Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wetland Program Officer

🎯 Role Definition

The Wetland Program Officer is responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing wetland conservation and restoration initiatives that protect water quality, biodiversity, and climate resilience. This role coordinates regulatory review and permitting support, develops and manages grants and contracts, leads monitoring and adaptive management programs, and serves as a technical liaison to stakeholders, landowners, and partner agencies to advance wetland protection objectives at local, regional, or statewide scales.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Restoration Technician, Wetland Restoration Specialist, or Field Ecologist transitioning into program-level work.
Regulatory Assistant or Permit Coordinator supporting Clean Water Act 401/404 reviews.
Conservation Planner or Watershed Coordinator with project delivery experience.

Advancement To:

Senior Wetland Program Officer / Program Manager
Wetland or Watershed Program Director
Regional Ecological Services Manager or Director of Conservation Programs

Lateral Moves:

Permit and Compliance Manager (wetlands/streams)
Climate Resilience Specialist with a wetlands focus
Habitat Restoration Project Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of strategic wetland protection and restoration programs, creating annual workplans, performance measures, and measurable ecological outcomes that align with state or agency priorities.
Manage competitive and formula grant programs including solicitation design, applicant outreach, proposal evaluation, contract negotiation, subaward administration, and compliance monitoring to ensure funded projects deliver agreed-upon wetland benefits.
Provide technical review and recommendations for wetland permitting, mitigation banking, and compensatory mitigation proposals under Clean Water Act Sections 404/401 and related state statutes, ensuring consistency with regulatory standards and best available science.
Design and supervise field-based wetland assessment and monitoring protocols (e.g., rapid assessment methods, vegetation surveys, hydrologic monitoring) to quantify condition, function, and restoration success over time.
Lead ecological restoration planning for wetland and riparian systems, preparing conceptual designs, budgets, permitting strategies, contractor scopes of work, and timelines for multi-year projects.
Conduct program-level data management: develop data standards, databases, GIS layers, and dashboards to track project status, ecological indicators, acreage restored or conserved, and program outcomes for internal and public reporting.
Coordinate multi-stakeholder partnerships including federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, NGOs, landowners, and academic institutions to leverage funding, technical resources, and shared priorities for wetland conservation.
Develop, write, and manage pollution reduction plans, inundation mapping, and watershed restoration strategies that integrate wetlands as nature-based solutions for nutrient reduction, flood attenuation, and climate adaptation.
Prepare technical reports, grant proposals, environmental assessments, monitoring summaries, and public-facing materials that translate scientific findings into actionable recommendations for decision-makers.
Implement adaptive management approaches by analyzing monitoring data, identifying performance gaps, and adjusting restoration techniques or program priorities based on empirical results and stakeholder feedback.
Oversee contract procurement, construction oversight, and quality assurance for restoration projects; review contractor deliverables, manage change orders, and ensure work complies with plans and permit conditions.
Provide field and office-based technical assistance to landowners and partners on wetland delineation, restoration practices, native plant selection, invasive species control, and long-term stewardship options.
Represent the organization at technical advisory committees, public meetings, hearings, and conferences; present complex science in accessible language and advocate for evidence-based wetland policies.
Coordinate wetland education and outreach campaigns, develop curricular materials, workshops, and demonstration sites to build community support for wetland protection and to increase volunteer engagement.
Support natural resource valuation and ecosystem services accounting by compiling data and modeling benefits such as carbon sequestration, flood risk reduction, and water quality improvement attributable to wetland projects.
Lead climate vulnerability assessments that identify priority wetlands for resilience investments and incorporate sea-level rise, hydrological shifts, and extreme weather into restoration planning.
Ensure program compliance with NEPA, state environmental review statutes, endangered species consultation, and cultural resource protections by coordinating interagency reviews and preparing documentation.
Develop and maintain GIS datasets, spatial analyses, and maps to identify priority restoration corridors, track project footprints, and communicate spatially-explicit program outcomes to partners and the public.
Manage budgets, prepare fiscal reports, ensure proper accounting of grant funds, and maintain transparent documentation for auditors and funders to demonstrate responsible stewardship of public or philanthropic dollars.
Mentor and supervise field staff, interns, and contractors; develop training plans, assign responsibilities, conduct performance reviews, and promote a culture of safety and continuous improvement.
Monitor and integrate emerging science and best practices for wetland restoration (e.g., natural infrastructure approaches, hydrologic reconnection) into program guidance and technical tools.
Negotiate landowner agreements, conservation easements, and restoration access permits; work with legal counsel to draft terms that secure long-term wetland protection and restoration stewardship.
Track and respond to legislative and policy changes affecting wetlands and water resources; prepare policy briefs, position statements, and testimony as needed to influence favorable conservation outcomes.
Cultivate and manage diversified funding strategies including state/federal grants, private foundations, mitigation funds, and public-private partnerships to scale program impact over time.

Secondary Functions

Maintain and update a public-facing project tracker or interactive map that showcases restoration accomplishments and funded projects.
Support interdisciplinary teams on watershed planning, stormwater management, and habitat connectivity initiatives that intersect with wetland objectives.
Assist in the development of standards and protocols for wetland mitigation banking and in-lieu fee programs to ensure ecological equivalence and long-term sustainability.
Conduct quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) of monitoring data and ensure data are discoverable in public repositories or compliance databases.
Coordinate volunteer and citizen science programs for monitoring and invasive species removal to expand program capacity and foster community stewardship.
Assist communications staff in drafting press releases, social media posts, and success stories that highlight program achievements and demonstrate return on investment.
Facilitate training workshops for regulators, contractors, and practitioners on wetland delineation, permitting, restoration techniques, and post-construction monitoring.
Participate in grant-writing teams and support development of multi-year funding proposals by contributing technical sections, budgets, and implementation plans.
Provide backup support for emergency response planning related to storm impacts, contaminant releases, or rapid habitat loss affecting wetlands.
Track metrics for program evaluation, contribute to annual reports, and prepare materials for stakeholder and funder briefings.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Wetland ecology expertise including plant community identification, hydrology, soil science, and functional assessment methods.
Wetland delineation and permitting knowledge, including practical familiarity with Clean Water Act (Section 404/401) processes and state-level regulatory frameworks.
Restoration design and implementation skills: developing planting plans, engineered channel or oxbow restoration, hydrologic reconnection, and site preparation techniques.
Field monitoring and data collection protocols: vegetation sampling, water level loggers, water quality sampling, and biological indicator assessments.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) proficiency for mapping, spatial analysis, and producing presentation-quality maps (ArcGIS Pro, QGIS).
Database and data management skills: experience with relational databases, data QA/QC, metadata standards, and dashboard reporting (e.g., MS Access, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, Excel, Power BI).
Grant and contract management: writing proposals, developing budgets, tracking deliverables, and ensuring compliance with funder requirements.
Project management competency: developing schedules, scopes, budgets, contract oversight, risk management, and project performance tracking.
Knowledge of restoration monitoring metrics and statistical analysis to evaluate project success and inform adaptive management (R, Python, or statistical software familiarity preferred).
Familiarity with mitigation banking, in-lieu fee programs, conservation easements, and landowner agreement instruments.
Regulatory compliance and environmental review experience including NEPA documentation, endangered species consultation, and cultural resources coordination.
Experience with climate adaptation planning and modeling tools relevant to wetlands (e.g., sea-level rise scenarios, hydrologic modeling).

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical reports, public presentations, and stakeholder engagement.
Relationship-building and coalition management: ability to cultivate partnerships across agencies, NGOs, tribal governments, private landowners, and community groups.
Strategic thinking and problem-solving to design scalable programs that balance ecological goals, regulatory realities, and budget constraints.
Negotiation and conflict resolution skills for mediating landowner concerns, contractor disputes, and multi-party project decisions.
Leadership and staff development capabilities, including supervising multidisciplinary teams and mentoring junior staff.
Attention to detail and organizational skills for tracking permits, budgets, and compliance documentation.
Public-facing facilitation skills for leading workshops, community meetings, and technical training sessions.
Adaptability and resilience in field conditions and changing regulatory/political environments.
Time management and prioritization to balance multiple concurrent projects and deadlines.
Cultural competency and the ability to work respectfully and effectively with diverse communities and indigenous tribes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources Management, Wetland Science, Biology, or closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Wetland Science, Ecological Restoration, Environmental Science, Hydrology, or related discipline preferred for senior roles or programs with complex regulatory demands.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Wetland Ecology / Restoration Ecology
Environmental Science / Natural Resources
Hydrology / Watershed Science
Biology / Botany / Soil Science
Environmental Policy / Conservation Planning

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressively responsible experience in wetland restoration, monitoring, permitting, or program management for mid-level roles.

Preferred:

5+ years of experience managing wetland programs, grants, restoration portfolios, or regulatory review work; demonstrated success in complex multi-partner projects, proven track record in grant/fund management, and experience supervising staff or contractors.