Senior Conservation Officer

A new charitable initiative is seeking a proactive, detail-oriented, and execution-focused individual to serve as a Senior Conservation Officer and manage its work to preserve open spaces in the Ozarks region. The initiative seeks to accomplish two main objectives:

• Increase equitable access to parkland for residents in urban and suburban areas; and
• Preserve land with the highest recreational and natural resource value, where natural barriers to growth such as lakes, hillside, floodplains, and intact forests can be key areas of greenspace

The initiative will use two primary tactics to achieve these goals:

·        Direct property acquisition: Acquire and hold land for current and future conservation objectives, including parkland development.

·        Leverage public sector support for land preservation: Work with nonprofit entities to secure federal, state, and local funding for the acquisition of identified open spaces for current and future conservation objectives, including parkland development.

Job Brief

The Senior Conservation Officer is a new position that has three key functions: 

• Manage the strategic direction of the charitable initiative
• Oversee and coordinate land acquisition and manage grantmaking to partners
• Manage internal and external stakeholder engagement (including the initiative’s governance)

Responsibilities

·        Manage the strategic direction of the initiative

o  Leverage internal expertise and use research on land conservation in the Ozarks region and existing parameters of the initiative to develop a five-year strategic plan and budget.

o  On an annual basis, develop work plans and budgets.

o  Leverage internal expertise to develop frameworks to assess and prioritize investments and measure progress toward the initiative’s main objectives.

o  Lead or oversee modeling and analysis of various approaches to advance the initiative’s main objectives.   

o  Ensure grants and property acquisitions are consistent with values and principles of the initiative.

 Oversee and coordinate land acquisition and partnership development (including grantmaking)

o  Assess potential acquisitions for alignment with the initiative’s priorities and principles.

o  Manage the acquisition selection and approval process, including development of briefs detailing value and potential uses of land parcels, maintenance requirements, and total cost to acquire and hold the property.

o  Coordinate with internal partners to execute acquisitions.

o  Manage consultants and sub-contractors as needed.

o  Source matching funds and award grants to non-profits or other qualified entities for the acquisition of priority properties.

o  Manage communications and collaborations with key partners (e.g., municipalities, local non-profits).

• Ensure compliance with all applicable charitable policies and regulations. Establish and manage processes and protocols that protect the charitable nature of the work.

·        Manage stakeholder engagement

o  Track and measure progress and report performance to the initiative’s advisory board.

• Manage quarterly advisory board meetings, providing updates on the initiative’s progress, getting input and feedback, and raising any concerns about the project in a timely, action-oriented manner.
• Manage annual report and meeting for the funders.
• Ensure timely and responsive communications to donors as needed
• General
• Ensure a positive experience for key stakeholders through superior client service; be proactive in anticipating needs, effectively communicate progress, and provide accurate, timely resolution of issues when they arise.
• Effectively manage workflow and processes through clear communication that is simple, effective, and customized.
• Manage other projects and assignments as requested.

Required Qualifications

• At least 10 years professional experience, with at least 5 years experience in an organization focused on public urban work and/or land conservation
• Experience with interfacing with and effectively engaging diverse stakeholder groups (staff, volunteers, stakeholders, elected officials, agency partners, etc.)
• Experience coordinating and executing commercial/private real estate transactions in a rapidly developing market
• Experience in grantmaking or managing grant funding.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and in the extraction and use of data from geographic information systems
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – ability to communicate with principals as well as business, legal, financial, and real estate professionals
• Experience managing up to executive-level stakeholders
• Ability to build and manage a strategic workplan and budget
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong time management and organizational skills including experience managing multiple project flows
• Experience acting as a trusted advisor to clients, colleagues, and consultants
• Understanding of charitable compliance

Preferred Qualifications

• Current knowledge of the real estate market, trends, and community in the Ozarks
• Partnership development