Clearfork Valley Projects Coordinator (part-time)

About the Clearfork Valley

The Clearfork Valley has a population of 3,000 people over a roughly 50-mile area within the Cumberland Plateau that is defined loosely by the path of the Clear Fork River and the rise and fall of the coal industry. It encompasses a dozen unincorporated communities across portions of Campbell and Claiborne Counties (TN), and Bell and Whitley Counties (KY). From the early 1800s its towns were places of industry, largely owned by coal companies, but by 1950 increasing mechanization (including conversion to mountaintop removal mining) led to substantial outmigration. During this time, the extractive industry bought up 90% of the land, further disenfranchising the remaining residents.

Since at least 2009, community leaders have been planning for how to achieve economic development and climate preparedness in this high poverty and resource-extraction impacted area. A key strength in the Valley comes from the community institutions that work together for grassroots economic development, including through the Tennessee Appalachian Community Economics (TNACE) Coalition, which is made up of various partner organizations and individuals in the Clearfork community.

About WCLT/AV

Woodland Community Land Trust: The WCLT was incorporated in 1977, making it the second oldest Community Land Trust established in the U.S., with a 50-year track record of working in and engaging the Clearfork Valley communities. Located in Clairfield, TN, its founding purpose was to address housing shortages and limited land access for low-income individuals. Today, Woodland accommodates 15 families, a guest house, and a fruit orchard on its 450-acre property. WCLT’s core competencies are community asset preservation, convening community stakeholders, and economic development planning, but WCLT provides many other services to members of the wider Clearfork Valley community, focused on sustainable community development and improved livelihoods. With other partners, WCLT works to accumulate the land and skills necessary to reverse the effects of landlessness and the loss, extraction, and exploitation of community equity and wealth.

About Appalachian Voices: Appalachian Voices (AV) is a nonprofit advocacy organization that brings people together to protect the land, air, and water of Central and Southern Appalachia and advance a just transition to a clean energy economy. AV currently has over 40 staff members across the region, with offices located in Boone, North Carolina; Charlottesville and Norton, Virginia, and Knoxville, Tennessee. AV has been working closely with East TN communities, including WCLT and the community leaders of the Clearfork Valley, for well over a decade. This includes providing direct support with mitigating the impacts of the coal industry by monitoring stream health and teaching citizens how to document and report water pollution caused by coal mine runoff, and supporting local partners with clean energy and climate resilience project planning and development.

Commitment to Equity

Our organizations are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion both in our work and in our structure. We seek applicants who share and exhibit these principles. As equal opportunity employers, we are committed to employment practices that ensure employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.

Position Details

WCLT and AV are seeking an experienced, part-time Clearfork Valley Projects Coordinator to help prepare for a pilot demonstration of a workforce development program, as well as supporting other projects in the community. The position will also work directly with WCLT’s Executive Director on grant writing and reporting for these efforts.

The Coordinator will work with the host organizations and other local partners to prepare for piloting a mobile Apprenticeship Readiness Program (mARP) by developing a participant recruitment strategy, making a plan for supportive services, and by securing clean energy and other employer connections as well as building trades union support. Ultimately, the mARP will prepare residents for placement into union apprenticeship programs and long term, high quality careers in the building and construction trades, while also building a pipeline to clean energy jobs in the area with the local building trades unions.

Additional projects that may be partly supported by the Coordinator include the ongoing development of a small business incubator facility where the mARP will likely be hosted, and various local clean energy projects that could create hands-on learning opportunities for mARP participants.

Experience in project management is preferred. Candidates with a working knowledge of local community development, and/or familiarity with workforce development will be highly considered. This position will report to and work closely with the Executive Director of Woodland Community Land Trust and the Director of Public Power Campaigns at Appalachian Voices.

Location

The Project Coordinator will be based out of East Tennessee, ideally on or within a 60 mile radius of the Woodland Community Land Trust in Clairfield, TN. The position will involve both remote and in person work, with on site work at the land trust occurring at least two days per month.

Primary Roles & Responsibilities

• Track project schedules and advance next steps to ensure that tasks are completed on time and key milestones are met;
• Build relationships with key stakeholders, including clean energy employers, building trade unions, other nonprofits, and local residents, to cultivate their buy-in and participation in the projects;
• Raise awareness and education about local projects and programs by planning and facilitating community meetings and informational presentations;
• Identify the key participant support needs, strategies for participant recruitment, and essential employer partnerships for the mobile Apprenticeship Readiness Program that will be implemented at the land trust as soon as late 2026;
• Support the Executive Director with grant proposal writing and reporting, and other administrative tasks.

Skills & Qualifications

• At least three years of experience managing projects or as a program coordinator;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including experience with developing reports and action plans;
• Excellent time management, work ethic, and organization;
• Understanding of and strong commitment to building trade unions and/or clean energy development preferred;
• Prior experience with rural project development, community organizing, and/or working within a non-profit organization or government agency preferred;
• Passion for and familiarity with rural Tennessee;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Excellent listening skills and confidence in talking to people both in groups and on a one-to-one basis;
• Sincerity, patience, tact and the ability to earn the trust of others.

Compensation

This is a part-time, exempt employee position that will be housed at Woodland Community Land Trust.

Salary is commensurate with experience. The pay rate will fall between $20 - $25/hr for 20 hours per week. The position will be hired for 12 months, with a possibility of extension depending upon the outcome of grant applications.

How to Apply

Candidates should apply by March 11, 2026; early applications will be given priority consideration. The position is anticipated to start in April 2026.

Please email a resume and a brief cover letter that addresses why you would be a good fit for the position to wclt1977@gmail.com and gabi@appvoices.org with the exact subject line “WCLT Project Coordinator Application Materials”. Please include contact information for at least two references. In your cover letter, please address the following questions: 1) Why are you interested in this specific position? 2) What makes you a good fit for the role? 3) What are some of your key accomplishments with past project management or program coordination?