About Forterra
Forterra’s mission is to secure places—urban, rural, and wild—that are keystones of a sustainable future for all. From wildlands and working farms and forests, to places in the city for affordable housing, parks and the arts, we work simultaneously across all landscapes because they are interconnected. And ultimately people and lands must all thrive together. To achieve this mission, Forterra works with regional partners and stakeholders to engage in community visioning, planning, policy work, economic development, recreation initiatives, and conservation—all with the aim of making land conservation work for our communities. Forterra also draws on its real estate expertise to help urban communities accommodate new growth while maintaining a high quality of life for all residents.
Position Summary
The Managing Director is the Conservation Transactions vertical team leader, managing work in the essential areas of project inquiries, project research, negotiation, underwriting, risk management, grant writing and closings. The Managing Director delegates work according to the needs of each Transaction and the qualifications of the vertical team.
The Conservation Transactions vertical within the Transactions Team works relentlessly to conserve wild, forest, working forest and farm lands with a goal of conserving, on average, more than 10,000 acres per year. The Managing Director is expected to bring an anti-racism and DEI lens to all of their work and to progress their team’s work towards empowerment of the disenfranchised communities of Western Washington.
The Managing Director leads the Conservation Transactions vertical with an active focus on mentoring their reports in all of the areas described above, with a special focus on underwriting, seller negotiation and risk management for transactions large and small. The Managing Director leads or actively delegates all Conservation Transactions negotiations, creating consensus around terms and conditions with sellers and ensuring that seller expectations are set correctly and managed at all times as transactions change and evolve.
The Managing Director is responsible for managing Directors, Program Managers, Senior Project Managers and others, all of whom may in turn manage the vertical’s administration including developing and implementing efficient protocols, keeping program records, managing project budgets, and coordinating transactions activities with other teams including Innovations, Stewardship, Green Cities, Communications & Philanthropy.
The Managing Director creates, maintains and delegates as appropriate, relationships with for profit and non profit partners, local government, state leaders and agencies, tribes, and local community leaders to generate opportunities to advance Forterra’s programs and conservation goals. The Managing Director works closely with Forterra’s Legal and Finance teams, other Managing Directors within the Transactions Team.
Essential Functions
- Work with the VP Transactions, Conservation Transactions Directors and other vertical team members to strategize and build external relationships and partnerships with local and state governments, other non-profits and Tribes to develop income-generating conservation projects.
- Develop underwriting tools and processes within the vertical, for active mitigation of risk associated with individual transactions.
- Identify and negotiate new sources of conservation funding beyond those already used by the vertical team.
- Designate high-level negotiating goals and complete preliminary, formalized underwriting with the VP Transactions prior to acquisitions.
- Negotiate with landowners, stakeholders, project partners, and funding agencies to develop an optimal conservation and financial strategy for each proposed project, working to meet multiple objectives and needs of the involved parties.
- Ensure that reports and team members order, track, and review title reports or review such documentation for accuracy, completeness, and consistency; conduct land transaction due diligence and perform title research and work with legal counsel to analyze and resolve title issues; research, write and submit applications for funding to appropriate public and private funding sources; work with team members and Development/Marketing/GIS departments to create maps and outreach materials to promote individual projects or campaigns; assist with research and analysis on a variety of potential projects, including zoning and land use analysis.
- Supervise Conservation Transactions team members on meeting the Conservation Transactions Vertical budget.
- Regularly update the VP Transactions on the status of individual transactions and any risks associated therewith.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Director Conservation Transactions (100%)
- Director Chehalis Basin, Conservation Transactions (25% – Chehalis Basin conservation work only)
- Program Manager, Conservation Transactions (50% – Chehalis Basin conservation work only)
- Other existing and future team members as assigned at hiring
Required
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree and at least 10 years of directly related experience in real estate underwriting or conservation transactions.
- Strong team management skills.
- Resourcefulness and strong problem-solving skills.
- Proven project management, organizational, and analytical skills.
- Excellent written and verbal negotiation and communications skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, meet deadlines, and respond to changing priorities.
- Advanced-level knowledge of MS Office Suite products, including Outlook.
- Ability and willingness to learn land tracking software.
- Ability and willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends depending on work volume.
Salary Target: $77,000 to $115,709 per year.
Benefits
Forterra’s benefits include ten paid holidays per year and paid time off (PTO) leave. You will be eligible to enroll in the employer-sponsored medical, vision dental, and flexible spending account (FSA) plans. You will also be able to enroll in Forterra’s 401(k) program.
BACKGROUND CHECK
Because this position involves access to confidential/sensitive information and physical assets, a criminal history background check will be conducted on the final candidate prior to beginning employment.
TRAVEL, WORKING CONDITIONS, AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Forterra is currently requiring all employees to work from home due to COVID-19 precautions. This position will be based in the home office and field for the foreseeable future. This position is subject to indoor environmental conditions typical to a professional office setting. Forterra will provide reasonable accommodation for people who are differently abled. The essential physical requirements of this position include:
- Ability to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
- Ability to sit, stand or otherwise remain in a stationary position at a computer workstation for the majority of the work day.
- Ability to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office equipment, etc.
- Ability to constantly operate a computer and other office equipment such as calculators, copy machines and printers.
- Ability to communicate accurately and persuasively with co-workers, clients and members of the public about Forterra’s work.
- Ability to lead and participate in outdoor project/site tours. This may require navigating uneven terrain in inclement weather.
- Frequent travel in the Greater Puget Sound and Central Cascade regions, mostly in the form of day trips from Seattle.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity of all kinds. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply for this opportunity. It is our policy to ensure that qualified individuals are considered for employment and treated equally without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other class protected by law. Assistance and/or reasonable accommodations during the application process are available to individuals with disabilities upon request. To request assistance or accommodation, please contact Human Resources at jobs@forterra.org.