Senior Conservation Manager

Organization Background
The Wildlife Conservation Society (“WCS”) is a New York not-for-profit corporation founded by statute in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society. WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through research, science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. That mission is achieved through our global conservation programs (WCS currently oversees a portfolio of more than 500 conservation projects in 65 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America, and the oceans between them) and through the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks–the Bronx Zoo; the New York Aquarium; and the Central Park, Queens, and Prospect Park Zoos (the City Zoos). 

Program Overview
The WCS Arctic Beringia Program aims to protect Arctic wildlife such as polar bear, wolverines, walrus, Arctic fox, muskoxen, seals, and shorebirds from pressures related to a rapidly changing climate and the onset of new industrial development. At the same time, WCS works to ensure the region’s communities can continue to depend on local resources for food, as well as economic and cultural vitality. Implementing conservation in such a rapidly changing environment can only be effective through working with scientists, local experts, and Indigenous communities. Our geographic focus spans from the Russian far-east, across the North Slope of Alaska, and into western Canada. The Arctic Beringia program also leads conservation efforts for Arctic breeding birds across the migratory flyways adjacent to the Pacific. Finally, based in Fairbanks, our work also engages directly with local efforts to reintroduce wood bison across their historical range.

Job Summary
The WCS Arctic Beringia Program has built a strong foundation of species, habitat, and issue-based projects across the three country components of our region – Canada, Russia, and the United States. Our work is closely tied with local food security needs, and often co-produced with Indigenous partners. Current focal areas include marine mammals and shipping, carnivore conservation, avian conservation, healthy coastal fisheries, wood bison reintroductions, and habitat restoration.

To increase our impact, we are looking for a new addition to our team with experience at the science synthesis, science/management, science/law, and/or science/policy interfaces. This person will work with the Regional Director to help oversee our current field research efforts (both programmatically and administratively), network with partners, support proposal development,  and ensure that outputs from the different components of our program are as synergistic as possible for creating impact.
Overall, the Senior Conservation Manager will provide an important support role for our current activities and outputs. The position is explicitly one that is a) providing umbrella support for project leads, and b) NOT leading field research efforts. 

Major Responsibilities

• Field Program Oversight 40%: This position will support current field programs, with a specific focus to ensure individual efforts are able to accomplish their intended conservation impact. This is not limited to ensuring field reports and outreach products join into broader conservation objectives. While focus will be across all aspects of our program, this position will be particularly engaged with wood bison, habitat restoration, and marine mammal projects.
• Science Application and Reporting 30%: the position will use key knowledge streams (both scientific and Indigenous Knowledge) to accomplish impact. The position will help individual science staff at the project level with study conception, design, implementation, and data analysis as needed. The candidate will work with the Regional Director to ensure that our program is utilizing information (both historical and current) most effectively as we work toward our conservation goals on a local level (Alaska), regional level (Arctic Beringia), and global level (as part of the WCS 2030 strategy). Part of this task will involve designing high quality editorial and/or graphic outputs of our program that are customized for specific outlets and uses.
• Networking 5%: – work in the Arctic is building and maintaining productive relationships with partners that transcend any specific project. -, this – necessitates a commitment to understanding and learning across cultures and jurisdictions when considering what goals that we are striving for, and the mechanisms to accomplish them.
• Permit coordination 5%: Our program requires a diverse array of permits that this position will track and help to ensure economies of effort across projects where possible. The position will – coordinate with our Social Safeguards lead (- to ensure all local engagements are reviewed).
• Fundraising 20%: Assist in identifying grant opportunities, coordinate with staff scientists on applicable projects, and work with Regional Business Manager to draft budgets.

Job Qualifications

• PhD or Law Degree in a natural sciences, policy, or law discipline, with Interdisciplinary experience, and at least three years of applied experience
• Understanding and experience working with Indigenous partners
• Proven ability to write multi-partner and interdisciplinary proposals
• Strong statistical skills
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills (both verbal and written)
• Comfortable operating in a dynamic environment and responding quickly to sudden needs and opportunities
• Fluency in English

Additional Relevant Skills

• Fluency in Russian or Arctic Indigenous languages beneficial
• Working experience in Russia, Canada, or elsewhere Internationally beneficial
• GIS Expertise
• Graphic Design
• Self-Reliance in Remote Work Environments

Additional Requirements

• Expected travel: 85% of position’s time will be spent in Fairbanks, 15% time potentially traveling for WCS field activities, meetings, and training.