South Coast Stewardship Manager

 Who We Are: 

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is Massachusetts’ premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000+ acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org. 

Posting Information: 

Salary/Hourly Rate: $65,000 - $75,000 

Hours per week: 40 

Job Classification: Full-Time, exempt 

Job Type: Onsite 

Location: Westport, New Bedford, Osterville, Fall River, Dartmouth, Rochester, Marion, Bourne, Plymouth, Wareham, Mashpee, Sandwich 

What You’ll Do:  

Your Impact: 

Are you ready to serve as a hands-on leader for a diverse portfolio of Trustees properties along the South Coast—ranging from woodlands and river corridors to historic gardens? In this role you’ll help ensure that these places are resilient, well cared for, and accessible to the public, while supporting staff, infrastructure, and ecological integrity. 

The Role: 

As Stewardship Manager, you will be responsible for the care and management of a diverse portfolio of Trustees properties across the South Coast, including Copicut Woods, Westport Town Farm, Slocum River Reserve, Cornell Farm, Allen C. Haskell Public Gardens, Eastover Reservation (Hales Brook and Sippican River), Lyman Reserve, Lowell Holly, Mashpee River, and Armstrong Kelly Park. Your primary focus will be on land and ecological stewardship—ensuring that forests, rivers, meadows, wetlands, and coastal habitats remain healthy and resilient through habitat restoration, general landscape care, invasive species management, trail maintenance, and prescribed fire work. You will spend much of your time in the field, directly overseeing stewardship activities, coordinating seasonal projects, and monitoring ecological health across these landscapes. 

In addition to ecological stewardship, you will oversee the regular care and upkeep of landscapes across the South Coast portfolio. This includes tasks such as mowing, trimming, brush clearing, and general grounds maintenance that keep our properties safe, welcoming, and accessible. While you won’t spend the bulk of your time on a mower or weed whacker, you will be responsible for training full time and seasonal staff in safe and effective techniques, setting quality standards, and ensuring that routine landscape work is carried out consistently and to a high standard. Your ability to balance ecological goals with daily maintenance and staff safety will be essential to providing an excellent visitor experience. 

Facilities care remains a smaller but important part of the position. You will take responsibility for the upkeep of key infrastructure, including historic structures at Westport Town Farm and Allen C. Haskell Public Gardens, as well as irrigation systems at Haskell and Armstrong Kelly. For these projects you’ll work alongside the regional facility steward and contractors as needed, ensuring that buildings and systems function properly and support the broader stewardship mission. 

Supervision and leadership are also core aspects of the role. You will directly manage one full-time steward, as well as seasonal field staff and rangers—hiring, onboarding, and training them to uphold best practices in land care, landscape maintenance, and visitor engagement. You will also support volunteer efforts and work closely with colleagues in horticulture at Haskell and Armstrong Kelly to ensure that these signature public gardens remain welcoming and vibrant. 

Finally, you will serve as the primary liaison with a number of partners and stakeholders who are essential to the long-term health of these places, including Trout Unlimited, the Bioreserve Working Group, the Westport Food Bank, and local farmers with hay leases. While community partnership is not the central focus of the role, your ability to build and maintain these relationships will help ensure that our South Coast properties continue to thrive as valued ecological, cultural, and community resources. Based at Westport Town Farm and traveling regularly between sites in Trustees work trucks, you will be the leader who ensures that this collection of beloved landscapes, farms, gardens, and historic places remains well-stewarded for the public and for future generations. 

Specifically, you’ll: 

• Care for every aspect of our South Coast properties—focusing on land and ecological stewardship while also ensuring that landscapes, trails, and facilities remain safe, healthy, and welcoming for all. 

• Lead and oversee stewardship priorities, including trail upkeep, invasive species management, habitat restoration, and general landscape maintenance such as mowing, brush cutting, trimming, and seasonal grounds care. 

• Participate in prescribed fire work when opportunities arise and if proper training and certification are held. 

• Mentor one full-time steward and provide leadership to seasonal staff, rangers, and volunteers—hiring, onboarding, training, and supporting them to ensure safe and effective work in the field. 

• Work side-by-side and collaborate with other Trustees’ teams on meaningful projects, from ecological monitoring and trail restoration to irrigation system care and historic building upkeep. 

• Manage day-to-day coordination with contractors for smaller-scale projects, including maintenance, repairs, and infrastructure support. 

• Support the care of special site features, including historic structures at Westport Town Farm and Haskell, irrigation systems at Haskell and Armstrong Kelly, and the water garden at Armstrong Kelly Park. 

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with partners such as Trout Unlimited, the Bioreserve Working Group, the Westport Food Bank, and local farmers with hay leases—balancing property needs with community use. 

• Ensure an exceptional visitor experience by keeping trails, landscapes, and public areas clean, safe, and well-maintained, and by supporting seasonal rangers in their visitor-facing roles. 

• Carry out administrative responsibilities including working within budgets set by the Regional Stewardship Manager, paying bills, tracking expenses, reporting, and staying on top of communications such as email. 

• Travel regularly among sites based at Westport Town Farm, using Trustees’ vehicles and towing trailers to move staff, equipment, and materials where needed. 

We provide modest funding to support certifications and offer ongoing internal, skills-based training. We encourage lifelong learners to apply. 

This is a full-time, exempt position (40 hours/week) reporting directly to the Senior Regional Stewardship Manager.  

What You’ll Need:  

Skills and Experience: 

• 5–8 years of relevant work experience, including at least 1–3 years in a supervisory role. 

• A bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, Horticulture, Landscape Maintenance, Property Management, Cultural/Historic Landscapes, or a related field is preferred  — however, we welcome candidates with equivalent hands-on experience that demonstrates strong knowledge and skills in these areas. 

• Certifications and training such as Chainsaw Safety, MA Core Pesticide Applicator License, First Aid/CPR, OSHA 10, Electrical Hazard Awareness, and Massachusetts Lead-Safe Renovator Supervisor are preferred; prescribed fire training and participation experience are a plus. 

• Confident in the safe use and maintenance of landscaping and stewardship equipment (chainsaws, trimmers, brush cutters, mowers, tractors, trailers, etc.); basic carpentry, painting, irrigation, and building maintenance skills are a plus. 

• Experience with ecological stewardship practices such as invasive species management, habitat restoration, trail construction/maintenance, and prescribed fire participation. 

• Proven ability to mentor staff and volunteers, including supervising one full-time steward and managing seasonal staff and rangers; strong team leadership combined with the ability to work independently. 

• Skilled at prioritizing, planning, and executing multiple projects while meeting deadlines and maintaining high standards. Experience coordinating with contractors for smaller-scale maintenance and repair projects. 

• Experience caring for cultural or historic landscapes, formal gardens, or unique property features (such as ponds, irrigation systems, or historic structures) is desirable. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and strong recordkeeping, administrative, and communication skills. 

• Experience building and managing budgets effectively, including tracking expenses and processing invoices. 

• Flexible, positive, and mission-driven, with a strong commitment to land stewardship, conservation, and the goals of The Trustees. 

• Dedicated to creating and maintaining a culture of safety across all operations. 

• Committed to excellent visitor service and enhancing the experience of every guest across South Coast properties. 

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Comfortable lifting 50lbs  

• Ability to push and pull heavy objects 

• Comfortable in variable weather conditions 

• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by his or her first day of employment. 

• A valid driver’s license, as well as a satisfactory driving record as outlined in The Trustees’ driving policy. Ability to obtain a DOT Medical Card.  

• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check. 

Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage you to apply even if you are missing some of the skills and experience above.  

Questions? Contact our People team at [email protected].

Your Benefits:

• Sick time: 15 days per year 

• Vacation time: 20 days per year (prorated) 

• 12 observed holidays, 3 floating 

• Health insurance: You are eligible to participate in the Trustees health insurance benefit via Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). BCBS also offers additional benefits, such as fitness reimbursement and rewards for healthy habits.  

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance 

• Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave 

• Life Insurance  

• 401k with 5% match after 1 year of employment 

• Employee Assistance Program: Free access to a confidential service that helps employees and their communities with personal and work-related issues, such as mental health support, counseling, and financial advice.  

• Reciprocity: Enjoy access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions for Trustees Staff, Volunteers and Interns. 

• Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns.  

• Day of Wonder: Spend one workday per year to exploring a Trustees property 

• Day of Service: Spend one workday per year to helping with a project at a Trustees property  

Equal Opportunity and Diversity: 

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.    

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity. 

 It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.  

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at [email protected].