Regional Vice President, Manitoba (RVP-MB)

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Job Title: Regional Vice President, Manitoba (RVP-MB)
Reports to: Vice President Regional Operations (VPRO)
Location: Manitoba’s Regional Office is in Winnipeg, with an additional office in Brandon

Purpose and General Description:

The Regional Vice President is responsible for leading the Manitoba regional program of The Nature Conservancy of Canada.  The RVP-MB will:

• Communicate a compelling vision that generates excitement, enthusiasm and commitment to NCC’s mission;
• Raise capital, endowment and operating funds;
• Ensure that the program has the capacity to effectively conserve priority natural areas in the province;
• Develop and implement short and long-range plans in support of NCC’s strategic and business plans consistent with the mission of protecting and managing biological diversity;
• Carry out land protection and management objectives;
• Direct the ongoing activities of regional staff.
• Work with the Manitoba Regional Board to enhance profile and program objectives.

As a senior manager within NCC the RVP-MB has direct responsibility for leading Manitoba operations. As well, the RVP-MB participates in organizational decision-making including contributing to strategic planning, participating in senior staff meetings, providing advice and counsel to the VPRO and President, and building relationships for NCC.

Key Objectives:

• Strategically build NCC operations in Manitoba by implementing growing and successful conservation programs, and by developing NCC’s relationships with major donors, partners and within the conservation community;
• Provide leadership to raising $17.5 m over the next 5 years;
• Provide effective leadership and management to staff and organize administration to maximize operating efficiencies;
• Work diligently to foster a ‘One Conservancy’ ethic and approach within Manitoba staff and across the organization.

Work effectively with Manitoba regional board to enhance fundraising and conservation programs.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership for NCC's conservation activities in Manitoba;
• Raise funds for general operations, conservation projects and endowment, including soliciting major gifts and acquiring, retaining and developing high-end donors;
• Prepare and implement annual regional business plans to achieve NCC’s strategic plan.
• Direct conservation planning and reporting at multiple scales including Conservation Blueprints, priority Natural Area Conservation Plans, Interim Stewardship Statements, Property Management Plans, Baseline Documentation Reports (for easements), and annual compliance monitoring;
• Direct strategic protection of significant natural areas through the use of expert resources and the full range of protection tools, including conservation easements and acquisitions;
• Direct management of important elements of natural biodiversity on NCC lands and other lands of concern to NCC, and ensure all lands for which NCC has legal responsibility are appropriately managed;
• Involve local, provincial, and regional programs of federal government agencies where necessary and useful in the accomplishment of NCC's mission;
• Develop and maintain broad public support from all sectors for the protection of biological diversity in the province;
• Assist in developing and maintaining an effective Regional Board, providing staff support for the Board, and liaising and formulating plans with the Board;
• Operate within, and assure compliance with, the policies of the Regional and National Boards and the operating policies and procedures of the President, or his delegate; develop written procedures and policies for regional activities and ensure compliance;
• Oversee NCC’s regional staffing activities including the hiring, retention, development and training of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Oversee the management and reporting of financial resources, ensuring regional controls and reporting mechanisms are in place and standards are adhered to;
• Oversee the review and coordination of all regional proposals for accuracy, consistency and compliance with funding requirements;
• Approve, within the authority delegated by the President and the VPRO, contracts, agreements, project commitments and expenditures on behalf of NCC;
• Promote NCC to potential supporters and the general public, and represent NCC and its interests in the region to landowners, the media, the general public, government agencies and ministries, other nonprofit organizations, individual donors, foundations, corporations and suppliers.

Skill Requirements:

You are a well-rounded professional with an employment background or strong interest in the environment, conservation, or natural sciences.  You are an excellent salesperson and communicator for NCC, with a personal desire to focus on external activities, such as developing relationships and raising money. You are also comfortable with leading, managing and delegating to staff, and with project and financial management.  You appreciate and understand the dynamics of working with a Board of Directors and can work well with volunteers at all levels. A proven leader, you bring well-developed leadership skills and management experience at a senior level, and have demonstrated this through the successful management of a multi-disciplinary team. 

Leadership:

• Communicate with genuine passion and knowledge a compelling vision that generates excitement, enthusiasm and commitment to NCC’s mission;
• Think outside the box; identify and solve cross-functional problems; always consider external impact;
• Foster collaboration among teams as well as among team members; use teams to address relevant issues;
• Set a good ‘can do’ example; ensure that others buy into the team mission, goals, agenda, climate, tone and policy;
• Use team dynamics to maximize efforts;
• Contribute to development of staff; provide advice and counsel as appropriate;
• Understand what is worth changing and what is not.

Relationship Building:

• Understand underlying issues, other people’s underlying problems and the reasons for someone’s ongoing or long-term feelings, behaviors or concerns;
• Work with a long-term perspective to address donor or business partner problems, perhaps trading off immediate costs for the sake of the long-term relationship; look for long-term benefits for both the donor and NCC, balance donor needs with organizational objectives;
• Activate diverse people and groups to work together and optimize results.

Communication:

• Comfortably speak to business partners outside own area of expertise; speak effectively to a broad, general audience and to all levels of the organization;
• Assert ideas, persuade others and gain support from others; negotiate effectively and with confidence; seek win-win solutions;
• Understand perspectives of listeners, tailor communications for specific groups;
• Bring others into the communications process to gain support for and ownership of ideas;
• Express complex or abstract ideas, values, and vision clearly; adjust communication style to the audience;
• Constantly create an atmosphere in which timely and high quality information flows smoothly;
• Listen to and communicate effectively with staff.

Management:

• Leverage an in-depth knowledge of the business, its objectives and strategies, and a general knowledge of major management disciplines (e.g. finance, marketing, organizational behavior) to optimize operations;
• Project a “can do” attitude, be optimistic, enthusiastic, committed to action;
• Consistently set sights on key business development issues and actions; push yourself and others to develop focused and effective plans;
• Identify and analyze relevant data and then define critical issues and alternatives; often seeing things others miss;
• Adopt best practices from other partners as benchmarks for improving NCC activities;
• Work effectively with different functional groups and levels of management.

To apply:

If you are interested in making a difference to conservation in Manitoba, please e-mail your résume and cover letter to careers@natureconservancy.ca. Please type the following in the subject line of your email: Regional Vice President, Manitoba

We thank everyone who applies for their interest in the Nature Conservancy of Canada; however only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.