Closing Date: 3/4/2026

Applicants are encouraged to apply early

About Land Trust Of Santa Cruz County

Founded in 1978, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County brings diverse communities and organizations together to protect and connect people to the lands that define this special place. We protect and steward farmland, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and land for public access in and around Santa Cruz County to support the environment, economy, and quality of life for future generations of people and wildlife.

We understand the critical role land plays in addressing climate change and calibrate our preservation efforts through this lens. At the same time, we know that land is cherished when people connect to it directly. From that perspective, we partner with groups and individuals to preserve and steward land that people can access, enjoy, and fall in love with.

We engage the entire county in our efforts to get bikers, hikers, birders, farmers, ranchers, and everyone who cares about the local environment and our uniquely beautiful vistas to become active stewards of the land.

The Land Trust aspires to be an organization that is representative of the communities we serve. We are looking for people with a passion for nature, land protection, and teamwork. We encourage everyone to apply for our available positions even if they don’t meet all the hiring criteria listed in the job description.

Position Snapshot

Department: Land Stewardship
Reports To: Director of Land Stewardship
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Location: Santa Cruz
Salary Range: $83,000 - $88,000 / year

Overview

The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, a nonprofit organization that has made substantial headway in environmental conservation by helping to protect more than 14,000 acres of important habitat and farmland over the last 45 years, is seeking a collaborative, analytical, and detail-oriented team member for the role of Easement Coordinator. The position is responsible for coordinating stewardship of more than 5,000 acres of conservation and agricultural easements, along with annual monitoring of an additional 5,000 acres of land owned by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.

Core responsibilities include overseeing and enforcing easements and mitigation agreements, addressing encroachments, preparing baseline condition and monitoring reports, and maintaining records in accordance with Land Trust Alliance standards. The Easement Coordinator works closely with staff and external partners on easement properties and supports the organization’s reaccreditation process with the Land Trust Alliance.

Work Schedule and Location

Work hours total approximately 40 hours per week, typically between 8am - 6pm, Monday through Friday, with occasional early, late, or weekend work as needed.

This position is a blend of office and field work, with with regular travel throughout Santa Cruz County to conduct annual easement monitoring visits, meet with landowners, document site conditions, and support stewardship activities on protected properties. The position is based at our downtown Santa Cruz office.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time/part-time, exempt position with a salary range of $83,000–$88,000 per year, depending on experience.

The Land Trust offers excellent benefits and a supportive work environment, including:

• High-quality health, dental, and vision insurance, with 100% of employee premiums covered by the Land Trust

• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match

• Generous paid time off and holidays

• A green commute stipend to encourage sustainable transportation

• Ongoing professional development support

• An annual wellness benefit

• Inclusive and fun staff events

• A dog-friendly office

• And more

Responsibilities

Easement Property Leadership

• Conduct or coordinate annual monitoring and reporting for all conservation and agricultural easements

• Maintain strong relationships with existing easement landowners and cultivate relationships with new easement landowners

• Oversee updates to the Annual Management Plan for easement properties and the Easement Monitoring Program

• Coordinate with staff and consultants to determine the nature and resolution of potential easement violations

• Coordinate the defense of easement terms with Land Trust staff, attorneys and consultants as necessary

• Connect landowners with resources to address potential violations through land stewardship, such as Natural Resources Conservation Service, Resource Conservation Districts, and local experts

• Coordinate the work of Land Trust staff who assist in easement monitoring

• Write amendments and update maps for Baseline and Present Condition Reports as needed

• Maintain easement records to Land Trust Alliance standards

• Coordinate with other staff, contractors and volunteers to implement management projects on easement properties, consistent with the provisions of the easement

Process Management

• Conduct an annual review of easement policies and procedures and recommend updates as needed, including those related to amendments, violations, monitoring, and baseline documentation, in alignment with Land Trust Alliance Standards.

• Author Baseline Condition Reports for new fee acquisition properties

• Assist in the development and update of property Management Plans

• Assist with the reaccreditation of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County through the Land Trust Alliance, under the direction of the Deputy Director

• Assist the Director of Land Protection by providing support on easement acquisition projects

Contracts and Easements on Fee Lands

• Support management of fee-owned properties by coordinating access and activities for easement holders, utility providers, and others with legal access rights
• Coordinate responses to encroachments and potential violations of mitigation agreements on fee-owned lands
• Assist with the development and administration of mitigation agreements and new easements on fee-owned lands
• Produce annual monitoring reports for fee-owned lands to support Terrafirma legal defense insurance requirements

Required Knowledge, Skills, Ability & Experience

• Undergraduate degree in Environmental Science, Planning, GIS, or a related field

• Minimum of 2 years of related experience in land stewardship, conservation, legal compliance, or real estate

• An appreciation of the law and the ability to interpret easements, deeds and similar legal documents

• Ability to interact effectively with many personalities and to work through conflict

• Proficient at reading maps and using GIS and GPS tools

• Ability to organize and maintain clear and accurate records

• Demonstrated experience successfully managing multiple projects with limited direct supervision

• Ability to manage time and coordinate schedules

• Proficient with basic computer programs such as Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Teams, and Excel), smartphones, and web-based applications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to interact effectively with partners, volunteers, and staff

• Have a driver’s license and be capable of driving safely in city, rural and 4wd conditions

• Physically capable of walking in varied terrain including steep, muddy, heavily vegetated and sandy conditions, with potential exposure to natural hazards such as poison oak, ticks, rattlesnakes, yellow jackets and mountain lions

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Ability & Experience

• 5+ years of legal, real estate or conservation experience

• Knowledge of resources for private landowners

• Experience working in the non-profit sector

• Experienced with map making using ESRI ArcGIS

• Experience facilitating meetings and coordinating planning processes

• An understanding of the conservation of natural, agricultural, cultural, and open space resources, and the role land trusts play in advancing that work.