The Deputy Director of Habitat Protection works closely with the Director of Habitat Protection to ensure excellence in the daily administration and execution of core habitat protection programs in MN, ND, and SD. You would join a team of nine other real estate professionals who cover the third largest geography of all TNC US state-based programs. We work closely with partners and field staff to implement a wide variety of conservation programs throughout our three-states’ grasslands, forests, and freshwater systems. Our real estate team is annually deploying approximately $3m - $5m in transactional work, higher in some years.
The Deputy Director provides technical leadership and support to the MN, ND, SD Chapter’s habitat protection team by planning, developing, and implementing conservation strategies, employing a full range of protection tools to acquire varying degrees of legal interest in land and implementing a variety of strategies to secure public and private support for TNC conservation priorities. They will coordinate day-to-day administration of the Habitat Protection team in MN/ND/SD, ensuring continued excellence in existing programs and coordination with other chapter programs. The Deputy Director will work to gain and maintain cooperation from outside parties to accomplish program goals. They will ensure program compliance with internal policies and external requirements. The Deputy Director will lead development of new programmatic dashboards/measures of success and work to implement and manage around these new measures. They will administer TNC’s Reinvest-in-Minnesota, Critical Habitat Match partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, securing internal approvals for all appropriate investments. The Deputy Director may travel frequently, up to 25% time, sometimes for extended periods, on short notice. This is a full-time regular position with benefits.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Manage 3-5 multi-disciplinary administrative and professional staff, with responsibility for performance management, training and career development.
- Recruit, onboard, and manage 3-5 talent mobility staff from throughout The Nature Conservancy to provide for as-needed assistance for projects that exceed core team capacity.
- Other programmatic responsibilities as developed and assigned which may include, but are not limited to:
- Completing real estate transactions
- Landowner outreach
- Grant management
- Development of new habitat protection programs
- Develop a plan and launch a program to strategically build the capacity of key partners
- Work with other TNC colleagues to strategically take TNC’s Protection Learning Network to the next level
- Financial responsibility may include working within/managing a budget to complete projects, negotiating and contracting with vendors, assisting with budget development and administration.
- Works with minimal supervision, makes independent decisions based on analysis, experience and context.
- Experience negotiating complex agreements.
- Supervisory experience.
- Fluency in English both spoken and written.
- Experience using applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Web Browsers
- Experience with principles of land acquisition.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural experience appreciated.
- Knowledge of current trends and practices in conservation, land management, and natural resource preservation.
- Proven experience completing fee title and conservation easement acquisitions.
- Demonstrated experience and ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, including rural landowners, the public, corporate executives, volunteers, staff of governmental agencies, and scientists in both written and verbal communications.
- An unwavering attention to detail complemented by an ability to keep focused on the big picture.
- A relentless drive for excellence.
- Well-developed project management skills.
- Master’s degree in a related field.
- Knowledge of habitat types in MN, ND, and SD.
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.