IMPORTANT: This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders. Other applicants need not apply.
The OHIO BIRD CONSERVATION PROGRAM MANAGER is responsible for an Ohio based program to address conservation issues that affect migratory birds. The primary geographic focus of the program is in the western basin of Lake Erie, but the program manager will also be responsible for advancing conservation of high priority migratory bird species throughout Ohio, the Great Lakes, and the Americas. This position reports to the Ohio Great Lakes Program Director and coordinates efforts with other Conservancy staff worldwide. This position requires strategic leadership as well as application of various conservation tools, including planning and implementation, across Great Lakes ecosystems in the United States and Canada. The position involves working across state, national, and geographical boundaries and requires the ability to work with, and influence, others in leadership positions both within and outside of the Conservancy. The Program Manager administers the multi-faceted migratory bird program by providing leadership and working collaboratively with partner organizations, staff, landowners, corporations, donors, and government agencies. He/she is required to build partnerships inside and outside of The Nature Conservancy and to proactively encourage the adoption of innovative range-wide avian conservation strategies among these partners.
• Establishes the Conservancy in Ohio as a major bird conservation partner in the Great Lakes region
• Implements program strategies that support and advance the Conservancy’s goals for migratory bird conservation in the Great Lakes Region and other Regions
• Builds strategic, scientific, and technical capacity in and among Conservancy staff and partners
• Develops key partnerships with public and private organizations in order to identify and resolve migratory bird conservation priorities and to widely communicate solutions and best practices
• Provides information to TNC staff , public agencies, and other partners on issues that may influence decisions that affect conservation of migratory birds and their habitats
• Utilizes innovative scientific methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address avian conservation needs
• Engages local community support for local conservation efforts
• Negotiates complex and innovative solutions with government agencies and landowners to conserve and protect migratory birds and their habitats
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
• BA/BS degree and 5 years experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including staffing, workloads, and finances under deadlines.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Supervisory experience.
PREFERRED ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
• Expertise in avian ecology highly desirable
• Experience influencing, developing and implementing conservation plans at broad geographic scales
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in bird conservation
• Ability to apply practical scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes
• Demonstrated leadership qualities and able to work effectively with and through others in a decentralized and geographically dispersed organization
• Experience in partnership development
• Proven interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills
• Demonstrated experience in writing grant proposals and managing funds from public and private sources
COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING:
• Interprets guidelines, evaluates information, and modifies processes to adapt to changing circumstances
• Manages and prioritizes tasks from multiple sources
• Designs, implements, and directs a complex and diverse project, encompassing multiple programs, and coordinates the work of other professionals, inside and outside the organization. Incorporates cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives
• Negotiates complex agreements, sometimes in political environments
• Develops and implements creative approaches to improve overall results of conservation strategies
DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING:
• Ensures program accountability and legal compliance
• Consults peers for review of program and performance
• 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 judgement
RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT – FINANCIAL & SUPERVISORY:
• Responsible for operating within budget guidelines to ensure sound financial performance. Develop and administer program budget and has authority to modify budget based on changing circumstances.
• Creates strong morale and team spirit, and motivates individuals and teams toward desirable results
• May negotiate and contract with vendors; supervises their work and ensures product completion
• Responsible for ensuring that public and private funds are raised to meet program needs
• Develops long-term strategies and achieves strategic goals and objectives
• Builds cooperation from outside parties to accomplish program goals
COMMUNICATIONS/INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS:
• 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 migratory bird conservation and publicize efforts
• Commands attention and manages group processes during presentations or discussions
• Speaks with varied audiences on scientific and avian conservation topics, and the Conservancy’s mission
• Ability to establish excellent working relationships with outside partners, state/local/federal agencies, land managers, private landowners and the academic community
• Work effectively in high-tension situations and maintain composure under pressure. Diffuses high-tension situations comfortably
• Work and communicate effectively with a diverse group of people, including scientists, preserve staff, and others, providing and obtaining needed information
• Ability to articulate lessons learned regarding conservation initiative successes and failures
• Ability to simplify and explain complex scientific concepts to general audiences
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT:
The Ohio Bird Conservation Program Manager 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
TO APPLY:
To apply, please complete an online application at www.nature.org/careers. Please submit resume and cover letter as one document. Application deadline: October 15, 2008
