Conservation Director

The Conservation Director provides leadership to the Conservation Program, ensuring responsible land acquisition and protection to reach common goals for coastal stewardship through strategic conservation planning and community collaboration in NCLC’s conservation initiatives from the Columbia River to Siletz Bay.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Leadership (50%)

• Planning: Collaborates with staff and board to set goals, strategies, and clear objectives for the Conservation Program, within the rubric of the organization’s strategic and conservation plans and in alignment with NCLC’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Develops and implements complex conservation plans and review processes within NCLC conservation initiatives using green infrastructure methodologies as a framework. Staffs the Conservation Committee.
• Partnerships: Identifies and cultivates partnerships with public agencies, tribes, community leaders, municipalities, counties, and other partners to implement NCLC’s conservation and stewardship goals. Facilitates the acquisition of natural resources lands by NCLC’s partners.
• Representation: Represents NCLC at appropriate meetings and forums.
• Funding: Manages the Conservation Program’s budget. Develops proposals, budgets, grant-funding applications, position papers, and reports. Leads on grant writing for the conservation program. Work with the Conservation Manager to identify grant opportunities and write grants.
• Oversight: Provides oversight of and support to the Conservation Manager.

Project Development and Implementation (50%)

• Landowner relationships: Cultivates and maintains relationships with public and private landowners within NCLC’s service area.
• Project selection: Manages the evaluation and prioritization of land acquisition and conservation easement projects to ensure alignment with NCLC’s conservation plan and financial obligations for maximum conservation benefit, in alignment with the Land Trust Standards and Practices and state and federal laws.
• Legal Review: Engages with NCLC attorney to review and negotiate land transactions.
• Project implementation: Designs new conservation projects, determining and using the appropriate tools. Provides project oversight for land transactions (both fee acquisitions and conservation easements), including due diligence and oversight of contracted work, and facilitation of these activities for partners.
• Mapping: Provides GIS administration including maintaining files, databases, locating new data sources and leading the Conservation Program’s mapping needs.
• Records: Demonstrates scientific accuracy of all conservation planning documents, concepts, and proposals. Ensures complete record-keeping and maintains NCLC’s safe deposit box with original transaction documents.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 3+ years’ experience in land conservation, real property transactions or related fields.
• Education in public planning and processes, natural resource management, ecology, or a related field.
• Background in easement and land purchase processes including legal requirements.
• Proficiency in GIS mapping and analysis.
• Demonstrated success in receiving public and private funding.

QUALITIES & STRENGTHS Skills

• Conservation planning skills
• Supervisory skills
• Collaborative project leadership
• Budget creation and management
• Grant proposal development
• Strong written and oral communication
• Bilingual (English and Spanish)
• Experience working with tribes

Attributes

• Good Listener
• Diligent
• Patient and persistent
• Non-judgmental
• Relationship builder
• Creative problem solver
• Passionate about coastal conservation
• Engaging and respectful team member
• Values and embraces cultural diversity