| 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 Indigenous Strategy Coordinator oversees all aspects of staff management, strategy development and implementation, science, and partner relations for the indigenous work of the Amazon Conservation Program. This may include one or more of the following functions:
• Establishes the Conservancy as a major conservation partner within area of responsibility
• Defines conservation priorities and budget allocation in the area of responsibility
• Leads and manages team of 5 people which supports and improves conservation efforts
• Builds strategic and technical capacity in the field
• Develops key partnerships with public agencies, in particular those that deal with indigenous issues, and private non-government organizations (especially local, national and regional indigenous organizations) in order to identify and resolve technical issues and to widely communicate solutions and best practices
• Negotiates complex and innovative solutions with government agencies and indigenous groups to conserve and protect natural communities
• Develops and implements conservation strategies
• Oversees general project management in Brazil (Amapá, Roraima, Acre, public policies, training initiatives) and Venezuela (Canaima)
• Supports project development and implementation in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia
• Develops proposal for funding opportunities provided by different agencies and foundations
• Supports private fundraising by participating on donors visits and stewardship events | | BASIC QUALIFICATIONS | | • BA/BS degree in biology, anthropology or related fields
• Experience with fundraising, especially proposal writing and reporting
• 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 | | In Latin America TNC is organized into 5 conservation programs: Atlantic Forest/Central Savannas, Southern Andes, North Andes/Southern Central America, Mexico/Northen Central America and Amazon. We develop actions in partnerships with non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies and the private sector.
The Amazon Conservation Program, through its Indigenous Lands Strategy and together with partners, aims to strengthen the contribution of the indigenous lands network in the Amazon to sustainable development and conservation. To reach this goal we focus our actions on three major components, i) work in pilot sites to implement on-the-ground indigenous territorial management programs, ii) indigenous capacity building, and iii) public policies and sustainable finance for indigenous and environmental issues. We currently implement projects under the Indigenous Lands Strategy in Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru, which are funded by government agencies, foundations and private sources.
The TNC Amazon Conservation Program is seeking to hire a Coordinator to manage its Indigenous Lands Strategy, including staff supervision, project management and execution, fundraising and development of partner relationships.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
• Demonstrated experience influencing, developing and implementing conservation policy and plans
• Knowledge of current trends and practices regarding the Amazon and indigenous peoples
• Knowledge of carbon market mechanisms (such as REDD) is an asset
• Developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes
• Field experience with indigenous groups in the Amazon
• Motivating team members, setting goals, and leading efforts
• Delivering practical, adaptable products and services to customers
• Knowledge of politics, policies, and society in general with respect to environmental and indigenous affairs
• Managing time and diverse activities under deadlines while delivering quality results
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in Portuguese and English
• Proficient knowledge of Spanish is an advantage
• 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 and or indigenous contacts; political savvy.
• Proven interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Master’s degree is an asset.
COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING:
• Negotiates complex agreements, sometimes in political environments
• Develops and implements creative ideas to improve overall performance in conservation strategies
• 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 indigenous organizations, conservation partners, government officials and donors, 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 Indigenous Strategy Coordinator 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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