Operations Manager – Natural Heritage Program

The Natural Heritage Program at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has a full-time opening for an Operations Manager. The Natural Heritage Program at WPC collects data on rare plants, animals, and natural communities in Pennsylvania and maintains a statewide database that is used for project permitting and conservation planning. The Operations Manager is responsible for managing activities and deliverables under Heritage department government grants and contracts. These responsibilities extend to the annual contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to provide science related services to the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) representing the majority of NHP revenue and scope of work. The Operations Manager works closely with the NHP Director and NHP project managers on department planning and project progress, match tracking, and budgets. The position supervises Environmental Review staff and acts as liaison and advisor to all department staff to plan and carry out project or contract deliverables, adhere to WPC policies and procedures, and interact with other WPC departments. The Operations Manager directs and manages production of PNHP annual report and quarterly newsletters, and prepares or edits reports, funding proposals, and other department materials, and coordinates WPC Heritage website content. The position maintains current research and collection permits from state agencies for Heritage staff; may conduct scientific field studies, and supports educational initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Strong organizational, time management, and communications skills
• Familiarity with financial reporting and experience with budgeting, project management, and grant writing and administration.
• Editing, layout, and design experience. Ability to develop and/or edit technical/scientific documents, proposals, and reports, as well as general public level communications.
• Master’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree with equivalent work experience in biology, conservation, or a related scientific field. Ability to comprehend and summarize scientific or biological information, and conduct scientific field studies.
• Cooperative work ethic, good interpersonal and communications skills (verbal and written) and ability to work with a wide range of people
• Experience working on complex projects, multiple tasks and assignments involving other staff.
• Command of various software programs including Windows programs, ArcGIS, Biotics, to allow fluency across all program areas and efficient access to NHP files and documents.
• Familiarity with Natural Heritage Programs.
• Ability to complete all physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Physical Requirements:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

• Utilizing keyboarding and fine motor skills
• Speaking and hearing in-person, telephone, and other remote speech
• Seeing with near, far, and peripheral visual acuity
• Stamina to conduct field investigations in rough terrain and in adverse weather conditions.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle