Resilient Ahupuaʻa Project Manager
Location: Remote from home office and/or Kīholo Bay Hale Hoa ʻĀina Field Office, Puʻuwaʻawaʻa, North Kona, Hawaiʻi
Status: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Salary: $58,000–$65,520 annually, depending on experience
Application Deadline: April 28, 2026
Term: This is a grant-funded position supported through a NOAA cooperative agreement (January 2025 through December 2027). The project is currently in Year 2, with approximately two years remaining. The grant has the potential for extension subject to agency approval. Continuation beyond the grant period is not guaranteed and will depend on organizational needs and available funding.
About Hui Aloha Kīholo
Hui Aloha Kīholo is a Native Hawaiian Organization founded in 2007 to lead stewardship, education, and conservation programs at the 4,200+ acre Kīholo State Park Reserve. We accomplish our mission through collaborative partnerships with government, businesses, research institutions, schools, non-profit organizations, and our active community. Our Vision is a thriving cultural and natural landscape inspiring a pono connection between people and place.
Position Summary
The Resilient Ahupuaʻa Project Manager leads the implementation, coordination, and reporting of Hui Aloha Kīholoʼs $2.2 million, three-year federal cooperative agreement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities program. This position leads all project activities and evaluation, coordinates with staff and contractors responsible for deliverables, and serves as the central figure in the Ahupuaʻa Resilience Strategy Consultation, which is a participatory planning process engaging the community in co-developing strategic actions that align with Hui Aloha Kīholoʼs mission. In this role, you will lead and support enriching activities across the ahupuaʻa of Puʻuwaʻawaʻa and Puʻuanahulu, including education, conservation, mālama ʻāina stewardship, and community outreach, while engaging our diverse community in co-developing strategic actions that promote resilience in our people and landscape. The Resilient Ahupuaʻa Project Manager also identifies funding opportunities that align with the strategies and priorities developed through the project.
Key Responsibilities
NOAA Cooperative Agreement Management and Reporting
Lead all project activities and evaluation for the NOAA cooperative agreement.
Coordinate with staff and contractors responsible for project deliverables, ensuring timely and high-quality completion.
Lead grant administration in compliance with 2 CFR 200, including budget tracking, reporting, and documentation.
Manage data collection systems to ensure quality control and generate reports for internal and external audiences.
Lead on grant reporting, including excellent communication with team members and knowledge holders to secure input well in advance of reporting deadlines.
Manage waivers, photos, and documents appropriately, including sensitive information.
Community Engagement and Participatory Planning
Lead the Ahupuaʻa Resilience Strategy Consultation, a participatory planning process to engage rights holders, stakeholders, and partners in identifying and prioritizing landscape-scale actions.
Build and strengthen relationships with community members and stakeholders across the ahupuaʻa.
Engage community members beyond formal meetings to ensure understanding, trust, and inclusion.
Work closely with the Community Outreach Coordinator to ensure deep and respectful engagement with Indigenous community members in all consultation and planning activities.
Work with the Director of Finance and Operations to ensure clear and appropriate scheduling that aligns grant deliverables with organizational priorities.
Identify funding opportunities and partnerships that align with the priority strategies developed through the Ahupuaʻa Resilience Strategy Consultation, and support proposal development in coordination with the Director of Finance & Operations to ensure the impacts of this project are sustained beyond the grant period.
Representation and Knowledge Sharing
Represent Hui Aloha Kīholo at conferences, partner site visits, and resource management gatherings to share lessons learned and project outcomes.
Participate in local and statewide networks such as Kai Kuleana, Hui Loko, E Alu Pū, Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa, and others to strengthen relationships and share knowledge.
Qualifications
Required
Bachelorʼs degree or equivalent work experience in a field relevant to managing grants for education, stewardship, conservation, and/or trans-disciplinary science.
At least 3 years of experience managing federal grants or cooperative agreements, including at least one award of $500,000 or more.
Demonstrated experience with federal grant compliance requirements, including budget tracking, financial reporting, and documentation under 2 CFR 200 or equivalent federal regulations.
Experience coordinating multiple contractors, partners, or project teams toward shared deliverables.
Experience leading or co-leading community engagement, participatory planning, or stakeholder facilitation.
Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to build trust with diverse community members and present to agency and funder audiences.
Experience managing data collection systems or environmental monitoring programs.
Ability to work from home and travel regularly to the Kīholo Hale Hoa ʻĀina field office and other project sites on Hawaiʻi Island.
Valid Driverʼs License.
Preferred
Experience working in or with Native Hawaiian, Indigenous, or place-based community organizations.
Experience working with County, State, and Federal agencies, Foundations, and organizations that support mālama ʻĀina stewardship and education in Hawaiʻi.
Experience engaging with Native Hawaiian communities or Indigenous knowledge holders in planning or resource management processes.
Knowledge of coastal, fishpond, anchialine pool, or nearshore marine ecosystems.
Familiarity with Hawaiian language.
Proficiency with project management tools and data management systems.
Benefits
Hui Aloha Kīholo offers a competitive benefits package including employer-paid healthcare (medical, dental, and vision) with partial employer contribution toward dependent coverage, paid time off, retirement savings plan, computer and equipment, mileage reimbursement, and opportunities for professional development.
To Apply
Email a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to admin@kiholo.org.
In your cover letter, please briefly address the following:
Why do you want to work with Hui Aloha Kīholo?
Briefly describe a federal grant or cooperative agreement you have managed, including the award size, your role, and how you ensured compliance with reporting and documentation requirements.
How have you approached building relationships and trust with community members in a new place or with a new organization?
Writing Sample: Submit a writing sample of no more than two pages. This can be an excerpt from a previous grant report, project summary, community-facing document, or similar professional writing. If you do not have a sample available from previous work, you may write a brief fictional example, such as a progress update to a federal funder summarizing community engagement activities and project milestones for a coastal restoration project.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.
For questions about this position, please contact admin@kiholo.org before submitting your application.
Mahalo for your interest in joining the Hui Aloha Kīholo team!