The Hoosic River Revival is a small not-for-profit organization dedicated to the modernization of the existing flood management structures in North Adams, Massachusetts. The aging structures were designed and built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the 1940-50’s at the request of the City of North Adams following several serious flood events. The design, 2.5 miles of concrete flood chutes, efficiently conducts river flow through the City of North Adams but at a cost to the river’s ecological integrity and fabric of the community.
For more than a decade the Hoosic River Revival has been advocating for and facilitating a reconsideration of the current flood risk management system. The Hoosic River Revival and the City of North Adams consider a modern, river and city-friendly design to be the best option to address the aging concrete structures. Work toward this desired outcome has included extensive studies, engineering and design work.
The City of North Adams is now entering into a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Feasibility Study to analyze the existing Corps’ structures and to propose redesign options. The Feasibility Study will take three years following Corps procedures and guidance. The City and the Hoosic River Revival are working in partnership as Local Project Sponsors (LPS) of the Feasibility Study.
The Hoosic River Revival is seeking to engage a professional to serve as the Feasibility Study manager and facilitator for the local project sponsor’s Feasibility Study Project Team This individual’s primary responsibility will be to advocate on behalf of the City of North Adams and the Hoosic River Revival throughout the Feasibility Study. The individual will be the primary point of contact to the U.S. Army Corps Feasibility Study Team and will be charged with advancing the priorities of the City of North Adams and the Hoosic River Revival.
Qualifications:
- Ability to understand and synthesize information accurately and concisely
- Ability to be a strong and persuasive advocate for the Local Project Sponsor
- Understanding of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers procedures and processes particularly in regards to Feasibility Studies and Local Protection Projects
- Ability to work closely with and take direction from the Feasibility Study Project Team
- Strong written and verbal skills
- Experience working with a diverse landscape of local, state and federal entities
- Organized, communicative, and responsive
- Good facilitation and negotiating skills
Additional desired qualifications:
- Ability to work with local sponsors to make critical decisions, especially when an impasse occurs
- A general understanding of complex development projects
- Familiarity with state and federal regulatory processes and how they overlap
- Ability to coordinate with state and federal delegation staff as needed
- Strategic planning capability – ability to anticipate project needs and issues
- Ability to identify when technical skills such as engineering assessments, master plan design, or quantification of resilience costs or benefits, may be needed to bolster local efforts
- Ability to prepare work scopes and procure services from qualified firms or individuals
This will be a part-time contract position in effect during the three-year feasibility study. Work will be mostly remote, with some on-site meetings. The successful applicant will report to the Hoosic River Revival Feasibility Study Committee with final decisions made by the Hoosic River Revival Board of Directors.
Interested applicants should send cover letter and resume no later than June 5, 2023 to: Admin@HoosicRiverRevival.org