Who We Are:

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is the leader of a movement to connect everyone in America to the outdoors. A national nonprofit, TPL partners with communities to create high-quality parks and protect public lands—especially in communities that need them most—to improve public health, create social cohesion, strengthen historic and cultural connection to place, and increase climate resilience. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, generated over $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org. 

Position Summary:  

At the TPL, community is at the heart of everything we do. Our commitment to improving community equity, health, and climate outcomes is the cornerstone of our new 5-year strategic plan. In over a decade of work, our Parks for People program in Colorado has yielded the greatest results through broad and sustained community engagement. We work in partnership with communities to design and build parks, trails, and community schoolyards in neighborhoods that need them most. Our engagement strategy (Community Outreach with Resident Experts -CORE) centers community voice, whereby we co-design outdoor spaces with communities to ensure every park, trail, and schoolyard we create reflects community priorities and aspirations. Currently the team is partnering with key communities across the state including work in Denver, Colorado Springs, Greeley, and Clifton.

The Program Manager - Colorado will play a leading role in our Belonging Colorado Schoolyards program, supporting our vision of schoolyards as incubators of social connection, resilience, and belonging in Colorado. This position will focus on engaging students, communities, local agencies, and non-profit partners in our Technical Assistance & Regranting program. This position will provide customized technical support and direct grants to schoolyard practitioners, such as school staff or community-based organizations, to co-develop engagement tools like community outreach plans or summer programming guides.  

As a vital member of the team, this position will also be responsible for a full range of activities associated with the implementation of Trust for Public Land’s Parks for People Program in Colorado. The program manager will support a variety of community engagement events and activities to ensure meaningful and inclusive participation in either the creation or renovation of parks and community schoolyards to increase community access. There will be opportunity for this position to provide project management for discreet aspects of projects such as creative placemaking and site stewardship. This position will work closely with other TPL teams including Land Protection, Philanthropy, and Conservation Finance. Trust for Public Land employees are working hybrid; you will be expected to work in the Denver office a minimum of two days a week, the other days can be work-from-home. Even then, your schedule is likely to be a to-be-determined mix of home and office work.

This position requires travel and working “off-hours” including some weekend and evening meetings and events.

Essential Functions:

30% Technical Assistance and Coaching

• Provide customized technical support and direct grants to schoolyard practitioners such as school staff or community-based organizations to co-develop engagement tools like community outreach plans or summer programming guides.  
• Track, synthesize, and respond to emerging trends and themes as they become evident through technical assistance, evaluation, and research delivery.
• Support and co-facilitate workshops, webinars, forums, and other events or meetings that result in learning, networking, and training outcomes.
• Other duties as necessary

25% Schoolyards and Parks Community Engagement:

• Develop and strengthen relationships with school districts, local representatives and leaders, government agencies, and non-profit partners in and throughout Colorado
• Facilitate community and student outreach and involvement around participatory schoolyard and park design in collaboration with school administrators, educators, and external partners
• Develop outreach and educational materials in collaboration with partners and The Trust for Public Land’s Marketing team
• Other duties as necessary

25% Partnership Development:

• Organize and facilitate community engagement and outreach events in partnership with community members and local non-profits
• Coordinate with partners and community organizers around outreach, meetings and events to strengthen diversity and inclusive representation in the park spaces
• Provide regular updates and clear communication to partners, internal staff, and funders about various aspects of schoolyard, park, or other community projects
• Support grant proposal development – preparing and organizing materials for proposals internally and or in collaboration with external partner organizations
• Other duties as necessary

15% Support the CO & SW Parks for People Program Director and Project Managers to:

• Develop and implement partnerships, community engagement, and communication strategies to increase public awareness around projects
• Maintain and build relationships with funders and other strategic partners on a local, state, and national level
• Ensure projects meet community partner goals and support direct community needs
• Manage schedules, budgets, and contracts with community partners and consultants to carry out the development of schoolyards, parks, and or other community-based projects
• Monitor project management assets (timelines, budgets, work plans) and lead effective collaborations (meetings, workshops) in close coordination across multiple TPL departments and teams.
• Other duties as necessary

5% Additional Functions:

• Build public awareness and understanding of The Trust for Public Land in Colorado
• Completes an assortment of administrative tasks required for a high functioning programs and projects
• Work closely with The Trust for Public Land’s Philanthropy, Marketing, and Finance staff as needed on all projects
• Other duties as necessary

Qualifications:
 

• Five years of demonstrated community engagement experience in Colorado is required

• Demonstrated ability to build trust and support community residents to actively engage in change making activities in their community
• Demonstrated cultural competency and understanding of environmental justice and social issues in under resourced, urban communities
• Must be able to engage with diverse community members, elected representatives, and non-profit partners to ensure successful park and community schoolyard projects
• Strong commitment to TPL’s shared values (Belonging, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Hope) to effectively work across the organization. 
• Ability to travel 10% throughout the state of Colorado; reliable transportation is required
• Work occasional nights and weekends
• Excellent communication skills (oral & written) and interpersonal skills; demonstrates sensitivity and tact in interpersonal relationships
• Well-organized and detail-oriented
• Excellent time management and project management skills 
• Must be able to work independently, out in the field as well as in a standard office environment
• Must be able to work as part of a team and support the framework of a national organization

Compensation:
Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment, and this role will work out of the Denver, CO Trust for Public Land office. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $82,423 – $95,000/year.

Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.