This is an exciting opportunity to play a leadership role in strengthening The Nature Conservancy Canada Program’s collaboration with indigenous communities in three regions of Canada and, in particular, to lead a solid program that supports the development of community leaders and strong local autonomy. TNC is an international conservation not-for-profit organization whose mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Based on the theory of collective action, developed by the late Elinor Ostrom and colleagues, a primary focus of the Canada program’s work is supporting the development of a stream of leaders and their efforts to assert their rights and authority over resource management in indigenous, place-based communities. The program’s current geographic emphasis is in the coast of British Columbia (sometimes referred to as the Great Bear Rainforest), the Northwest Territories, and the boreal forest, particularly in Manitoba. Additionally, the program is part of the Conservancy’s Emerald Edge project, a conservation initiative that extends from the coast of Washington State, through BC and into Southeast Alaska; this project is also implementing initiatives aimed at supporting leadership development and local autonomy.
The existing programmatic emphasis of TNC’s Canada program is on: leadership development, for youth through the community-led SEAS Initiative (Supporting Emerging Aboriginal Stewardswww.nature.org/seas) and more broadly through targeted support of local indigenous organizations focused on this topic; development of existing leaders through support of indigenous ranger programs such as Coastal Guardian Watchmen; development of peer learning opportunities both within Canada and globally; and support of various opportunities that strengthen local autonomy. Within the Emerald Edge, there is an emphasis on supporting the development of business leaders through entrepreneurship and on creating peer learning and networking opportunities across this coastal geography. The primary work of the Advisor will be to build on these initial efforts to develop a robust and effective program designed and implemented with strong leadership from indigenous community partners.
The Advisor will work with TNC staff in the three geographies (the coast of British Columbia, Northwest Territories, and the Boreal Forest) and be responsible for leading development of approaches for TNC to support or spark community efforts to support existing leaders; to identify and foster future leaders; and to strengthen community authority over natural resource management. To develop and retain a deep understanding of how to best partner with indigenous communities, as a large NGO, in ways that strengthen local program ownership and durability and respect indigenous rights, the Advisor will be directly responsible for implementing at least one program with one community; in addition, the role will work with the geographic leads of TNC and community members.
