About Friends of Rye Nature Center

Education, conservation, nature access, and community – these are the pillars of Friends of Rye Nature Center's (FRNC) mission. As the operator of the 47-acre Rye Nature Center, FRNC is the primary steward of Rye’s municipal park and the leading environmental educator in our local community. Annually, we serve over 50,000 people through volunteer events, workshops, public programs, summer camp, and our premier Forest Preschool. Based in Rye, New York, we are a vibrant organization with 23 year-round and 30 seasonal staff. We value teamwork, innovation, and captivating our community’s attention on the important ecological and conservation topics facing our geographic area.

About this Opportunity

Our next Director of Conservation and Land Stewardship will be joining FRNC at a pivotal moment of expansive investment as we implement several key forest restoration projects and capital improvements. In addition to managing a team of land stewards, seasonal staff, and interns, our Conservation Director will work closely with our senior leadership team and board of directors on executing the long-term strategic goals of the organization. If you are an accomplished land conservation professional and/or forester who wants to make a lasting impact on the ecological health and biodiversity within a high achieving community, the opportunity to be a part of FRNC’s next phase of organizational growth may deeply resonate with you.

Ideal candidates will be experienced managers of people, projects, and plants as this role requires social acumen, excellent organizational skills, and master’s level knowledge of local flora and fauna. Experience in public park and facilities management is also preferred as the role requires day-to-day oversight of a 47-acre public space. Humor, intelligent decision making, and
high standards of excellence are also preferred. This is a full-time position, offering a competitive salary and benefits package.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Park and Facilities Management. Manage the day-to-day needs of the 47-acre park by providing oversight and direction to our accomplished team of land stewards, seasonal staff, interns, and volunteers. Ensure that all work plans are followed to the highest standards for cleanliness, quality, and safety. Participate in trail planning and maintenance activities in a collaborative manner. Communicate unsafe trail conditions as appropriate, utilizing the organization’s Weather Safety Plan and other plans accordingly. Work with the Director of Public Programs to prepare the park/facilities for special events. Manage and coordinate the department’s budget expenditures. Adhere to established fiscal and project-specific budgets. Work with the Executive Director and Operations Director on developing longer-term capital projects that will enhance the visitor experience and the park’s recreational capacities and appeal.
• Forest Management. Lead the conservation efforts within the 47-acres by implementing all aspects of the organization’s Habitat Management Plan (HMP). Ensure that work is completed with integrity and adheres to conservation best practices and standards, including habitat restoration and preservation. Propose and provide rationale to leadership team of biologically-sound habitat improvement projects to ensure balance of the Center’s mission. Oversee annual standard assessment surveys and plans, GIS data reports, and historical tracking of conservation activity on the property. Update and refine the HMP on a
  cyclical basis to ensure that best forestry practices are sustained, and that priorities are clearly defined. Lead and organize small scale forest research projects that will allow FRNC to lead local conservation and environmental education efforts.
• Staff, Volunteer, and Intern Management. Manage staff and daily operations of the department per the departmental annual work plan and all supporting vendor-executed activities. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Coordinate and oversee all volunteer events and activities, including training staff to help manage groups and keep accurate records and accounts of work performed and impact achieved. Manage high school and college interns on a seasonal basis, including overseeing the process of selecting and training the interns. Manage seasonal staff and assign duties that are within scope of role and ability. Ensure the highest safety standards are maintained by all groups, volunteers, interns, and staff.
• Stakeholder Engagement. Act as FRNC’s “go-to” person on all conservation topics. Develop relationships with key community members and groups to cultivate their involvement and investment in FRNC’s work and mission. Lead tours of our Nature Center and speak to various audiences, including media, about FRNC’s work, sharing our conservation ethos. Collaborate with FRNC’S leadership team on educational naturebased programs, including citizen science. Develop special speaker events and educational workshops that strategically build FRNC’s presence and influence in the local and surrounding communities, including niche events for board members, local elected officials, and other conservation nonprofits/organizations. In conjunction with the Executive Director, manage the board of director’s Conservation Committee and all meetings, agendas, reports, and deliverables.
• Constituency Building. Participate in FRNC’s marketing efforts by providing our Marketing Manager with written and graphic materials (photos/maps) as needed to promote the park's conservation efforts and projects and to better advance our mission and programs. Document and record all the departments' accomplishments, impacts, and KPIs for FRNC’s annual report.
• Fundraising and Grant Development. Collaborate with the Development team on grant applications for conservation projects. Manage any reporting milestones and deliverables for different funding entities on a timely basis. Attend FRNC’s fundraisers and share your team’s accomplishments with donors so to inspire and captivate them.

This position reports to the Executive Director and is part of the organization’s robust leadership team consisting of the Director of Development and Operations, Director of Education, Director of Forest Education, Director of Public Programs, and Director of Outreach. The successful candidate will have experience working on a team that is innovative, positive, and professional.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates are expected to have all or most of the following qualifications.

• Master’s in Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Wildlife Biology, Ecology, or similar. Minimum of 5 years working in conservation, forestry, or recreation with increasing responsibilities.
• Forester or arborist certification preferred. Proficient in GIS, Microsoft Suite, and Google software.
• Demonstrated leadership experience and capacity for executing strategic plans. Previous experience as a supervisor/educator preferred.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate with local officials, partners, and volunteers on community outreach initiatives to promote the Nature Center and strengthen community engagement.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate and respond to both internal staff and external stakeholders professionally and in a timely manner. Must have the ability to read, interpret, write and complete documents such as reports, newsletters, and general correspondence.
• Ability to do physical work, including operating special equipment like chainsaws, tractors, snowplows, and other park maintenance tools.
• Eye for park beautification, with a desire to “make a place ecologically better.”
• Strong track record of collaboration and partnership with varying stakeholders to develop successful conservation projects.
• Strong capacity to manage time and competing priorities; and ability to communicate potential roadblocks as well as offer solutions.
• Comfortable and effective working in a small, busy organization.
• Ability to teach ages 7 through 97 with enthusiasm for FRNC’s mission and passion for conservation. Must be comfortable around children.
• Applicants must be able to lift 50 pounds, hike across sometimes steep or uneven terrain, and have a clean driving record.