The Land Protection Project Manager will work closely with our Director of Land Protection and our Strategy Teams to identify, coordinate, and implement a portfolio of high-impact land protection and associated land conservation projects that advance our conservation priorities. These projects are essential to conserving native biodiversity in a changing world and provide critical ecosystem services such as flood-risk reduction, carbon sequestration, and maintenance of water quality.
As a key member of our conservation team, the Land Protection Project Manager will deploy land protection and associated tactics to help The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire materially contribute towards our organizational conservation goals. This includes working as an integral part of our Resilient and Connected Landscapes Strategy Team to increase the pace and scale with which we are protecting priority lands identified through TNC’s regional science and support other strategy teams focused on coastal and water resource conservation as needed. She/he will work closely with the Director of Land Protection to develop and complete a suite of high impact land protection and related conservation projects which include tasks such as landowner outreach, negotiation, project development, tracking, management, budgeting, grant writing, securing community support, due diligence, and project completion. She/he will support the Director of Land Protection in making strategic resource allocation decisions for annual planning and budgeting.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Project Development & Management
- Conduct landowner outreach in focal conservation areas, identify land protection opportunities, and develop the information needed to screen opportunities based on our strategic priorities.
- Develop project budgets including identifying public funding opportunities and liaising with TNC philanthropy staff to identify private fundraising needs and opportunities.
- In collaboration with relevant TNC staff, identify and evaluate the merits of a range of potential vehicles for long-term protection including fee and less-than-fee options.
- Negotiate land protection project terms, contracts and, where appropriate, develop conservation easement terms with landowners and partners.
- Develop and submit grant applications.
- Follow TNC protocols to solicit, negotiate and contract with vendors for appraisals, surveys, environmental hazard assessments, and other due diligence associated with land protection projects.
- Manage land protection projects to completion including TNC’s internal project review and database entry procedures.
- Strategy Refinement and Adaptive Management
- Through participation in NH Chapter Strategy Teams, help to identify the role of land protection as a tactic in meeting our conservation outcomes, and to evaluate and adapt our approaches based on the extent to which we are achieving these outcomes over time.
- Strategic Resource Allocation
- Support the Director of Land Protection in deploying our available resources to have maximum conservation impact, which includes tracking our portfolio of land protection opportunities, identifying key deliverables/milestones and developing timelines to allow management of multiple projects simultaneously, and effectively communicating with NH Chapter staff outside of the land protection team.
- Partnership Development
- Support the Director of Land Protection in maintaining and strengthening our conservation partnerships to increase the pace and scale with which we are helping others protect priority landscapes.
- 5 years’ experience in natural resource management or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience negotiating real estate agreements and demonstrated ability to bring negotiations and projects to closure.
- Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally.
- Experience using applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Web Browsers.
- Experience managing multiple projects and timelines.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
- Experience with drafting and interpreting conservation easement language.
- Ability to use ESRI GIS software to visualize spatial data.
- Knowledge of conservation practice and conservation science.
- Ability to explain conservation practices to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Knowledge of current trends and practices in conservation, land management, and natural resource preservation.
- Completing tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).
- Excellent communication skills via written, spoken and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
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.