River Steward in CT

Full details and application at: https://www.ctriver.org/jobs/connecticut-river-steward

Position classification: Full-time, salaried, exempt

Priority Application Deadline: December 12, 2025

Start date: January (flexible)

Office location: Middletown office/hybrid based in Connecticut

Health benefit eligible: Yes

Retirement benefits eligible: Yes

Supervisor: Director of Policy and Advocacy

Salary: 60 - 65k

Position Description

River Stewards are the principal advocates for the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) and serve as the public face of CRC in their respective state. They advocate for clean and healthy rivers, collaborate with community and governmental partners, and communicate with the public. As the state lead in directing advocacy and related community engagement efforts in the state, the River Stewards play a vital role in protecting and restoring the Connecticut River and its tributaries in collaboration with the CRC team.

Primary Responsibilities:

While each Steward will address issues and priorities unique to their state, all Stewards are responsible for the following:

• Create and implement policy and advocacy strategies including but not limited to:
• Track state legislation and advocate for bills relevant to river health
• Collaborate with partners including governmental agencies, nonprofits, and community groups through general legislative or other state-wide policy strategy
• Maintain awareness of relevant regulatory permitting processes (NPDES, 401, wetlands, etc.) and submit comments on public applications, agency rulemaking, and individual environmental permits when appropriate
• Support enforcement of environmental rules and laws
• Monitor active hydropower facilities and engage in FERC relicensing efforts as appropriate
• Collaborate with CRC Communications team to create content for e-blasts, blog posts, op-eds, reports, and media interviews
• Serve as a resource for public inquiry, connecting individuals and organizations with the appropriate internal or external resources
• Apply for and manage grants to support advocacy and related program work
• Support donor relations and fundraising efforts

Support other programmatic work ongoing in the state of CT as needed, such as:

• Manage coordination of multi-partner watershed planning project for the Scantic River
• Support the Unified Water Study project and Water Quality Monitoring Work in CT
• Supervise potential Environmental Education and Outreach Assistant, student and/or legal interns
• Assist in Aquatic Invasive Species program work

Conduct outreach and education about river issues through:

• Public engagement and recreational events
• K-12 partnerships
• Speaking or presenting at watershed events or virtual webinars where your perspective on river-related issues in the state is warranted
• Support and build partnerships among watershed and environmental organizations, to forward CRC’s strategic objectives

Qualifications:

Are you excited about this opportunity and don’t meet every requirement?

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We understand that many folks who may be impacted by biased hiring standards, such as women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQIA and BIPOC applicants, may only apply if they meet every requirement listed in a job posting. If you are interested in this opportunity and believe you meet most of the job requirements, we encourage you to apply.

• Masters degree or higher or comparable experience in environmental science, policy, or related field
• Ability to communicate scientific principles and policy-related topics to a variety of audiences in both written and public speaking forums
• Comfort prioritizing and managing overlapping and time sensitive projects
• Experience with intern, volunteer, and/or seasonal employee management
• Success in identifying funding opportunities, writing and managing grants
• Comfort using Microsoft 365 tools and online databases
• Ability to respectfully collaborate and interact with colleagues, members, partners, and others of diverse backgrounds and experience levels
• Willingness to embrace CRC values of collaboration, integrity, purpose, and adaptability
• Comfort and motivation to work independently in a one-person office
• Ability to travel throughout your state and the entire watershed as needed; Driver’s license/access to a car
• Spanish language familiarity is a plus
• Ability to swim, paddle a canoe or kayak, lift 25 pounds, and be outside for extended periods of time

Office Location:

Middletown, CT with hybrid options available in CT. Our main office is in Greenfield, MA.

Health Benefits Eligible:

CRC provides medical, dental and vision benefits, ample paid time off, and up to a 3% match for retirement.

Application instructions:

To apply for the position, use the form below.

Priority Application Deadline: 

December 12, 2025

Overview of the Organization:



The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) restores and advocates for clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities to support a diverse and thriving watershed.

CRC has been a steward of the Connecticut River and its tributary streams since 1952. Our programs include advocacy, aquatic invasive species management, dam removal, habitat restoration, migratory fish surveys, recreation, trash cleanups, and water quality monitoring. Through collaborative partnerships in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, CRC leads and supports efforts for resilient and life-filled rivers from source to sea. We are uniquely positioned to leverage local, state, regional, and federal resources as the only science-based nonprofit working throughout the entire watershed. Our values of inclusion, collaboration, resilience, and stewardship guide our ongoing work to address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Together through community engagement and education, we’re helping to ensure healthy rivers for all. Learn more at ctriver.org.

Connecticut River Conservancy is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and will engage in an inclusive recruiting and hiring process. It considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.