| Job Description: |
Office Location: Seattle, Washington
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The Asia-Pacific Forest Program Director works with The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) Asia-Pacific regional managers and field staff, partner organizations and international institutions and agencies to direct the development and implementation of TNC’s forest conservation initiatives within the region, including overall leadership of the USAID-funded Regional Asia Forest and Trade (RAFT) Project. The Director has the primary responsibility for providing strategic direction, guidance and the financial resources for regional terrestrial forest priorities, including a regional strategy to combat destructive logging practices, encourage improved forest management practices, and promote efforts to Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) as a key implementation strategy in the global effort to reduce the harmful effects of climate change,. In particular, the Director will supervise the forest program directors in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea coordinate with other TNC programs and with the Conservation Strategies group; develop linkages with international and regional multi-agency forest initiatives; recruit technical expertise; assist regional and field managers with identifying, assessing and developing terrestrial activities for TNC’s country programs; help ensure that TNC has a voice in the global tropical forest conservation debate; and, working with regional, national, and local partner organizations, build in-country capacity to protect terrestrial biodiversity. . S/he will prepare budgets and work with TNC external affairs and philanthropy staff to raise public and private funds for forest conservation activities in the region. Duties include:
Maintain direct supervision over forestry activities in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea including holding director accountable for performance. Provide leadership, coordination, strategic planning and direction to the entire Asia-Pacific management team regarding all terrestrial and forest issues in the region. Guide and direct the development and implementation of AP strategic plan initiatives related to forest protection in the region, including policy initiatives. Serve as the Chief of Party (CoP) for the USAID-funded RAFT Project with overall responsibility for workplan development and implementation, financial management, supervision of project staff and representation with USAID, other U.S. government agencies, and local, regional and global institutions. Indentify regional threats and cross-cutting issues related to forest biodiversity conservation and design/ develop region-wide and site-based strategies to prevent or abate those threats. Provide assistance, guidance and support to TNC staff and partners for site-based activities. Raise funds from public and private sources for related conservation activities in the region.
6. Supervise the development and implementation of of ecoregional plans; conservation action plans; and measures plans in line with guidelines provided by TNC central science
7. Actively participate and represent the region in TNC-wide efforts to promote eco-system services and carbon sequestration/REDD and all other forest-related initiatives.
8. Develop partnerships with relevant local, regional and international agencies, organizations, institutions and NGOs on forest biodiversity issues.
9. Prepare program budgets and grant proposals, track expenses and manage regional grants and contracts.
10.Manage and mentor program staff.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: - BA/BS degree and 12 years experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience with fundraising: identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
- Experience designing, implementing, and directing complex or multiple projects of strategic importance, including managing finances, supervising multidisciplinary professionals and coordinating the work of partners.
- Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and regions.
- Experience in partnership development (partners, community, government, etc.); experience with high-level conservation contacts.
- Experience working with methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives.
- Experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
- Demonstrated experience influencing, developing and implementing conservation policy and plans at the state and/or country level
- Knowledge of current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and regions
- Developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes
- Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiativesand experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience in fundraising on behalf of OU and global priorities
- Motivating team members, setting goals, and leading efforts
- Delivering practical, adaptable products and services to customers
- Knowledge of politics and society with respect to environmental affairs
- Managing time and diverse activities under deadlines while delivering quality results
- Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages
- Demonstrated success as an inspirational manager who has successfully motivated staff to achieve and sustain excellence.
- Demonstrated leadership and visionary qualities and able to work effectively with and through others in a decentralized and geographically dispersed organization.
- Proven interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills.
COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING:
- Negotiates complex agreements, sometimes in political environments
- Develops and implements creative ideas to improve overall performance in conservation strategies
- Formulates, evaluates, and decides broad organizational policies and long-term programs
- Anticipates, diagnoses, and resolves complex problems and identifies creative solutions
- Designs, implements, and directs complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs and coordinating the work of other professionals, inside and outside the organization. Incorporates cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives
- Highly diversified work involves participation in the formulation and evaluation of broad policies and/or long-term programs, or making decisions, which typically have broad organizational impact.
- Directs major program of strategic importance to the Conservancy through management of multi-disciplinary teams.
DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING:
- Assesses decisions’ potential impact on colleagues’ work, public image, scientific credibility, and financial and legal standings
- Makes decisions based on incomplete or ambiguous information and accepts associated risks
- Makes independent strategic decisions frequently based on analysis, experience, and judgment
- Decisions may affect organization’s public image.
- Decision may have maximum financial and/or legal impact on the organization
RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT – FINANCIAL AND SUPERVISORY:
- Broad management and leadership responsibility.
- Recruit, retain and manage high quality and effective multi-disciplinary staff with responsibility for performance management, training and career development.
- Establish clear directions and set stretch objectives.
- Management responsibility for 10+ staff members, both internal and external to the organization
- Develops long-term strategies and achieves strategic goals and objectives
- Identify, cultivate and solicit major donors in support of program activities.
- Overall responsibility for financial management of program, including setting financial goals, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions.
- Ensure that programmatic commitments, financial standards, and legal requirements are met
- Ensures that program complies with TNC policies and procedures and external (donor/legal) requirements
COMMUNICATIONS/INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS:
- Builds cooperative relationships and collaborates with diverse groups, including land owners, conservation partners, government officials, donors, board members, and the general public, to recruit support for the Conservancy and publicize Conservancy efforts
- Commands attention, changes tactics midstream as necessary, and manages group processes during presentations or discussions
- May speak with and in front of varied audiences on scientific topics and the Conservancy’s mission; interacts and provides input/guidance to senior managers
- Ability to establish excellent working relationships with outside partners, state/local/federal agencies, land managers, private landowners and the academic community. Leverages constructive and effective relationships inside and outside the Conservancy.
- Work effectively in high-tension situations and maintain composure under pressure. Diffuses high-tension situations comfortably
- Work and communicate effectively with a diverse group of people, including scientists, preserve staff, and others, providing and obtaining needed information
- Ability to articulate lessons learned regarding conservation initiative successes and failures
- Ability to simplify and explain complex scientific data to general audiences
- Creates and communicates a compelling vision; practices the Conservancy’s core values.
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT:
The Director may work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. These conditions may:
- require occasional physical exertion and/or muscular strain
- present occasional possibility of injury
- require long hours in isolated settings
This position may also:
- require frequent travel throughout the region and in the US
- require evening and weekend hours
HOW TO APPLY
To apply to position number 39369 , submit resume and cover letter as one document.
All applications must be submitted in the system prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Ocotber 20, 2011 .
Failure to complete all of the required fields may result in your application being disqualified from consideration. The information entered in the education and work experience sections are auto screened by the system based on the basic qualifications of the position.
You must click submit to apply for the position. Click save if you want to be able to return to your application and submit it later. Once submitted, applications cannot be revised or edited.
EOE STATEMENT
The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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