CONSERVANCY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

State of California; Oakland, San Luis Obispo (CA, CA); Hybrid; USD 94,000 - 118,000; Full time

Job summary

The State Coastal Conservancy seeks a Conservancy Project Development Specialist/Analyst II for the Central Coast region. Salary ranges from $7,831 to $9,799 per month, with telework as hybrid. The role includes grant administration, project development, and liaison with partners across California. Final filing date is 10/09/2026.

Position may be stationed in Oakland or remote in San Luis Obispo County. Requires passing relevant CPA exams and strict compliance with CalHR processes.

Qualifications

• Experience developing and/or implementing projects for habitat restoration, public access and trail projects, coastal resilience, land acquisition, or other type of project related to the Conservancy’s work.
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholder groups, organizing and facilitating multi-organizational meetings and teams to achieve specific goals, and dealing with conflicting priorities among stakeholders.
• Ability to apply for and secure outside grants.
• Experience or ability to analyze proposals, gather information, and evaluate project feasibility.
• Knowledge of environmental concepts and practices, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and environmental permitting.
• Strong project management skills including tracking due dates, deliverables, and budgets; coordinating team members.

Responsibilities

• Soliciting and reviewing grant applications, assisting with project development, writing and presenting staff recommendations for Conservancy Board approval.
• Developing grant agreements in cooperation with legal staff, ensuring that the project purpose and all conditions of the grant agreement are met.
• Reviewing invoices, monitoring the progress of projects, and conducting outreach to California Native American tribes and the public.
• Lead project manager for San Luis Obispo County and collaborate with public agencies, nonprofits, tribes, and community groups.

Job description

Job Posting:Central Coast Project Manager

JC-530909 -

JC-530909 - Central Coast Project Manager

$7,831.00 - $9,799.00 per Month

New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/9/2026

Job Description and Duties

“Love the California Coast, the Central Coast and the environment? This might be the job for you!”

The State Coastal Conservancy is hiring one position at the Conservancy Project Development Specialist or Conservancy Project Development Analyst II level to join the Central Coast regional team.

The Conservancy works with local partners on multi-benefit projects located along the coast of California, within coastal watersheds, and/or within the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area to acquire and protect natural and agricultural lands, restore, and enhance habitats and ecosystems, design and build trails and other recreational facilities, plan and implement climate adaptation projects, fund outdoor education programs, and improve public access for historically undeserved communities.

Tasks will include soliciting and reviewing grant applications, assisting with project development, writing, and presenting staff recommendations for Conservancy Board approval, developing grant agreements in cooperation with legal staff, ensuring that the project purpose and all conditions of the grant agreement are met, reviewing invoices, monitoring the progress of projects, conducting outreach to California Native American tribes, and public outreach and engagement. The new staff member will be part of the Central Coast work group at SCC and will serve as the lead project manager for San Luis Obispo County. The work involves collaboration with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, regional collaborative, tribes, and community groups.

In order to be eligible for this position, candidates must have taken the Coastal Program Analyst III (for Conservancy Project Development Specialist level) or Coastal Program Analyst II (for Conservancy Project Development Analyst II level) online exam or have taken it within the past 12 months and receive a passing score. Please make sure to read the exam(s) bulletin before taking the exam:

Take the online Coastal Program Analyst III exam to become list eligible for this position at the Conservancy Project Development Specialist level.

Take the online Coastal Program Analyst II exam to become list eligible for this position at the Conservancy Project Development Analyst II level.

The Limited Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP) is an optional pathway to state civil service for people with disabilities. Visit the CalHR LEAP page for additional information.

Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions 3% in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) hours. Please note that the salary ranges listed in this Job Control may not reflect these reductions associated with the 2025 Personal Leave Program.

This is a Statewide Recruitment for ONE (1) authorized position. This position may be filled in the Headquarters located in Oakland, CA, or may be filled as a permanent remote position in San Luis Obispo County ONLY. Candidates must have permanent residence in California to be eligible for a permanent remote position AND must reside in the permanent remote location of San Luis Obispo County at the time employment begins. If permanent residence is outside of San Luis Obispo County, the position will report to the Headquarters office in Oakland, CA.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .

Working Conditions

• Position Headquarters (HQ) is in a high-rise building in Oakland, CA
• Work on a computer for up to 8 hours per day, Monday through Friday.
• The Conservancy has a telework policy for Headquarter employees. Starting on July 1, 2026, staff are allowed to telework up to 1 day per week. All Headquarter employees are required to be in the office four days a week. One of those days must be Tuesday. Permanent remote staff are required to work from the Headquarters office two days per month.
• A computer for teleworking use for both HQ and permanent remote staff will be provided.
• Travel is required throughout California for meetings and site visits, with regular overnight stays at least monthly to project areas in San Luis Obispo or other Central Coast counties, from Santa Barbara through San Mateo.
• Work environment may involve a range of climatic and physical conditions such as exposure to rain, heat, cold, fumes, dust, air contaminants, stinging insects, poison oak, and rattlesnakes.
• A work environment may involve some exposure to hazards or physical risks, which will require the following basic safety precautions.
• May need to work around water or ambulate on uneven and/or slippery surfaces.
• May need to stoop, bend, reach, lift, twist, turn, kneel, squat, grasp, or lift-up to 15 pounds.
• Work activities may require working in confrontational situations with project partners, grantees, or members of the public.
• Work hours may be varied; may require overtime.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• CONSERVANCY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
• CONSERVANCY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT ANALYST II

CONSERVANCY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST $7,831.00 - $9,799.00 New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Shall Consider:

CONSERVANCY PROJECT DEVELOPMENT ANALYST II

$7,327.00 - $9,179.00

# of Positions:

1

Work Location:

United States

Telework:

Hybrid

Job Type:

Permanent, Full Time

Department Information

The Coastal Conservancy (SCC) is a state agency that undertakes and supports projects to protect, restore and enhance coastal resources, promote resilience to climate change impacts, and increase opportunities for the public to enjoy the coast. SCC works along the entire length of California’s coast and within the watersheds of rivers and streams that extend inland from the coast. The Conservancy also works throughout the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area and the entire Santa Ana River watershed. The Conservancy awards and oversees grants to local governments, other state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and tribes, using various types of funding, including bond funds, federal funds, and mitigation fees. The Conservancy is a small agency of 81dedicated, experienced employees who work collaboratively and creatively to achieve the Conservancy’s mission. The Conservancy office is located in Oakland, California, near 12th Street BART.

• The State application (STD 678) is required, and each section must be filled out completely and thoroughly. The Employment History on the STD 678 must be complete and include dates, accurate hours per week, total time worked, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. Please refer to the resource: Work for California Resource: State Application Checklist
• A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required and must be included. Please see "Statement of Qualifications" section below for more information. Resumes will not be reviewed in lieu of the SOQ. Please refer to the resource:Work4CA: How to Write a Statement of Qualifications
• Copy of diploma and/or transcripts (official/unofficial) required.
• Please do not include any confidential information such as social security number, marital status, ethnicity, age, or disability information on any of the documentation uploaded with your online application.

Applications received without ALL of these required items listed above will not receive further consideration for this position.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Experience developing and/or implementing projects for habitat restoration, public access and trail projects, coastal resilience, land acquisition, or other type of project related to the Conservancy’s work.
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholder groups, organizing and facilitating multi-organizational meetings and teams to achieve specific goals, and dealing with conflicting priorities among stakeholders.
• Ability to apply for and secure outside grants.
• Experience or ability to analyze proposals, gather information, and evaluate project feasibility.
• Knowledge of environmental concepts and practices, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and environmental permitting.
• Strong project management skills including task management for multiple projects; creating and reviewing budgets; tracking expenditures and deliverables; problem-solving as issues arise; strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills; and ability to develop and maintain productive professional relationships.
• Ability to take initiative and work independently.
• Ability to work effectively with others as part of a team.
• Experience working with diverse audiences and responding to concerns and issues through either work or lived experience.
• Bilingual speaker of a language used by large numbers of people in California.

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

Please note:The Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is a required document and must address the specific questions listed in this job control. SOQs for other jobs/resume will not be considered.

The SOQ must be no more than twopages, with Calibri font at least size 12, and at least one-inch margins.If your responses to the three (3) questions are greater than two (2) pages, only the first two (2) pages will be reviewed. Failure to include an SOQ will disqualify youfrom consideration.

Question 1: Please summarize your experience working on projects to plan or implement habitat restoration, trails and public access facilities, coastal resilience, property acquisitions, or other projects related to the Conservancy’s work.

Question 2: Please describe your experience working, in any context, including volunteer work, with any of the following communities: Tribes, rural communities, lower-income communities, communities of color, people with disabilities, or English language learners.

Question 3: Please describe your experience managing projects or work assignments including tracking due dates, deliverables, and budgets; and coordinating team members.

To be eligible for this position, you must take an online exam that will evaluate your eligibility. There are not specific exams for the Conservancy Project Development (CPD) series; instead, the Conservancy uses exams for positions with similar qualifications. If you are applying at the Conservancy Project Development Specialist level, you should take the Coastal Program Analyst (CPA)III exam. If you are applying at the Conservancy Project Development Analyst II level, you should take the Coastal Program Analyst II exam. You can take both exams if you want. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for both the CPD and CPA classifications in order to take the exam.

• Qualified candidates must have taken the appropriate online exam within the last 12 months and must be in a reachable rank (ranks 1, 2, 3) on an employment list for either the Coastal Program Analyst III (to be hired at the CPDS level) or the Coastal Program Analyst II (to be hired at the CPDA II level).
• This advertisement will be used for this and other permanent and/or limited term vacancies that may occur at the State Coastal Conservancy during the life of the certification list.
• If you do not hear from us in 5-8 weeks from the final file date, you may assume another applicant has filled the position. Please note that all additional vacancies that become available may be added to this advertisement.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods: Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account) By Mail Drop-off