What We Can Achieve Together:

Scientists at The Nature Conservancy have mapped Resilient and Connected Network (RCN) of lands that, if conserved, will help biodiversity and human communities adapt and thrive as the climate changes. The Appalachians geography, which stretches from Alabama to Maine and into 3 Canadian provinces contains critical portions of this network in North America.

The Appalachians (Apps) Protection Director leads or helps catalyze land conservation work focused on large and/or complex land protection projects across the Appalachians, one of the Conservancy’s four current global Focal Places for conservation of biodiversity and natural climate solutions (click here).

The Protection Director, working in concert with peers from states and the Appalachian Program, will focus on the largest and most important protection opportunities in this landscape, at a scale found in very few other places in the East. They will lead the Conservancy’s efforts to engage large landowners around conservation opportunities on holdings spanning multiple states.  While the Protection Director may not have staff directly reporting to them, they will support teams to implement other critical projects to help secure the RCN. The Protection Director will leverage their expertise in complex protection deals and leadership skills to drive this team to success.

This position will be a member of the Appalachians Core team and will work closely with conservation strategy leads, the Appalachians Director, conservation and protection staff and fundraising staff.

We’re Looking for You:

The Apps Protection Director works closely with corporations, private landowners and conservation partners to secure conservation easements, fee acquisitions, and other interests in land through the use of both traditional and innovative land conservation tools. They will work with a core team of staff from around the Appalachians region (within multiple state business units) and The Nature Conservancy’s Global Protect team to prioritize key potential land protection deals and manage them from start to finish. The Protection Director will use innovative conservation financing approaches and collaborate with fundraising staff to execute large (up to100,000 acres or larger) and/or complex conservation projects that incorporate local community benefits, and may include forest carbon finance options, renewable energy development and other nontraditional protection strategies. The successful candidate will have experience with corporate negotiations, complex approaches to real estate valuation, including the use of sophisticated financial analyses, and a history of successfully completed protection deals. They will also build and maintain collaborative relationships with a global team of protection experts to leverage needed capacity and skills to drive project to completion. They will work closely with the Appalachians and Global Protect Teams to inspire partner organizations, Conservancy leadership, and other key stakeholde  s to support an ambitious vision for one of the most important conservation landscapes in the world. They may also mentor protection staff across the Appalachians to disseminate best practices and increase organizational capacity for large and complex protection projects.

What You’ll Bring:

• BA/BS degree in natural resources management, conservation, business, law or another related field of study and 5 years of related work experience in conservation, real estate, fundraising or other related experience.
• Familiarity with real estate appraisals and the appraisal process.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Experience in managing multiple projects and timelines.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements.                    
• Experience developing partnerships (partners, community, government).
• Experience leading and inspiring teams.
• Skilled at leading without specific authority and in a matrixed organization.
• Experience working with computers, including database management.

Desired Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in natural resources management, conservation, business, law or another related field of study and 5 years of related work experience in conservation, real estate, fundraising or other related experience.
• Familiarity with real estate appraisals and the appraisal process.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Experience in managing multiple projects and timelines.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements.                    
• Experience developing partnerships (partners, community, government).
• Experience leading and inspiring teams.
• Skilled at leading without specific authority and in a matrixed organization.
• Experience working with computers, including database management.

This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page under the FAQ section. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.