Manager, Easement Program

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Manager, Easement Program is responsible for managing the National Trust's preservation easement portfolio through regular communication with easement property owners and frequent travel across the country to conduct easement inspections. The National Trust administers preservation easements, deed restrictions, and covenants on over 130 historic properties located in 25 states across the country and, in addition, oversees preservation agreements with several non-profit preservation groups in Washington, DC. 

Company
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Washington, DC
Salary
$62-67,000 per year
Responsibilities
  • Maintain frequent contact with easement property owners and/or representatives through site visits, written correspondence, telephone calls and virtual meetings, as appropriate.
  • Travel to conduct easement property inspections and site visits, as assigned, including meeting with property owners and representatives, documenting existing conditions, and generating easement inspection and site visit reports.
  • Review and evaluate requests for both minor alterations as well as larger-scale rehabilitation or restoration projects at easement properties, using The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties (or other standards stated in easement documents), working directly with other Law Division staff and the Easement Program Project Review Committee, as necessary.
  • Provide technical assistance to easement property owners and/or representatives regarding preservation of their property, including on historic building materials, restoration treatments/methods, historic preservation standards, and local preservation regulations.
  • Help maintain and improve accessibility of Easement Program digital and paper records.
  • Assist in developing, implementing and maintaining Easement Program standards, policies, and guidelines, as assigned.
  • Research and develop background material related to the Easement Program and easement properties, as assigned.
  • Provide specialized technical assistance, guidance and information to the Preservation Division staff regarding historic building materials, restoration treatments/tools, preservation technologies, historic architecture and historic preservation standards, as assigned.
  • Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
  • Minimum of 5 years of work experience, including 1-2 years of professional work at an historic preservation organization, governmental agency, or other professional institution. Familiarity with current historic preservation practice, including the application of The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabiliting, Restoring, & Reconstructing Historic Buildings.
  • Frequent independent travel required (30-40% of time), consisting of both short day trips (driving) and three to five day overnight trips (air and train), varying with the number and of type of site visits required. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, business travel is currently restricted to day trips. However, it is expected the candidate for this position will resume consistent, overnight travel when conditions allow.
  • General knowledge of the legal elements of historic preservation, including preservation/conservation easements, strongly preferred.
  • Intermediate project-management skills. Ability to achieve results with general supervision, with ability to manage various projects and tasks at one time, including addressing organizational priorities.
  • Intermediate analytical skills, problem solving (issue identification and prioritization) skills, communication and presentation.
  • Proven ability to collaborate across divisions to implement processes and achieve results. Track record of building and maintaining productive relationships with multiple stakeholders, with ability to work collaboratively and transparently, and in some cases, with confidentiality.
  • Ability to adapt and be flexible in a dynamic work environment, with ability to prioritize, multi-task efficiently and respond to a high volume of ongoing requests in a timely fashion.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience responding to and engaging culturally diverse audiences.
  • Strong customer service and conflict resolution skills.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Word/Excel/Outlook/PowerPoint/Access and Adobe Acrobat/Bridge, ArcGIS or similar mapping software, with proven ability to continually develop skills related to use of rapidly changing technology and communications best practices.
  • Demonstrated proficiency working with digital photography.
  • Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
  • Minimum physical requirements include but are not limited to: ability to walk over uneven terrain; climb stairs; physically access areas of historic buildings not fitted for public access; lift and carry loads of up to 25 pounds on a frequent basis.
  • Bachelor's degree in historic preservation or closely related field required; graduate degree in Historic Preservation strongly preferred. Equivalent years experience in a historic preservation related position may be used to substitute for the education requirement.
Program / Center Affiliation
Job Type
Full-Time