Director of Resilient and Connected Lands at The Nature Conservancy in Montpelier, Vermont

Job Description:

OFFICE LOCATION

Montpelier, Vermont, USA

The position is located at the Montpelier, Vermont office with the option to work a hybrid work schedule as negotiated with their supervisor. The position will require frequent and regular travel throughout the state and occasional travel within New England and North America.

#LI-HYBRID

WHO WE ARE

The mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we develop innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the world's toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity and respect for people, communities, and cultures. From a rewarding mission to career development and flexible schedules, there are many reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want to know more? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One of TNC's primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe have a sense of belonging and feel that their unique contributions are valued. We know we'll only achieve our mission by hiring and engaging a diverse staff that reflects the communities in which we work. Recognizing that people bring talent and skills that have been developed outside the scope of a job, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements listed in our postings. Please apply - we'd love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, "you'll join for the mission, and you'll stay for the people."

WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER

The Vermont Chapter of the Nature Conservancy (TNC) seeks an experienced conservation professional for the position of Director of Resilient and Connected Lands to implement the chapter's conservation strategy by leading all land conservation programming in close collaboration with TNC's freshwater, climate, and land management efforts. Managing a team of conservation experts, the Director of Resilient and Connected Lands will lead TNC's direct land conservation efforts in Vermont, as well as manage and advance the newly established VT Biodiversity Protection Fund which provides funding and support to strengthen the conservation ecosystem in Vermont. The Director of Resilient and Connected Lands will also oversee the chapter's resilient forest management efforts alongside the Director of Stewardship and collaborate closely on cross-functional freshwater and climate efforts. They will collaborate with other TNC chapters to scale land conservation and resilient forest management solutions for northern Appalachian Forest ecosystems. This position will represent TNC on multi-disciplinary/multi-partner project teams and collaborate and build partnerships with federal and state agencies, towns, regional and local land trusts, as well as private landowners. The position will help develop innovative scientific and financing methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address natural system needs, engage local community support for local conservation efforts, and negotiate complex and innovative solutions and projects with partners. The position is located at the Montpelier Vermont office with the option to work a hybrid work schedule as negotiated with their supervisor. The position will require frequent and regular travel throughout the state and occasional travel within New England and North America.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU

Responsibilities and Scope

• Implements the land conservation components of the VT Chapter's 2030 conservation strategy, developing, overseeing, and continuously improving conservation programs in support of this strategy
• Leads the VT Biodiversity Protection Fund, managing all grant-making processes as well as refining, developing, and advancing the nascent program
• Oversees VT's resilient forest management efforts
• Supervises a three person staff to implement land conservation and resilient forest management programs
• Collaborates closely with other programs, including freshwater and climate efforts, to coordinate and implement efforts to promote cross-functional impact
• Serves on the chapter's Conservation Strategy Team and Supervisory Team
• Provides technical science-based leadership on land conservation and climate-informed forest management to the VT chapter and the Appalachians Program of TNC
• Represents TNC in strategic partnerships, committees, public forums, and one-on-one landowner engagements
• Communicates complex conservation and climate issues to diverse (technical and non-technical) audiences, including professional presentations and media interviews.
• Supports fundraising for conservation work, including writing grant proposals for public and private funding
• Follows latest research and developments on conservation, resilient forest management, and natural climate solutions, promoting opportunities to implement these practices throughout VT and the region
• Identifies and promotes opportunities to scale TNC's work throughout the state and region
• Ensures program compliance with internal policies and external requirements, including annual monitoring and reporting
• May require frequent travel throughout VT and occasional travel throughout the region and rest of US
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• Bachelor's degree and 7-10 years' experience in conservation, ecology, environmental science, natural resource management or similar field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience developing, implementing, and monitoring conservation programming, including direct conservation through fee acquisitions and easements, as well as natural climate solutions and resilient forest management efforts
• Supervisory experience managing diverse teams, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance
• Experience with private and public funding, including communicating with funding partners, writing grant proposals, tracking and completing deliverables, and writing programmatic grant reports
• Experience building strong relationships across an organization and with partners such as nonprofit organizations, businesses, public agencies, donors, and/or volunteers
• Knowledge of, and experience working with, current trends and practices in conservation, natural climate solutions, and resilient forest management
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including managing finances and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners
• Demonstrated experience influencing, developing, and implementing conservation policy and plans including monitoring, evaluation, and learning
• Excellent written, spoken, and graphical communication in English including to the public.
• Experience using common software applications such as Microsoft Office: Outlook, Word, Excel; GPS, and/or similar applications
• Flexibility and innovative skillset for shaping a role in an evolving field
• Willingness to travel, including occasionally on evenings and weekends

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's or PHD
• Ability to develop practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes
• Self-starter with an eagerness to lead and develop a program, innovating new approaches
• Familiarity with best available social science and practices for community engagement and communication
• Experience with real estate and land acquisition and ability to structure and negotiate a deal
• Political acumen
• Knowledge of the natural history and ecosystems of the Northern Appalachians
• Understanding of diverse funding mechanisms including recent innovations with carbon markets and methodologies.
• Ability to develop practical applications of scientific concepts and technical and financial innovations for conservation purposes.

WHAT WE BRING

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We're proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports of the health and well-being of the people we employ.

AUTO SAFETY POLICY

This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC's Auto Safety Program.

Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/careers/recruitment/ under the FAQ section.

Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.

SALARY INFORMATION

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $90,000 - $100,000 for annual base salary. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate's actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

APPLY NOW

To apply for job ID 56454, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/. Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.

Our recruiting process is a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC's value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we're registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we're unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.

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