| Description |
| | | The Nature Conservancy is the world’s leading conservation organization, working in all 50 states and more than 33 countries. Founded in 1951, the mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. | | ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS | | The Forests and Climate Strategy Coordinator will be to coordinate and supervise a team and lead a major pilot demonstration program for REDD in Para State, working with the local government sponsors, the TNC conservation programs in Brazil, LAR’s Forest Carbon Program, TNC’s global climate team and other external partners. In addition, the Forests and Climate strategy coordinator will provide advice and support to another selected REDD pilot demonstration program in Mato Grosso State and other initiatives in the Amazon. The Forests and Climate strategy coordinator will report to the TNC Eastern Amazon Conservation Program Manager. This may include one or more of the following functions:
• Establishes the Conservancy as a major conservation partner within area of responsibility
• Leads and manages team which supports and improves conservation efforts
• Builds strategic, scientific, and technical capacity in the field
• Develops innovative scientific methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address the natural system needs
• Engages local community support for local conservation efforts
• Negotiates complex and innovative solutions with government agencies and landowners to conserve and protect natural communities
• Contribute to Brazil, U.S. and international REDD policy development and advocacy, in coordination with TNC central climate policy team and XA in Brazil.
• Contribute to fundraising for TNC’s REDD activities, in coordination with TNC staff responsible for climate philanthropic fundraising, public funding, and corporate partnerships.
• Supervise and manage a team (2-4) working on Forests and Climate in the Amazon Conservation Program
• Lead the design and integration of a REDD pilot program in Para State:
? The key elements of a REDD program include i) the conservation strategies to reduce deforestation/emissions, ii) carbon accounting, iii) financial aspects such as institutional and governance structure, sources and uses of funding, benefit sharing and iv) overall project design and integration
? Conservation strategies for the pilot will be led by the Amazon Program conservation team
? Carbon accounting will be led by TNC central and field staff, and external partners
? As Para REDD Lead this position will be responsible for:
? Financial, legal and institutional aspects of the REDD project
? Design and integration of a coherent approach to ensure all elements work effectively together for a successful project.
• Provide strategic advice and support on REDD issues to:
? the partner organizations leading and contributing to the development of the pilot demonstration effort in Mato Grosso
? the States of Para and Mato Grosso, and as appropriate the National Government of Brazil, regarding readiness plans, strategies, policies and measures, legal frameworks and other issues which may benefit from the experience of the Para pilot project. This will be undertaken in coordination with the TNC external affairs staff in Brazil.
? the TNC indigenous reserves program. | | BASIC QUALIFICATIONS | | • M.B.A. or other relevant professional degree and 6 month of experience with project and program development with corporations, management consulting firms, financial services firms, NGOs, or government entities.
• Experience with certain aspects of fundraising: identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation (if required).
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including managing finances and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners.
• Experience in partnership development (partners, community, government, etc.). | | ADDITIONAL JOB INFORMATION | | REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
• Commitment to the mission and values of The Nature Conservancy, and preferably with experience in environmental conservation, sustainable development issues, climate mitigation initiatives, and/or REDD
• Ability to lead and manage a distributed cross-functional team, including individuals with whom the lead does not have line management authority
• Outstanding analytical and project management capabilities.
• Demonstrated experience influencing, developing and implementing conservation policy and plans
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and regions
• Developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes
• Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives
• Motivating team members, setting goals, and leading efforts
• Delivering practical, adaptable products and services to customers
• Knowledge of politics and society with respect to environmental affairs
• Managing time and diverse activities under deadlines while delivering quality results
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and Portuguese
• Demonstrated experience in fundraising
• Successful experience in developing, directing and managing multiple projects.
• Demonstrated success as an inspirational manager who has successfully motivated staff to achieve and sustain excellence.
• Demonstrated leadership and visionary qualities and able to work effectively with and through others in a decentralized and geographically dispersed organization.
• Successful experience in partnership development (partners, community, government, etc) including extensive networking with high-level conservation contacts; political savvy.
• Proven interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.
COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING:
• Negotiates complex agreements, sometimes in political environments
• Develops and implements creative ideas to improve overall performance in conservation strategies
• Formulates, evaluates, and decides broad organizational policies and long-term programs
• Resolves complex issues involving multiple program areas independently
• Anticipates, diagnoses, and resolves complex problems and identifies creative solutions
• Interprets guidelines, evaluates information, and modifies processes to adapt to changing circumstances
• Manages and prioritizes tasks from multiple sources
• Designs, implements, and directs complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs and coordinating the work of other professionals, inside and outside the organization. Incorporates cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives
DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING:
• Ensures program accountability and legal compliance
• Consults peers to review own work
• Assesses decisions’ potential impact on colleagues’ work, public image, scientific credibility, and financial and legal standings
• Makes decisions based on incomplete or ambiguous information and accepts associated risks
• Makes independent strategic decisions frequently based on analysis, experience, and judgment
RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT – FINANCIAL AND SUPERVISORY:
• Supervises staff at remote locations
• Establishes and maintains optimal performance standards within budget
• Develops and administers budgets and ensures sound financial performance
• Writes requests for proposal (RFPs) for grant/contract funding for program
• Judges talent, assesses staff’s strengths and weaknesses, creates strong morale and team spirit, and motivates individuals and teams toward desirable results
• Recruits, retains and manages high quality and effective staff
• Supervises work inside and outside organization
• Sets financial goals, evaluates return on investment, and develops corrective strategies to improve future results
• Supervises staff
• May need to gain cooperation from outside parties to accomplish program goals
• May negotiate and contract with vendors
• Develops long-term strategies and achieves strategic goals and objectives
• Communicates strategic project goals and objectives
• Using common software applications (e.g.; Word, Excel, Web browsers)
COMMUNICATIONS/INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS:
• May need to gain cooperation from outside parties to accomplish program goals
• Negotiates complex agreements
• Works effectively under pressure
• Diffuses tension among colleagues comfortably
• Builds cooperative relationships and collaborates with diverse groups, including land owners, conservation partners, government officials, donors, board members, and the general public, to recruit support for the Conservancy and publicize Conservancy efforts
• Commands attention, changes tactics midstream as necessary, and manages group processes during presentations or discussions
• May speak with and in front of varied audiences on scientific topics and the Conservancy’s mission
• Collaborates with a wide range of people
• Produces results in a team environment
• May develop and present proposals to achieve program goals
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT:
The Program Director II may work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. These conditions may:
• require occasional physical exertion and/or muscular strain
• present occasional possibility of injury
• require long hours in isolated settings
This position may also:
• require frequent travel domestically and/or internationally
• require evening and weekend hours | | BENEFITS | | The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 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. |
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