As the Program Lead for India’s Freshwater Program we seek an applied scientist or practitioner to provide technical, strategy and managerial leadership to our emerging freshwater work in India and serve as the principal contact to government agencies, other conservation organizations, and the academic community. The Program Lead will help make the Conservancy a major conservation partner in India, define conservation priorities, lead and manage teams and participate as a team member in a global, matrixed organization.
The person in this role utilizes advanced techniques, modification and practices to provide technical and scientific support and leadership as a subject matter expert (SME) for conservation initiatives in planning and other activities and measures of conservation success. S/he formulates and conducts systematic problem area resolution of considerable scope and complexity. The person builds strategic, scientific, and technical capacity in the field and collaborates with other scientists, practitioners and institutions to enhance Conservancy practices. We seek someone with specific expertise in water management, water policy, watershed protection and/or water infrastructure.
The Program Lead develops key partnerships with public & private organizations in order to identify and resolve technical issues and to widely communicate solutions and best practices, develops innovative scientific methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address the natural system needs, and engages local community support for local conservation efforts. S/he negotiates complex and innovative solutions with government agencies, corporations, and local partners to conserve and protect natural communities and develops and implements conservation strategies
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Conceive and implement strategic initiatives.
- Acts as a technical liaison within and outside of the organization.
- Collaborates with a wide range of partners to identify projects, associated research needs, present technical concepts and support fieldwork.
- Provides training for internal and external colleagues on ecological and conservation scientific principles.
- Supports program objectives by working in a complex matrix organization environment.
- Participate and/or lead a cross functional team.
- Establishes and maintains optimal performance standards within budget.
- Manage grants, contracts, and writes requests for proposals.
- Interprets guidelines, evaluates information and modifies processes to adapt to changing circumstances for the program.
- Provides a variety of information to staff and others, contributing to conservation projects and ensuring workflow.
- Frequently makes independently strategic decision based on analysis, ambiguous information and judgment.
- Negotiates complex agreements, in a political environment.
- May be responsible for leading or co-leading a whole system program.
- Frequent travel domestically and/or internationally, evening and weekend hours.
- May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.
- Resolve large-scale, complex problems through systematic and thorough studies.
- Manage program staff and has responsibility for performance management, development and objectives.
- Responsible for all financial management aspects of a program/project.
- Persuasively convey the mission of TNC to diverse groups including major donors, corporate executives, board members and others critical to the organizational overall prosperity.
- Supervisory experience, including motivating, coaching, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
- Experience building relationships.
- Experience conducting original research and publishing in peer reviewed scientific journals.
- Experience fundraising and/or writing grants and research proposals.
- Experience designing, organizing and directing complex multiple projects of strategic importance and leading a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience synthesizing and integrating research findings and lessons learned.
- Experience communicating and presenting next steps and strategy to senior management.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-language skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
- Strong knowledge of common software applications.
- Ability to diagnose complex problems and identify solutions.
- Ability to operate within budget guidelines to ensure sound financial performance.
- Proven negotiation skills.
- Ability to formulate and evaluate broad policies.
- Ability to make independent decisions based on incomplete or ambiguous information and accepts associated risks.
- Strong strategic thinker and advanced analytical ability.
- Ability to develop work plans and project budgets.
- Ability to network extensively in scientific communities and maintain strong relationships.