Conservation Programs Team Project Manager

YOUR POSITION WITH TNC

The Conservation Programs Team (CPT) in the Chief Conservation Office plays a critical role in supporting global conservation implementation by managing TNC’s conservation system of strategy development (referred to as CbD 2.x), conservation portfolio management, conservation metrics, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), agile learning, and conservation data management via the Hub. The CPT Project Manager is a key member of the CPT and is responsible for managing projects identified by the Director of Conservation Programs and members of the CPT core team. Initially, they will mostly focus on providing project management to the CbD 2.x: Delivering Equitable and Transformative Strategies for People and Nature project, which is due to be completed in June 2023. The aim of this project is to create and implement updated and integrated tools and training in support of CbD 2.x., TNC’s framework for developing high-impact conservation strategies. They may also provide support to other projects identified by the CPT prior to the conclusion of the CbD 2.x project and will transition to managing other CPT projects once this work is completed. The CPT Project Manager will report to the Conservation Programs Lead.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The CPT Project Manager is responsible for the planning, coordination, monitoring, and successful completion of complex high-profile CPT projects. They apply their project management skills and expertise to managing working teams to achieve outcomes, drive accountability by tracking progress on action items, establish a team culture of constructive engagement, and facilitate great meeting. They provide recommendations for allocating resource, support defining and maintaining project scope, help remove obstacles, and guide project plans. They serve as a technical resource to TNC staff for the projects they are leading. They will build and maintain relationships with TNC staff across functional areas as necessary for meeting project outcomes, and work with other members of the CPT to ensure projects are integrated with the overall conservation system managed by the team.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Designs, implements and directs complex projects and deliverables. 
• Develops reports, presentations and assessments on topics related to projects.                           
• Works within a budget to complete projects, negotiates and contracts with vendors and assists with budget development.
• Incorporates cross-disciplinary knowledge to support project and grant objectives.
• Makes strategic decisions based on analysis, experience and context.
• Serves as a team leader; which may require gaining cooperation of team over whom there is no direct supervisory authority.
• Works as part of an integrated team responsible for developing and refining the conservation system teams across TNC need to support high-impact conservation work
• Uses learning to continuously improve the work of the CPT
• Requires willingness and ability to travel (following TNC policy relative to COVID-19) domestically and internationally up to 10% or more, and to work occasional weekends and evenings.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, public policy, international relations, international development, social science, natural science, ecology or related field and at least 5 years related experience, or equivalent combination.
• Experience with organization and meeting deadlines.
• Experience in research, critical analysis, and evaluating information from divergent sources and compiling it into cohesive reports.
• Experience writing and editing informational material.
• Experience presenting to and/or communicating with staff from a range of functional areas.
• Experience with time management techniques.
• Experience with project management.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience.
• Critical analytical thinking and excellent writing skills.
• Experience with working in a highly matrixed, decentralized and collaborative organization.
• Political savvy; the ability to exhibit confidence and professional diplomacy, while effectively relating to people at all levels internally and externally.
• Experience and commitment to working as part of an integrated team with dependencies and opportunities for synergy among individual work streams.
• Experience with conservation strategy planning and/or implementation.
• Experience with deploying principles of change management.
• Experience with integrating dimensions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in conservation planning and/or implementation.
• Experience with translating business needs into practical and implementable solutions.
• Ability to sensitively advise other staff on how to effectively engage with internal and external parties. 
• Ability to develop and drive new ideas and approaches. 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet time sensitive deadlines. 
• Ability to write and speak in a language other than English, such as Spanish, Portuguese, French or Chinese.