Sentinel Landscape Program Manager, FWRC

Latino Outdoors; Starkville (MS); On-site; USD 78,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

Retirement plan

Educational assistance

Annual leave and holidays

Job summary

Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS, seeks an EMSL Coordinator to lead the East Mississippi Sentinel Landscape program. The role drives collaboration among federal, state, local, and private partners to advance military readiness, conservation, and rural resilience.

The position requires strong leadership, project management, and effective communication, with responsibilities spanning planning, funding, and reporting. Office-based, full-time, onsite at MSU.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in natural resources, forestry, wildlife, agriculture, environmental planning, public administration, military/community planning, or related field.
• 5 years of experience relevant to the duties described above.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Foster trust and build partnerships across federal, state, local, and NGO sectors.
• Support EMSL Leadership Team in governance and planning.
• Coordinate development of steering committees and partner working groups.
• Translate goals into measurable strategies and actions; drive collaboration.
• Lead data sharing to assess impacts and support informed decisions.
• Schedule and facilitate Steering Committee meetings and ensure effective task management.
• Develop annual work plans, landscape targets, and governance processes.
• Identify funding opportunities and coordinate EMSL priorities across partners.

Skills

Effective communication

MS Office

Project management

Organization

Public speaking

Facilitation

Stakeholder engagement

Volunteering

Education

Bachelor's degree in natural resources or related field

Tools

GIS

Job description

Salary Grade: 17

FLSA Status: Exempt

Title Code: P3627

Anticipated Appointment Date: Late November-Early December 2026

Screening Date: Applicant screening will begin Ocotber 23, 2026

Department Profile:

The East Mississippi Sentinel Landscape (EMSL) has officially been selected for designation by the federal Sentinel Landscapes Partnership (SLP), recognizing the region's national importance to military readiness, working lands conservation, and long-term landscape resilience. The EMSL protects nationally critical pilot training missions while also strengthening working lands, conservation efforts, outdoor recreation, and rural way of life.

The Sentinel Landscape Program Manager (Sentinel Landscape Coordinator) serves as the principal coordinator and facilitator of the EMSL, providing leadership for the development and implementation of the EMSL Five-Year Implementation Plan and advancing the shared priorities of military readiness, working lands conservation, ecosystem restoration, and rural economic resilience.

The Coordinator will be an employee of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center (FWRC) at Mississippi State University (MSU). The mission of FWRC is to expand through research the fundamental and applied knowledge upon which forestry, forest products, and wildlife and fisheries disciplines are based. FWRC aims to assist in conserving, developing, and using the forest, forest products, wildlife and fisheries resources of Mississippi and the nation through research, technology transfer, and other service activities.

About Sentinel Landscapes

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations that work with landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use practices around military installations and ranges. The partnership aligns the objectives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, and Department of War to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, increase public access to outdoor recreation, and enhance landscape resilience.

Position Function:

The EMSL Coordinator serves as the primary point of contact for the partnership and is responsible for building trusted relationships among federal, state, local, academic, nonprofit, industry, Tribal, and private landowner partners. Working under the direction of the EMSL Leadership Team, the Coordinator will facilitate collaboration, align resources, support implementation of landscape priorities, pursue funding opportunities, and measure the partnership’s performance and impact.

The Coordinator will foster strong connections and clear communication across local, state, regional, and federal partners, to support military readiness and local communities' needs where interest and priorities align. Support partner success, drive implementation of shared conservation, land-use, and community goals.

The position requires a collaborative leader who is highly organized, mission-focused, and capable of navigating complex partnerships while maintaining trust with agencies, landowners, elected officials, military installations, and community stakeholders.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Foster trust, connectedness, relationships, strong networks, and partnerships across federal, state, local, and non-governmental organizations, as well as private landowners.
• Support the EMSL Leadership Team in governance, decision-making, strategic planning, and implementation.
• Build capacity and support the development of a steering committee and partner working groups.
• Catalyze collective action and investment in landscape priorities by translating goals into measurable strategies and actions.
• Lead collaborative data sharing to assess and share impacts, and enable informed decision-making across the partnership.
• Convene and facilitate regular Steering Committee and partnership meetings, managing agendas and ensuring effective communication and task management
• Ensure alignment with administration priorities
• Foster collaboration and consensus among diverse stakeholders while maintaining focus on shared landscape goals.
• Lead development, implementation, and annual updates of the EMSL Five-Year Implementation Plan, including:
  • Annual work plans
  • Landscape performance targets
  • Acreage goals
  • Assignment of lead partners
  • Funding strategies
  • Shared performance metrics
  • Governance procedures
  • Conflict-resolution processes
• Coordinate implementation activities across all EMSL goals and support adaptive management through continuous evaluation and partner feedback.
• Identify, pursue, and coordinate funding opportunities that support EMSL priorities.
• Coordinate efforts supporting military readiness through compatible land use planning.
• Coordinate implementation of landscape-scale conservation priorities.
• Coordinate implementation with the Mississippi State Wildlife Action Plan, SECAS Blueprint, and other regional conservation initiatives.
• Develop, collect, and report metrics demonstrating the return on investment of EMSL coordination and produce annual reports documenting progress toward military readiness, conservation, working lands, and economic resilience objectives.
• Prepare reports, briefings, presentations, and communications for EMSL Leadership Team and partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in natural resources, forestry, wildlife, agriculture, environmental planning, public administration, military/community planning, or related field.
• 5 years of experience relevant to duties described above.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a related discipline.
• Experience with REPI, OLDCC, USDA conservation programs, or the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership.
• Knowledge of military land-use compatibility and aviation operations.
• Experience with forestry, prescribed fire, watershed restoration, or working lands.
• GIS literacy or experience coordinating geospatial initiatives.
• Knowledge of Mississippi's agricultural, forestry, and natural resource sectors.
• Experience administering grants and cooperative agreements.
• Demonstrated success preparing grant applications, strategic plans, technical reports, or public presentations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet programs.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills required.
• Experience coordinating multi-agency partnerships or collaborative initiatives.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public communication skills.
• Ability to facilitate meetings and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively with private landowners and rural communities.
• Commitment to voluntary, incentive-based conservation.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

• Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.
• No or very limited exposure to physical risk.
• No or very limited physical effort required.

Position Details

This position is full-time exempt (40 hours per week)

Salary range is $77,600 - $129,400 depending on experience and qualifications

Duty station - The coordinator is expected to reside and work within the EMSL geography. Office located on the campus of Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS.

Benefits:

Benefits include a defined benefit retirement plan and access to supplemental retirement plan through the Mississippi Deferred Compensation Plan and Trust 457; health, life, dental, vision, cancer, critical care, and long-term care; and educational assistance to employees and dependents; personal, sick leave, and holidays.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, [phone].