Trails and Conservation Assistant (D&L)

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC) has an exciting opportunity for someone to gain experience in the field of trails and conservation, work at one of the first National Heritage Areas in the country and help connect the 165+ mile D&L Trail through the 5-county corridors. The Trails & Conservation (T&C) Assistant is a part-time entry level position supporting the DLNHC's Trails & Conservation Department. The T&C Assistant will provide support to staff and programs in the Trails and Conservation Department, including, but not limited to: Trail Towns, Trail Patrol, Trail Tenders & Adopt-A-Section volunteer programs, Get Your Tail on the Trail, Lehigh Valley Greenways, Visually Speaking, Trail Construction and Data Driven Sustainability. The ideal candidate is someone with skills in office administration, a strong willingness to learn, enjoys working outdoors, meeting new people and attending events and trainings.

Job Overview

Core Responsibilities:
 General Office Administration.
o Provide administrative support to all T&C staff.
o Assist with scheduling meetings using Microsoft Outlook calendar, Doodle Polls and email
correspondence.
o Provide customer service by responding to trail user and Get your Tail on the Trail inquiries
via email and phone.
o Assist with scheduling and posting on Social media.
o Update public information on D&L‐managed websites (delawareandlehigh.org,
tailonthetrail.org, and lvgreenways.org)
o Take minutes during externally facing meetings.
o Assist with grant applications and grant management by supporting each member of the
T&C team by setting up online and paper grant folders, tracking reporting deadlines,
collecting support letters, invoicing, and expense tracking.
 Support Volunteer initiatives, including Trail Tenders & Adopt‐A‐Section of Trail and Trail Patrol.
o Assist in tracking participant registrations, planning, promoting, and leading volunteer
events and training
o Participate in “tabling”/community outreach events on behalf of the D&L.
 Support Data Driven Sustainability initiatives related to trail counters, including field data collection.
o Assist in regular maintenance/site visits of trail counters by visiting sites to download data,
change batteries and perform basic maintenance.
o Deliver trail maps to towns and businesses as requested.
 Support the Visually Speaking signage program.
o Assist with incoming requests from landowners and monitoring submissions on ArcGIS
dashboard.
o Assist with sign inspections and photo management.
 Support D&L Trail Towns to implement trail‐related economic development projects.
o Assist with collecting and recording data from trail town meetings, potential trail friendly
businesses, and trail user surveys.
o Assist with communication, written and verbal, with Trail Friendly Businesses and potential
trail friendly businesses.
 Support Get Your Tail on the Trail health‐based partnership between DLNHC and St. Luke’s University
Health Network.
o Assist with responding to public inquiries.
o Support kick‐off and challenge events.
 Support Lehigh Valley Greenways leadership:
o Provide administrative support with mini‐grant process
o Assist with planning special events such as the annual conference and grant kick off.
 Trail construction projects
o Provide administrative support with contracts, invoice tracking and other as needed.
 Other Duties:
o Attend partner events to promote D&L programs and recruit volunteers.
o Update public information on D&L‐managed websites (delawareandlehigh.org,
tailonthetrail.org) and social media outlets for Get Your Tail on the Trail.
o Perform trail maintenance assessments and assist with annual meeting of D&L Ownership
Council
o Assist with staff responsibilities for the D&L Half Marathon (first Sunday in November),
advancement/donor events, and trail specific events throughout the year (bike ride
fundraiser, ribbon cuttings, festivals, etc.).
o Attend and participate in D&L Trail & Conservation Board Committee meetings.
o Attend and participate in monthly staff meetings and retreats.
o Actively look for opportunities to engage new and diverse audiences and adjust programs to
be more inclusive.
o Other duties as assigned.
Consults with:
 Director of Trails and Conservation
 Trails and Stewardship Manager
 Conservation Coordinator
 Education Manager
Requirements:
 General interest in land stewardship and trails required, previous nonprofit experience, particularly
in the environmental field, a plus.
 Ability to meet the attendance requirements of the position, which calls for some evenings and
weekend hours.
 Expertise with word processing, spreadsheets, database, email, and other office software;
knowledge of ArcGIS, Adobe Acrobat and/or web design software, a plus.
 Strong organizational, multi‐tasking, and analytical skills and the ability to manage multiple projects
and plan well‐organized events.
 Solid written and verbal communication skills.
 Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work well independently, with a team, and with a variety
of partners/volunteers.
 Demonstrated office administration skills, as well as the desire to spend time in the field.
 Ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
 CPR, AED, and First Aid certifications preferred (can be acquired after offer of hire).
 A valid driver’s license in good standing and willingness to drive throughout the Corridor (Luzerne,
Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Bucks counties) for work.
 All employees are required to act respectfully toward individual co‐workers and toward the D&L’s
overall organizational structure following D&L Community Values.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an
employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be
made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Work requires a variety of physical
activity including standing, sitting for extended periods, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, lifting a
minimum of 40lbs, climbing, reaching, talking, hearing, as required. Walking and biking is required in field
conditions with uneven terrain to perform site visits, perform inspections, or to attend meetings. The
employee must be able to drive company assigned vehicle to various locations during the day or night and
attend meetings that may last several hours. The position may require overnight on‐call duty and the ability
to work during non‐standard hours when the need arises.

Background: The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L) preserves the historic pathway that
carried anthracite coal and iron from Wilkes‐Barre to Bristol, PA. The organization was established by
Congress in 1988 to celebrate our nationally significant story centered on the transport of anthracite coal
from the mines of Luzerne and Carbon County to the markets in the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia (via Bucks
County). The D&L Trail is a multi‐use trail spanning over 165 miles when complete, from the mountains of
northeast Pennsylvania, along rivers and through the Lehigh Valley and Bucks County. In 2017, D&L merged
with the National Canal Museum to incorporate the archives, museum, canal boat and educational programs
into preservation and education efforts. Today, we are an AAM accredited Smithsonian Affiliate and an
organization with the ability to connect people to unique experiences in nature and the environment,
community and economic impact, health and recreation, history, preservation, and education.
This position is primarily grant funded, so continued employment is contingent upon secured grant
awards.

The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc. (D&L) provides equal employment opportunities
(EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, the D&L organization
complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every
location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of
employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer,
leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Special Benefits

Benefits: Full‐time employment benefits include paid holidays, paid vacations, paid sick leave, Social Security,
Unemployment Compensation Insurance, Workers' Compensation Insurance, funeral (bereavement) leave,
various types of leave of absences, health and disability insurance, and participation in the D&L 403(b)
retirement plan.

Minimum Requirements

Scheduling Requirements: This is a part time position during standard days and hours of work. However, the
position requires the ability to work some weekends and evenings (especially April to November) to attend
partner meetings and support D&L activities and events when the need arises. This position requires regular
interaction with many staff members and opportunities for telework will be minimal.
Work Environment: The work environment described here is representative of that encountered by the
employee while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to
enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Job duties require working in a cubicle in
an office environment, field work, local travel, off‐site meetings, at times in high heat/humidity, cold, and/or
precipitation. The noise level in the office environment is usually moderate due to open office layout with a
high level of activity on phone, computers, and printers. Exposure to dust/fumes/odors is possible.