Conservation Director

Are you North Coast Land Conservancy’s next Conservation Director? We are seeking someone who thrives in a fast-paced, team-driven environment and has the ability to provide exceptional land-transaction knowledge and skills with landowners, tribes, funders, and NCLC’s partners. If you want to make a tangible difference for the Oregon Coast and the environment while working with a wonderful team of colleagues and support the direct protection of land, Conservation Director is a great opportunity for you.

North Coast Land Conservancy’s culture is built on a foundation of teamwork and entrepreneurial drive. While each staff member has clear responsibilities in fulfilling our mission, we promote, expect, and reward a small-business culture and work ethic where no task is above or below any individual. We value Joy, Integrity, Diversity, Connectivity, and Seeking Common Ground.

Our Story

In 1985, a group of people from communities throughout Oregon’s North Coast assembled to consider a new way to approach conservation. They wanted to approach conservation cooperatively rather than confrontationally, to engage the whole community to do what was best for people, plants, and wildlife. By 1986, North Coast Land Conservancy had a name, an eight-member board of directors, and a perky logo featuring a favorite wetland bird, the marsh wren. Since then, NCLC has conserved thousands of acres of land in Clatsop, Tillamook, and Lincoln counties—including the 3,500-acre Rainforest Reserve—mainly by acquiring land outright or by acquiring conservation easements on private land. We also have helped transfer hundreds of acres of land to public and tribal ownership.

If you do not think you are a 100% match, we still encourage you to apply. We value passion, drive, emotional intelligence, and lived experience. Women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every qualification listed in a job description. North Coast Land Conservancy values lived experience, and we are dedicated to embracing diversity and committed to building a team that represents our communities’ diverse array of backgrounds. Even if you do not meet all of the qualifications of the role but this role sounds exciting, we want to hear from you!

For the Full Job Description, Visit NCLCtrust.org/about/career-opportunities

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.

Essential Duties:

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
• 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 tool. 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

Benefits and Pay:

• Pay range for this role is $70,000 – $75,000 depending on experience
• Hybrid and Flexible work environment
• Our company benefits include:
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance for employees
  • Simple IRA with 3% employer match
  • Professional development
  • Generous PTO/Vacation plan
  • Flexible work schedule
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Longevity Leave (two-month paid sabbatical) every five years

North Coast Land Conservancy is an EEO employer. For more information about us, please visit: https://nclctrust.org/