About Arizona Land and Water Trust

Established in 1978, Arizona Land and Water Trust (Trust) is now celebrating its 47th year of operation. Arizona Land and Water Trust protects Southern Arizona’s vanishing western landscapes, its farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, and the waters that sustain them.  To date, the Trust has permanently protected over 71,700 acres and conserved over one million gallons of water in Southern Arizona. 

This Role

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Land & Water Program Director is a pivotal position at the Trust which identifies, develops and completes land and water transactions in Southeastern Arizona in accordance with the Trust’s strategic plan. Specifically, the Program Director is responsible for managing individual real estate transactions, including fee title and conservation easement projects, from initial conceptualization through landowner negotiations and due diligence to final transaction closing and recordkeeping as well as supporting the Trust’s long-term stewardship, restoration and resiliency efforts. They will support the Land and Water Program team with project planning, GIS mapping, grant administration, and outreach including developing and strengthening partnerships with landowners, government agencies, conservation organizations and funding sources. These partnerships further the Trust’s mission to plan, develop and implement conservation acquisitions protecting significant land and water resources. The Land & Water Program Director also provides supervision to Program Staff as directed by the Executive Director. Like all current staff, the Program Director will support a variety of efforts, and must be highly organized, detail-oriented, flexible, and have the ability to work independently when required.  This position is ideal for someone who enjoys working in a collaborative non-profit organization. 

Key Responsibilities

The Land & Water Program Director will oversee all aspects of the Trust’s conservation programs.  Pending the successful candidate’s specific skills, experience and interests, the day-to-day responsibilities include:

Support the Land Program Manager with all aspects of the Trust’s land and water acquisition efforts including:

• Extensive real estate transaction project planning, for both fee title and conservation easement acquisitions such as landowner negotiations, title review, site investigations, due diligence contractor supervision and implementation
• Develop legal documents, such as conservation easements and leases, purchase and sale agreements, and option agreements, finalized in partnership with legal counsel
• Develop conservation easement Baseline Documentation Reports and Property Management Plans  
• Obtain and review appraisals, surveys, environmental assessments, cultural and biological resource assessments, title reports and closing documents
• Oversee creation of maps and related GIS products utilizing ESRI ArcPro for project evaluation and management as well as for Trust events and grant applications
• Track and maintain project records according to the Trust’s policies and to comply with the requirements of the IRS and Land Trust Alliance’s Standards and Practices
• Support the Stewardship Manager with all aspects of the Trust’s conservation easement stewardship monitoring activities as well as its restoration and resilience efforts Identify, apply for, and manage Federal, State and private foundation grant funding opportunities for land and water protection projects along with general program support
• Support administration of project budgets and associated grant reporting
• Preparation and presentation of land and water transactions to the Trust’s Land and Water Committee and Board of Directors for approval
• Represent the Trust at meetings and public outreach workshops with agency personnel, elected officials, other conservation organizations, landowners, water resource managers, and other stakeholders to further conservation efforts
• Oversee the development and implementation with Trust events including Ranching Into the Future workshops
• Provide support for donor‐centric activities and field trips as requested by the Executive Director
• Support all other aspects of the Trust’s work as assigned by the Executive Director 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g. land use planning, natural resource management, pre‐law, real estate or related field) and a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience
• Experience with personnel supervision and management
• Experience with, or training in, real estate transactions and real property law
• Experience working with agricultural landowners 
• Experience with GIS mapping and organizing related databases
• Understanding of basic hydrology principles with familiarity of water-resources law, policy and management in Arizona or another western state considered a plus
• Experience in or familiarity with conservation preferred, alignment with the Trust’s values and mission essential. 

Relevant Experience & Skills

• Advanced Degree/Graduate work in a relevant field considered a plus
• Land conservation experience, including identifying, developing and closing fee acquisitions, conservation easements or other related transactions
• Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively on complex projects involving multiple stakeholders such as landowners, public land managers, and NGOs
• Knowledge of Arizona landscape, land and water policy, and ecology a plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, skilled at effectively conversing with rural and urban landowners, agency staff, academics, elected officials, and local leaders
• Experience writing, securing, and/or administering grants, especially with partners and contracts with consultants
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook and related programs
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment while balancing competing priorities
• Detail-oriented, strong sensitivity to deadlines, the ability to manage multiple tasks, strong organizational and problem-solving ability
• Experience developing and presenting public education and outreach programs
• Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time, primarily throughout Arizona 

Associated Physical Requirements

• Must be able to meet with landowners off‐site, travel, work at a desk, and operate a computer
• Must be willing to participate in field work
• Majority of work hours occur on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but some evening and weekend meetings may be necessary. 

The Arizona Land and Water Trust is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to supporting a highly regarded, collegial and respectful team of high energy professionals.