The Climate Adaptation Strategy Lead oversees, and is responsible for, strategy development and implementation of The Nature Conservancy’s Climate Adaptation strategy in North America. The Lead provides vision, thought and strategic leadership for promoting the use of nature-based solutions to create long-term resilience for communities impacted by the effects of a changing climate. Through the application of innovative nature-based solutions, science, partnerships and financing mechanisms, they play a lead role in fundraising and communications, as well as a relationship lead to relevant internal and external partners, both private and public. The Lead establishes overall adaptation goals and sets priorities to maximize contributions to the Conservancy’s Shared Conservation Agenda. They work across TNC business units and departments to guide design and implementation of the program across North America.
The Climate Adaptation Strategy Lead establishes the Conservancy as a leading organization in developing innovative and actionable nature-based solutions that can enhance resilience of communities facing climate change driven threats. They develop key partnerships with public and private organizations, corporations, agencies, foundations, private donors and other stakeholders and play a leading role in donor identification, cultivation and stewardship. They lead and manage a large team, often without direct supervisory responsibilities, including cross-functional team members, to develop, strengthen and implement cutting edge strategies and advance key projects and initiatives across the Conservancy to achieve system-level adaptation outcomes at scales that matter. The Lead defines adaptation policy and science priorities, builds strategic, scientific and technical capacity in the field, identifies and disseminates best practices, and provides analyses to measure success and promote results-based management. They engage key influential support for local, regional, and national conservation efforts and negotiate complex and innovative solutions with government agencies, major institutions, and stakeholders at system level.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Responsible for leading the Conservancy’s North America Climate Adaptation contributions to the Share Conservation Agenda by increasing the role of nature-based solutions in building community ecosystem-based resilience to the impacts of climate change.
- Geographic size and scope is that of a larger, complex business unit and/or a program that requires cross-boundary work and excellent facilitation and relationship building/managing skills.
- Leads and manages, without direct authority, multi-disciplinary and cross-functional teams, including working closely across multiple business units and staff at the divisional and regional level.
- Incorporates cross- disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives.
- Designs, implements, and guides complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs and coordinating the work of other professionals, inside and outside the organization. Incorporates cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives.
- Builds strong external and internal partnerships focused on science, policy, opinion and industry leaders, other NGOs and foundations.
- Collaborates with fundraising staff to fundraise for key projects and priorities and plays a leading role in donor identification and cultivation.
- Collaborates with North America communications team to create compelling marketing materials and stories and leverage conservation progress and innovations in national and international media.
- Accountable for developing program budget, active fundraising, direct overseeing, execution and addressing finance issues and gaps in coordination with North America finance team.
- Writes requests for proposal (RFPs) for grant/contract funding for program priorities and North America Climate Adaptation work as a whole.
- Highly diversified work involves participation in the formulation and evaluation of broad policies and/or long-term programs, or making decisions, which typically have broad organizational impact.
- Makes independent strategic decisions frequently based on analysis, ambiguous information, experience and context.
- Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading with visioning, facilitation, setting objectives and managing without direct reporting lines.
- May require frequent travel domestically and/or internationally and evening and weekend hours.
- 12 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
- Experience designing, implementing, and directing complex or multiple projects of strategic importance, including managing finances, supervising multidisciplinary professionals and coordinating the work of partners while meeting deadlines.
- Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions.
- Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
- Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
- Experience networking with high level conservation contacts.
- Experience working with methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives.
- Experience conceiving and implementing strategic and creative initiatives.
- Experience negotiating.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree and 15 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Demonstrated record crafting and driving system level change.
- Developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for adaptation and conservation purposes.
- Knowledge of methods and standards of climate adaptation, biodiversity information systems, climate and adaptation policy, and experience in local, state or federal initiatives conceiving and implementing adaptation.
- Demonstrated record of communicating clearly and profusely via written, spoken, and graphical means.
- Politically and policy savvy.
- Multi- lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience in climate adaptation appreciated.
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.