The Coastal Project Director (CPD) works with a team of scientists, policy practitioners, real estate professionals and others to develop and implement strategies for protecting California’s coast in the face of sea level rise. The CPD oversees all aspects of protection, science, stewardship and community relations for coastal adaptation demonstration projects in partnership with California’s most powerful coastal land-owners and managers, serving as the principal contact to specific government agencies, other conservation organizations, foundations and the academic community. Provides leadership and support for TNC’s conservation planning work and helps to establish overall conservation priorities in California’s Coastal Zone.
The Coastal Project Director provides technical and strategic support to the California Coastal Program. The CPD establishes the Conservancy as a major conservation partner within the California coastal management community, defines conservation priorities along the coast, and builds strategic, scientific, and technical capacity in the field. The Coastal Project Director develops and implements key partnerships with public & private organizations to identify best practices for coastal land use and management in the face of sea level rise, and to widely communicate solutions and best practices. The CPD works within a matrixed team to develop innovative scientific methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address the needs of coastal ecosystems in the face of sea level rise, and engages the support of diverse local communities. This person also negotiates complex and innovative transactional and management solutions with government agencies and landowners to conserve and protect natural coastal habitat.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Geographic scope is California’s coast, with specific projects focusing on more discrete geographies.
- Establishes and maintains optimal performance standards within budget.
- Writes requests for proposal (RFPs) for grant/contract funding for projects, maintains project budgets, and reports on grant outcomes.
- Frequently makes independently strategic decision based on analysis, ambiguous information and context.
- Frequent travel domestically, occasional evening and weekend hours.
- Builds cooperation from outside parties to accomplish program goals.
- Negotiates complex agreements in a political environment.
- Broadly communicates project goals and outcomes within TNC, to strategic partners, and – where appropriate – with the public.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including managing finances and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners.
- Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
- Experience negotiating.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
- 7-10 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
- Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation
- Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with high-level government agency partners toward specific project goals.
- Experience using science (ecological, geological and/or economic) to influence decision-making, and to develop and implement policy.
- Ability to develop practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
- Knowledge of current trends and practices in U.S. coastal conservation and climate change, and specific knowledge of California’s coastal policy context.
- Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English.
- Demonstrated experience in fundraising.
- Politically savvy and experienced in partnership development (partners, community, government).
- Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives or related field.