Engagement and Communication Specialist
Position: 12 hours per week for up to 3 years (annual renewals based on performance). Potential for full-time depending on grant funding.
Reports to: Project Lead
Location: Yolo County (based in Esparto, CA with remote work options)
Start Date: October 6, 2025
Application Deadline: September 5, 2025
Background
The Cache Creek Conservancy (https://cachecreekconservancy.org/) is a 501c3 non-profit in
Woodland, CA, whose mission is to restore, preserve and protect the Cache Creek watershed.
The successful applicant will join the Cache Creek Conservancy’s team in providing
monitoring and information for establishing the Cache Creek Watershed Stewardship Group.
About the Project
The project to create the Cache Creek Watershed Stewardship Group addresses climatedriven
challenges—intensifying storms, droughts, and wildfires—threatening the Lower
Cache Creek watershed. Funded by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation and implemented by Cache Creek Conservancy in partnership with Capay Valley Vision, this initiative brings
together diverse stakeholders to develop sustainable watershed management solutions.
The project operates on four core principles:
- Voluntary, inclusive participation
- Strategic outreach to engage all watershed stakeholders
- Communication that fosters information sharing, group cohesion, and productive discussions
- Shared knowledge as the foundation for collaborative action
Our goal is to create a stakeholder group that will create and oversee a comprehensive, community-driven watershed plan for water supply and quality, ecological health, and resilience to climate impacts while supporting the region’s agricultural productivity, tourism, natural areas, and diverse communities.
Position Overview
We seek a skilled communicator to engage watershed stakeholders and build meaningful participation in creating our collaborative governance group. This role offers significant autonomy in developing and implementing engagement strategies while working within a supportive team environment. The position offers an excellent opportunity for gaining professional experience in community-driven environmental stewardship.
What You’ll Do
Build Stakeholder Engagement
- Identify and reach out to diverse watershed stakeholders where they are
- Create welcoming communications that encourage meaningful participation
- Foster respect and trust among participants through managed communication strategies that compel discussion.
Develop Strategic Communications
- Design and implement a comprehensive outreach strategy recognizing people’s busy lives and competing priorities
- Create compelling, accessible content reflecting diverse perspectives—scientific, agricultural, conservationist, and tribal knowledge
- Manage online platforms for frequent, engaging information sharing that encourages stakeholder dialogue
Curate and Share Knowledge
- Compile and synthesize third-party data on water quality, quantity, and restoration needs
- Transform complex watershed information into digestible formats for broad audiences
- Build a shared knowledge foundation that enables informed collaborative decision-making
Deliver Targeted Presentations
- Present on watershed management, conservation, and restoration to local audiences such as middle school students, farming and ranching communities, farmworkers, and business owners
Convene Community Workshops
- Develop agendas for multi-day watershed stewardship workshops
- Promote workshops to stakeholders throughout the watershed
What You Bring
- Proven ability to distill complex technical information into compelling, accessible communications
- Excellent knowledge of online media and digital engagement strategies
- Strong academic and gray literature research skills
- Experience building communication networks and fostering community dialogue
- Comfort working independently while collaborating effectively with diverse teams
- Passion for environmental stewardship and community-driven solutions
You will thrive in this role if you are energized by work that is essential to project success, enjoy taking initiative on new challenges, and value collaborative problem-solving in service of watershed sustainability.
Basic Work Requirements
Fluency in English; working knowledge of Spanish is a plus. Ability to work in outdoor field settings.
Compensation and Benefits
Terms of Employment: 12 hours per week
Compensation: $30 to 33 per hour, depending on experience
How to apply
To apply, please email the following to [email protected]:
1. Cover letter of no more than one page covering these questions:
- How do your experiences and personal strengths prepare you for this position?
- What appeals to you about this position?
2. Resume or CV
Applicants who move forward through the hiring process will participate in some combination of video interview, in-person interview, and/or assessment(s).
Please contact Lynne Haralson at [email protected] with any questions.
We look forward to getting to know you!