolve.






Coastal Conservation Programs






This position will primarily support several of Georgia Conservancy’s core coastal initiatives, including marsh conservation and restoration, marine wildlife protection, fisheries sustainability, and coastal ecosystem education.






Key initiatives may include work related to:







South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI): This includes supporting with SASMI partnership coordination, facilitation of the Georgia SASMI Implementation Team, and contributing to the ongoing update and implementation of the Georgia SASMI Roadmap, which includes contributing to technical writing and reporting as well as assisting with data analysis and research. The position requires active fieldwork to support marsh restoration project management and monitoring, coordinate volunteer activities such as oyster bagging and marsh grass replanting, and support stewardship and outreach events and coastal program partnerships.






North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation: This position will support educational and outreach efforts related to right whale protection, including distributing marina signage, supporting boater education initiatives, coordinating with partners on right whale detection technology development efforts, and assisting with educational programming such as Whale Week and other outreach events.






Blake Plateau Conservation Project: This position will assist with partner coordination and educational efforts related to protecting the Blake Plateau deep-sea coral ecosystem, including participation in the development of educational exhibits and related outreach initiatives.






Sustainable Fisheries Initiatives: This position will assist with collaborative efforts supporting sustainable fisheries in Georgia, including participation in meetings, workshops, and outreach events with fishermen, Marine Extension, regulators, and seafood industry partners.





Land Conservation Programs






Working with the Programs Director, you will support Georgia Conservancy’s land stewardship and landowner engagement initiatives.






These activities may include:



Representing Georgia Conservancy at stewardship events and educational activities, including Burning for Birds field days, Learn and Burn events, and other outreach activities, as needed to support Georgia Conservancy land stewardship initiatives.






Assisting with content development for the Private Landowner Network website and contributing to outreach initiatives that communicate Georgia Conservancy’s conservation mission. This may include helping deliver presentations, assisting with workshops, and supporting community engagement events.






Assisting with outreach and implementation related to Georgia Conservancy funding mechanisms for private lands conservation and management, including the USFWS grant for uplands and coastal private lands habitat restoration, and the private landowner living shoreline cost share program.





Other Programs


This position will provide support for planning and community engagement initiatives led by Georgia Conservancy’s Sustainable Growth program in the coastal region.






These efforts may include supporting coastal planning initiatives, such as:







Darien Downtown Master Plan: assisting with research, analysis, community engagement activities, and preparation of recommendations.






Waycross and Ware County Housing Study: participation in community engagement activities and assistance with analysis and reporting.





This position may also be asked to support coastal Stewardship Trips and other member engagement events that incorporate conservation education or coastal ecosystem learning objectives.






This position will also assist during grant development, grant application preparation, project documentation, and reporting activities associated with programs and initiatives relevant to the position.






Salary and Employment Status






This position will be offered as a one-year employment term, beginning on October 1, 2026, with the possibility of full-time employment, funding dependent. The purpose of this structure is to align the role with current program funding and organizational priorities while allowing Georgia Conservancy to evaluate long-term program needs and funding stability.






Annual salary will be $68,000, paid in accordance with Georgia Conservancy’s regular payroll semi-monthly schedule. You will also be eligible to participate in the organization’s full suite of employee benefit programs, in accordance with Georgia Conservancy policies






This position is classified as “at will employment”, consistent with Georgia law. This means that the employee or Georgia Conservancy may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice.






Reporting Structure






The position will report jointly to Courtney Reich, Coastal Director. When asked to contribute to Sustainable Growth or other Atlanta office-based Georgia Conservancy initiatives, this position will receive direction from Nick Johnson, Programs Director.






Work Location and Travel Expectations






This position will be located in our Coastal Office, located in Savannah, Georgia, and include significant coordination with staff and partners throughout Georgia. The Coastal Project Lead is a hybrid position, with a 3-day in-office, 2-day flexible work schedule.






Due to the nature of Georgia Conservancy’s programs, the position will require regular travel across the state, including travel to support field work, restoration monitoring, partner meetings, stewardship events, and community engagement activities.






Some evening and weekend work may be required to support outreach events, workshops, stewardship activities, and volunteer engagement opportunities.






Expectations






This position will represent Georgia Conservancy in a professional manner while working with community partners, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders. It requires the ability to manage projects independently, maintain strong partner relationships, contribute to program development, support field-based conservation work, and assist with communication and outreach activities that advance Georgia Conservancy’s mission.






As Georgia Conservancy continues to pursue new conservation initiatives and funding opportunities aligned with its mission, additional projects or program efforts related to Coastal Conservation, Sustainable Growth, or Land Conservation may emerge during the course of employment.


Application






To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to Nick Johnson at njohnson@georgiaconservancy.org by August 10, 2026.