Community Adaptation Program Manager

Groundwork Hudson Valley is a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to “changing places and changing lives” in the lower Hudson Valley. Our mission is to create sustainable environmental change in urban neighborhoods through community-based partnerships that promote equity, youth leadership, and economic opportunity. Program areas include resilience, sustainability education, and youth leadership development. Groundwork partners with neighborhood residents, private and non-profit partners, local businesses and government officials to identify environmental improvements that will advance equitable, healthy, vibrant communities and empower the next generation of community leaders.

With the increase in extreme heat and rain events threatening our social, economic and environmental wellbeing, the Community Adaptation Program is taking a ‘whole community’ approach that centers around equity and justice, empowers all people, and builds capacity to protect Yonkers and Lower Westchester County from adverse environmental impacts. The Community Adaptation Program Manager will lead this initiative, which consists of a range of activities that include:

• Improving the Urban Environment – mitigation of adverse impacts through green infrastructure installation, tree canopy expansion, shade structure implementation and monitoring of air quality.
• Community Engagement – organizing and empowering Yonkers community members who are most vulnerable to impacts from a changing climate, through a working group model composed of community members working to accomplish these goals.
• Partner Activation – organizing and empowering a dynamic partnership of community groups, government agencies, municipalities, and businesses committed to revitalizing and protecting the Saw Mill River through local stewardship projects and county-wide watershed planning.

-> Must have at least four years of experience managing multiple staff.

Responsibilities of the Program Manager will include managing community, business, and government involvement to revitalize public places; coordination with other Groundwork staff where appropriate; communication with a diverse mix of public and non-profit partners; project management including oversight of program staff as well as subcontractors involved on projects; and preparation of project plans, budgets and timelines.

The Community Adaptation Program Manager must be a team player but also be comfortable working independently and efficiently on projects specifically tasked to this position as well as on projects for the organization as a whole. Projects are accomplished through collective action and goal setting as well as independent project management. The Program Manager must be able to multitask, think critically, communicate clearly, troubleshoot challenges, and find ways of applying available resources to accomplish goals. The right candidate will also be able to focus on the “big picture” and how it can affect and promote environmental, economic, and social well-being for the community.

Responsibilities

• Work with diverse stakeholders from local government, technical assistance providers, non-profit and community-based organizations.
• Manage stakeholder engagement and outreach meetings/events and build positive working relationships with new and existing partners.
• Oversee organizing of community environmental stewardship events.
• Develop and deliver presentations, reports, maps, surveys and other storytelling methods for general audiences.
• Lead the development of outreach materials such as newsletters, e-blasts and social media posts with the Communications team.
• Initiate and oversee qualitative research on environmental threats, potential actions and resilience strategies.
• Track grant requirements and deliverables from state/federal agencies, private foundations, and other funders.
• Effectively manage Community Adaptation Program staff; delegate planning, coordination, implementation and tracking efforts as needed.
• Manage sub-contractors to deliver research, planning, design, and/or construction objectives in order to implement successful on the ground environmental resiliency projects.
• Liaise with Groundwork USA, a national network of Groundwork counterparts, to implement best practices, protocols and lessons learned.
• Lead measurement and monitoring efforts for resiliency projects and programs.
• Other responsibilities as required.

Qualifications

• At least four years of experience managing multiple staff.
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields such as environmental science, landscape architecture, or urban development and planning.
• Applied work experience in related fields such as green infrastructure, adaptation and mitigation interventions, and urban planning and design.
• Experience organizing local communities to engage and advocate for neighborhood improvements.
• Familiarity with environmental issues such as stormwater management, heat impacts, open space, green infrastructure, habitat restoration, air quality, and/or adaptation and resilience concepts.
• Experience in public policy and/or working with municipal or state governments, a plus.
• A graduate degree in a relevant field, a plus.
• Ability to negotiate, resolve conflict, and find common ground with stakeholders that may have differing priorities.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills; ability to balance competing priorities and deadlines, and to handle multiple tasks.
• Outgoing self-starter with a demonstrated ability to motivate internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Willingness to engage in some evening and weekend stakeholder meetings/events.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including interpersonal networking skills, public speaking, and relationship building.
• Knowledge of Yonkers communities, a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. GIS proficiency a plus.
• Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish is desirable but not required.
• Passion for the guiding values and mission of Groundwork, including a commitment to environmental equity and justice.

Compensation: Salary range is $68,000 - $72,000, commensurate with experience. Groundwork offers a generous benefits package for employees, including participation in our health insurance plan, 12 paid holidays plus the weekdays between Christmas and New Years, 15 paid vacation and 7 paid sick days per year. We also offer a 401K plan and access to TransitChek pre-tax transportation benefits.

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling deadline.

Start Date: June 2026.

To apply: Send a thoughtful cover letter and resume that speaks to how your experience and skill-set meet the qualifications for this position to ***email_hidden***, with subject header Community Adaptation Program Manager .

Groundwork Hudson Valley is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate in any employer/employee relations based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable discrimination laws. City of Yonkers residents are strongly encouraged to apply.