Greenway Trails Project Manager

Position Title Project Manager, Greenway Trails Location Remote (accepting applicants from NY, NJ, CT, PA). Projects will be in the Northeast and Midwest U.S. Department Land Acquisition Program Reports To Senior Vice President, Northeast Land Salary Range $90,000 - $100,000 FLSA Status Exempt Posting Date April 2026 About the Open Space Institute The Open Space Institute is a national leader in land conservation and efforts to make parks and other protected land more welcoming for all. Since 1974, OSI has partnered in the protection of more than 2.5 million at-risk and environmentally sensitive acres in the eastern U.S. OSI’s land protection promotes clean air and water, improves access to recreation, provides wildlife habitat, strengthens communities, and combats the devastating impacts of extreme weather. Position Overview The Greenway Trails Project Manager oversees land acquisition projects that convert former rail corridors into public greenway trails and expand regional trail networks across the Northeast and Midwest. Working under the direction of the Senior Vice President of Northeast Land and in coordination with the Legal Department, the role supports the completion of complex real estate transactions involving rail corridor acquisition, multi‑party negotiations, public funding sources, and coordination with government agencies. Projects may involve railbanking, corridor preservation, and collaboration with railroads, public agencies, and trail partners to transition former rail infrastructure into public trail networks. Primary Responsibilities & Duties Lead rail corridor acquisition projects that convert former rail lines into public greenway trails, including railbanking and corridor preservation initiatives. Coordinate all stages of acquisition projects to ensure timely progress toward closing. Track project timelines, milestones, and deliverables across multiple active projects. Prepare internal project summaries, fact sheets, maps, and approval documentation. Coordinate with internal staff, consultants, and external partners to advance projects. Identify and evaluate potential rail corridor acquisition opportunities in coordination with internal staff and external partners. Coordinate with railroads, public agencies, and trail organizations involved in railbanking or rail corridor conversion efforts. Oversee Real Estate Due Diligence and Transaction Support Manage and coordinate the technical and transactional components required to complete acquisitions. Coordinate project due diligence including title, survey, appraisal, and environmental assessments. Support negotiation and execution of purchase and sale agreements. Contract for and review appraisals, environmental assessments, survey work, and title reports. Manage public review processes and government approvals related to land acquisition. Secure and Support Project Funding Help identify and obtain funding necessary to support trail acquisition and conservation projects. Identify and develop funding sources for rail corridor acquisition capital and project costs. Write or assist with competitive grant applications and project budgets. Coordinate with internal teams and partners to align funding strategies with project timelines. Shared Programmatic Commitments Use creativity and entrepreneurship to steer conservation funding to projects that serve under-resourced and racially diverse communities. Consider real and perceived impacts a project may have on proximate communities and amend project plans to the extent practical after community feedback. Consider and review equity as a criterion where appropriate for project selection. Culture & Equity Responsibilities All OSI staff are expected to contribute to a workplace culture grounded in respect, fairness, and inclusion. This includes highlighting the importance of group identity and considering how personal bias or favoritism may affect interactions or result in inequitable treatment or communication throughout the organization. Staff are also expected to cultivate networks and candidate pipelines that include group identities currently underrepresented at OSI, and to draw from those networks when positions are open. Required Skills/Core Competencies Sound understanding of real estate principles and economics. Experience working with Class I or Class II railroads or familiarity with railroad real estate transactions preferred. Familiarity with government real property acquisition review process. Working knowledge of the processes for obtaining public funding for land acquisition. Ability to manage multiple properties, multiple funding sources and processes, develop programs and use resources of the organization to accomplish larger initiatives. Experience with mapping and related GIS analysis is a plus. Superior written and oral communication skills. Proficiency with computer applications including MS Office, internet tools, and databases. Highly organized. Ability to work well as part of a team, and individually. High-level familiarity with public agency land acquisition departments. Qualifications 5–8 years of experience in real estate transactions, land acquisition, conservation real estate, infrastructure corridor acquisition, or related project management work. Experience managing or supporting real estate due diligence processes (title, survey, appraisal, environmental review) preferred. Experience in working on railroad projects preferred. A track record of effective relationship management, both internally and externally. Bachelor's degree, advanced degree in related field preferred; or equivalent experience. Existing relationships with public agencies and government officials is a plus. Physical Requirements Valid driver’s license required. Moderate to heavy travel (30% or more); evening and occasional weekend work to be expected. Frequently sits for long periods of time. Frequently speaks, reads, writes and uses a computer keyboard. Requires standing, walking, stooping, bending, lifting up to 30 lbs. Have an appropriate home workspace for remote days. Equal Opportunity Statement OSI is an equal opportunity employer. We recognize that our conservation mission is best advanced by the contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, beliefs, and cultures. We are committed to cultivating and retaining a diverse and inclusive work environment that fosters belonging. OSI offers accommodations for individuals with disabilities in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io with “Request for Accommodation” in the subject line. OSI does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, height, weight, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Page Mechanical Group, Inc.