Application Deadline: September 22, 2026 | Desired start date: October 2026
Greater Farallones Association (GFA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the primary nonprofit partner to NOAA’s Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. GFA conducts joint research, conservation, and education to support healthy, resilient ecosystems along 210 miles of California’s north-central coast. GFA has 30 staff members and an annual operating budget of approximately $5 million, and is co-located with Sanctuary staff in a historic building on Crissy Field in the Presidio.
Position Overview
GFA seeks a Program Operations Coordinator to run the day-to-day operations of a growing coastal resilience program spanning multiple state and federal grants, partners, and deliverables. Supervised by the Coastal Resilience Program Lead, this role is responsible for building and maintaining the structure that keeps projects on track and teams aligned.
We’re looking for someone who takes ownership, builds systems, and keeps work moving in a complex, fast-paced environment. The right candidate is organized, resourceful, and motivated by helping a team operate more effectively.
Beyond operations, the Coordinator will contribute from day one to drafting deliverables, synthesizing project information, and preparing management-facing communications, including progress reports, presentations, and summaries that translate technical work for agency partners and stakeholders. A background in coastal, environmental, or marine science is an asset: the ability to accurately distill scientific findings, ask questions of project scientists, and recognize what matters to resource managers will make this person effective quickly and central to how the program communicates its work.
Job Duties
- Own tracking of deliverables, deadlines, reporting requirements, and follow-up across multiple concurrent grants and projects
- Build and maintain program trackers, calendars, and internal systems that create visibility, accountability, and smooth day-to-day execution
- Coordinate meetings with project partners, agencies, and stakeholders, including scheduling, agenda preparation, notes, and follow-up on action items
- Coordinate the North-central California Coastal Sediment Coordination Committee, including scheduling, communications, and meeting preparation
- Prepare first drafts of progress reports, presentations, slide decks, meeting summaries, and other management-facing materials
- Synthesize information across projects into clear, accessible internal and external communications
- Identify gaps, bottlenecks, or tasks at risk and proactively propose solutions to keep work moving
- Communicate across an interdisciplinary team of scientists, consultants, agency partners, and community stakeholders on behalf of the Program Lead
- Draft deliverables and synthesize project findings across grants, with growing ownership of management-facing products
Minimum Qualifications
- 3+ years of experience coordinating or managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects, ideally in a nonprofit, government, consulting, or applied research setting
- Background in coastal, environmental, or marine science, with experience translating technical findings for non-technical audiences
- Experience developing or improving systems, workflows, or tracking tools that increase team efficiency and organization
- Demonstrated ability to identify issues, gaps, or risks in projects and take initiative to address them
- Strong writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, structured drafts of reports, presentations, or summaries, including distilling technical or scientific material for non-technical readers
- Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, track deadlines, and follow through on deliverables in a fast-paced environment
- Experience working with interdisciplinary teams and communicating across scientists, partners, or stakeholders
- High level of organization, reliability, and ownership, with the ability to operate independently and proactively
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting or managing federal or state grant-funded projects, including reporting and deliverables
- Experience using or building project management tools or systems
- Experience synthesizing technical or scientific information into accessible materials for broader audiences
- Experience working in small, fast-moving teams where roles evolve over time
- Familiarity with coastal or environmental data workflows, field logistics, or science project management is a plus
Administrative Requirements
- Pass a mandatory federal background check and defensive driving course
- Have a valid driver’s license, proof of automobile insurance, a clean driving record, and access to reliable transportation to and from the office in the Presidio, San Francisco
- Candidates must hold legal authorization to work in the United States without organizational sponsorship now or in the future. GFA is unable to offer work visa sponsorship
Employee Status and Benefits
This position may be worked at either 32 or 40 hours per week, based on the successful candidate’s preference, with an estimated start date of October 1, 2026. The role is hybrid, with an estimated 4 days per month requirement onsite at 991 Marine Drive on Crissy Field in San Francisco, CA. The majority of the working schedule can be completed remotely. For these reasons, the position must be locally based with the ability to travel to San Francisco for scheduled meetings. The organization will not reimburse out-of-area employees to commute to this location.
The full-time (40-hour/week) salary range is $68,000-$73,000 annually. This position is fully benefited under GFA’s robust health and wellness benefit package. Greater Farallones Association offers excellent benefits including fully paid Health Insurance, Dental, Vision, Group Term Life Insurance, and the option to participate in a 403(b) retirement plan.
The position will be formally classified as a NOAA Affiliate working to support Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. The position is eligible for holidays, vacation and sick time accruals, as well as many professional development resources provided by both GFA and NOAA.
Application Instructions
To apply, please send your resume, cover letter, and three references, all in a single PDF, to jobs@farallones.org. Professional references should include immediate supervisors familiar with your work performance and capacity to succeed. Your cover letter (2 pages max) should briefly address the following (concise responses are encouraged):
- A time you noticed something at risk in a project (e.g., a slipping deadline, coordination gap, budget issue) before others did. What did you do?
- An example of a system, tracker, or process you built or improved that made a team more organized or effective. What problem were you solving, and what changed as a result?
- An example of something you drafted that required synthesizing technical or complex information for a different audience (report/summary/presentation). Who was it for, and how did you decide what they needed to know?
- What draws you to this role and to coastal or environmental work?
Applications are due September 22, 2026.
GFA is committed to providing opportunities to individuals from all backgrounds and is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age (over 40), pregnancy or family status, protected veteran status, or any other protected status.