New York Senior Program Manager

Overview

The Land Trust Alliance is the voice of the land trust community. As the national leader in policy, standards and education, we work passionately to support land trusts across America so they can save more land and better serve their communities.

Our natural places and working lands are a lifeline to clean air, water, food and good health. These lands also bring us together, inspire us and provide opportunities to recreate and recharge. The land trust community is a crucial component in this equation. With important places under continual threat, land trusts need access to the best tools, information and policy advocates. Armed with a diverse network and valuable resources, the Alliance is the land trust community’s source for the knowledge and capabilities they need to reach their goals. From tax and funding policies on Capitol Hill to innovative ideas, partnerships and initiatives, we ensure our land trust members can always be heard and achieve more. 

The Alliance is seeking to elevate land conservation as a priority nationwide. We envision a reenergized, more relevant conservation movement in which land trusts join with partners that have not traditionally identified as conservation organizations, including from the for-profit sector, around our shared interest of protecting special places.

Summary Description

The New York Senior Program Manager (NYSPM) position offers an exciting opportunity to play a leadership role in the land conservation community.  The successful candidate must have working knowledge or previous experience working with land trusts and the ability to build and sustain close, working relationships with diverse stakeholders in the context of complex regional conservation and land use issues. The Land Trust Alliance’s New York Program is the coordinating body for land trusts across New York.  This position is responsible for managing a suite of high impact programs and activities described below that closely align with Land Trust Alliance goals and strategic priorities. 

The New York Conservation Partnership Program (NYCPP) is a robust $3 million grants and capacity building program, made possible through a partnership with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.  The NYSPM plays a primary leadership role in the program design, grants review process, state contracting and budgeting, and is the Alliance’s lead relationship manager with New York State to ensure the program is achieving the desired impact.

The NYSPM is also responsible for managing the New York Forest Conservation Easements for Land Trust (FCELT) Program which is a public private partnership funded through the NY Environmental Protection Fund and administered by the Alliance. This program provides $1.5 million annually in competitive matching grants to qualified New York land trusts to purchase conservation easements on forestland to combat climate change.

The NYSPM also manages our New York Policy Associate and plays an active and critical role in advancing state policy issues relevant to land trusts and land conservation.  The NYSPM represents the land trust community’s interests with the state legislature in Albany, and with relevant state agencies. This effectiveness leading close collaboration and coordination with Alliance staff and land trust partners is vital to policy work as well as the design and implementation of educational programming including leading the annual New York land trust conference, periodic trainings and roundtable opportunities across the state.

The NYSPM also manages and closely coordinates program activities with the New York Advisory Council (NYAC), composed of land trust leaders across New York who are appointed by the CEO of the Land Trust Alliance. The NYAC provides vital input on the activities and priorities of the New York Program, plays a leadership role in raising critical funds to support the Program’s activities, and advises and assists with key policy priorities important to the land trust community.

The successful candidate for this position must have a track record of successfully raising funds from individuals, foundations, and corporations, developing and managing budgets, and devising and implementing strategies to diversify and grow funding for the Program.

Specific Responsibilities

• Land Trust Relationships: Develop and sustain strong, trusting relationships with land trusts and partners in New York through regular face to face visits, Zoom meetings, and emails. Respond to inquiries and requests for assistance in a timely manner. This includes providing direct services for land trust staff and boards of directors, and making recommendations about organizational development, strategic collaboration and mergers, risk management, climate change, community-centered conservation and technical issues based on Land Trust Standards and Practices.
• Program Development and Management: Help set a strategic vision for the Alliance’s work with the land trust community in NY and manage all elements of day-to-day implementation. Working in close coordination with Alliance leadership and NY Program staff, along with the input of the NY Advisory Council, oversee the development and execution of a strategic workplan for the NY Program.  Program priorities include leading the New York Conservation Partnership Program, Forest Conservation Easements for Land Trusts Program, periodic contract negotiations with NY Department of Environmental Conservation, policy/advocacy efforts, the annual NY Land Conservation Conference, and supporting implementation of national Alliance strategic program priorities.
• Policy & Advocacy: Work with the NY Policy Associate and the New York Advisory Council to lead and coordinate the NY land trust community engagement on policy priorities.   This includes being the lead representative for the Land Trust Alliance and New York land trust community at the state assembly, state senate and Governor’s office as well as with state agencies, advocating on issues important to land trusts and land conservation success.
• Education and Training: Lead the design and implementation of education, networking, and training offerings that are tailored to meet the needs of the NY land trust community, including hosting an annual state conference.  This includes evaluating the topics, speakers and locations for training events, developing new workshops that reflect known training needs in collaboration with Alliance staff and experienced practitioners, and assisting with the design of new and efficient ways to deliver training to land trusts. Work in partnership with other regional Program Managers and the Alliance Education and Training team on the development and delivery of regional and national education and peer learning programs.
• Fundraising: Collaborate with Alliance development staff in identifying and cultivating relationships with key foundations, corporations, individuals, and public agencies with a goal of growing and diversifying funding.  Achieve specific fundraising goals for New York policy efforts and annual conference which are developed in coordination with the Eastern Division Director and Alliance Development staff.  Foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the Alliance.
• Communications: Work with the Alliance Communications team to design and implement communications strategies for the NY Program that advance land conservation success and assist in coordinating internal and external communications to engage a broader community in land conservation.  This will include developing and submitting articles for Alliance publications, Field Notes (e-newsletter), the website, and other internal and external outlets.
• Budget Management: Work collaboratively with the Eastern Division Director, Finance and Development departments, and other program staff to ensure sound budget management, reporting, and grant stewardship. Actively manage the budget for the New York Program.
• Ambassador: Represent the Alliance at select conferences, events, coalition meetings, land trust gatherings and other venues as warranted.  Communicate the Alliance’s strategic priorities using national messaging that presents a coherent, united organization.
• Supervisory Oversight and Staff Coordination – Supervise and coordinate activities of a team of three NY staff that manage the NYCPP, FCELT, and Policy programs. In addition, oversee and manage contractors dedicated to advancing NY Program initiatives.
• Administrative: Lead or assist with grant program administration, evaluation of grant proposals, meeting logistics, mailings, accounting, reporting and other administrative responsibilities as needed or assigned.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. Graduate degree preferred, however a reasonable combination of education and experience is acceptable.
• A minimum of five (8) years’ experience working with nonprofit organizations, preferably in the land conservation community.
• Minimum of one (3) years of demonstrated success fundraising at all levels highly desired, including foundations, corporations and individuals.
• Strong project management experience, including a minimum of four years demonstrated budget and grant management.
• Familiarity and experience with private land conservation practices and programs, climate change, and community-centered approaches to land conservation.
• Strong interpersonal skills that demonstrate teamwork, diplomacy, respect and an awareness of how different backgrounds and communication styles intersect.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain work teams and multi-stakeholder collaborations, in both internal and external contexts.
• Proven track record cultivating and maintaining relationships with partners across sectors.
• Ability to facilitate diverse, multi-stakeholder processes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage consultants and other contractors.
• Proven record of accomplishment in developing and supervising staff.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills and ability to manage program communications.
• Proven ability to plan, implement, evaluate and adapt programs based on evaluation.
• Ability to work effectively both independently without close supervision and as part of a team in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to travel up to 35% including evenings/weekends.

Compensation

The budgeted salary range for this position is $95,000 – $105,000, commensurate with skills, years of experience, location, and unique background and qualifications of the candidate.

The Land Trust Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, vision, and other health coverage; life and disability insurance; paid vacation, personal, sick, and holiday leave; and 403(b) retirement benefits.

The Land Trust Alliance’s mission is to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America.  The Land Trust Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status or veteran status.