Land Protection Manager

Reports to: Conservation Director

Position Type: Full-time salaried

Location: Montpelier, VT – an office/work-from-home hybrid system

Starting Salary: $60,000 – $65,000 D.O.E

Northeast Wilderness Trust’s (NEWT) mission is to conserve forever-wild landscapes for nature and people. We safeguard over 82,000 wild acres across New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Northeast Wilderness Trust is the only regional land trust focused exclusively on rewilding through forever-wild conservation. We believe in the immense value of wilderness, both for its intrinsic value and for its unique role to reverse the biodiversity crisis, mitigate climate change, and provide solace to the human spirit. 

The ideal candidate is someone who has a deep commitment to wilderness and the value of such places in the modern context and who enjoys working cooperatively in a dynamic and growing team with ambitious goals.

Duties of the Land Protection Manager

The Land Protection Manager will work closely with the Land Protection staff to identify and bring to completion fee acquisitions and conservation easements.  Specifically, the Land Protection Manager will dedicate a considerable amount of time on being proactive in seeking out conservation opportunities and GIS mapping.  Additionally, the Land Protection Manager will assist in site visits.

What You Will Do:

Land Protection

• Work with the Land Protection Team on new projects including GIS analysis; screening conservation prospects with NEWT’s project selection rubric; development of Project Strategy Forms; site visits; landowner and partner communications; and assistance with project due diligence;
• Proactively seek new conservation opportunities, especially inholdings and adjacent properties to existing NEWT lands;
• Create maps using GIS for project prospecting, project outreach and management, and funding applications;
• Coordinate with Stewardship and Ecology staff on scheduling and preparation of Baseline Documentation Reports;
• Help manage land protection activities in a centralized database (Landscape) in coordination with the land protection and stewardship protocols;
• Provide recording keeping and administrative support in accordance with NEWT’s internal practices and the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Standards and Practices;·
• Support implementation of new systems and processes to streamline land conservation work.

Outreach, Development, and Miscellaneous

• Support NEWT staff in communicating its mission and sharing its accomplishments with the public through social and print media according to outreach calendar;
• Assist with grant proposals and other fundraising, particularly in support of conservation projects;
• Represent NEWT in meetings with local and regional land trusts and at conferences;
• Participate in NEWT’s Land and Stewardship Committee meetings;
• Other responsibilities as needed.

What You Will Bring:

• At least three years of land trust experience, including conservation transactional experience;
• Demonstrated understanding of and passion for wilderness and wildlands conservation;
• Proficiency in ESRI ArcGIS Pro™, with the capacity to provide strong support in site assessment of prospective conservation opportunities;
• A commitment to candid and transparent communications;
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and team-oriented work environment;
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills to meet deadlines and be self-starting;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and willingness to learn new databases;
• Adaptability and openness to evolving job description as the organization evolves, grows;
• Ability to understand laws and regulations across multiple jurisdictions;
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed across the region and carry a valid driver’s license;
• Willingness to work outside of position’s prime focus and collaborate with staff on other organizational priorities.

Benefits:

Northeast Wilderness Trust offers competitive and progressive benefits including:

Comprehensive Health Coverage:

• 100% health insurance coverage to employees plus 80% of two-person/75% of family coverage
• Shared cost dental and vision insurance

Generous Vacation Time:

• 31 days of combined time off, plus sick leave
• 1-week annual holiday closure between Christmas and New Year’s

Other Benefits:

• 35-hour Work Week
• Flexible and Hybrid Work Schedule
• 401k retirement plan with 4% employer match
• Employer-paid Life Insurance of $50,000
• Parental Leave – 12 weeks paid; option for additional 8 weeks part-time work; all with full benefits
• Sabbatical leave – Every seven years of employment, earn up to a two-month paid sabbatical with opportunity to extend to three months.
• Moving stipend to relocate to Montpelier, Vermont.