NC Conservation Lead at USA The Nature Conservancy in Durham, North Carolina

North Carolina Conservation Lead

The North Carolina (NC) Conservation Lead is responsible for advancing strategic conservation actions and overall management of TNC's conservation portfolio within the North Carolina Business Unit (NCBU). They provide leadership and support for the Conservancy's work statewide and ensure conservation outcomes deliver on organizational goals. The Conservation Lead directs and supports teams to advance integrated actions and scientific and technical capacity across priority landscapes. They ensure cross-boundary and cross-program collaboration to achieve effective delivery of strategic conservation actions including protection and management of resilient lands and implementation of natural climate solutions. The Conservation Lead serves on the Chapter's Management Team, and informs decision-making with broad policy, reputation, and conservation impacts.

The North Carolina Conservation Lead provides strategic direction for conservation initiatives. They direct and support teams to advance integrated conservation actions and strategic scientific and technical capacity across field programs. The Conservation Lead ensures conservation portfolio investments align with organizational priorities and effective delivery of conservation outcomes including protection and management of resilient lands and implementation of natural climate solutions. The Conservation Lead develops key partnerships to advance collaborative conservation solutions and innovative scientific analysis, tools and frameworks that address natural system needs. They disseminate best practices, provide training and analyses to implement organizational measures of success, and negotiate complex and innovative solutions with government agencies, tribal communities, and landowners. The Conservation Lead identifies and helps secure public and private funding in support of conservation programs across the state. This position oversees portfolio management including program and strategy reviews with project and strategy teams to ensure milestones and outcomes are achieved on schedule and within budget. As a senior leadership position within the North Carolina Business Unit, the Conservation Lead is a member of the North Carolina Business Unit Management Team. This position reports directly to the North Carolina Executive Director and manages cross functional strategy and support teams. Additional supervisory responsibilities may be introduced over time, in alignment with evolving priorities and organizational needs.

Responsibilities & Scope:

• Reports to the Executive Director and provides strategic direction for conservation initiatives across the North Carolina Business Unit, as part of a matrixed organization, ensuring alignment with multi-year strategies, budgets, and TNC's global and regional priorities.
• Provide leadership for execution of integrated conservation actions across priority geographies and programs, including protection of resilient and connected lands and advancing natural climate solutions. Ensure coordinated implementation and delivery of measurable impacts at scale while balancing innovation, risk, and organizational capacity.
• Manage a highly skilled team responsible for advancing conservation priorities across North Carolina.
• Lead or guide standing and as-needed teams to advance scientific understanding, shared learning, and continuous improvement; cultivate shared expertise across disciplines and with external partners to maximize conservation impact.
• Oversee conservation portfolios, including land assets, lead design and execution of regular reviews to assess progress of conservation actions against milestones, timelines, and budgets. Oversee use of data and performance metrics to track progress, evaluate outcomes, and inform strategic decisions.
• Partner with Finance, Philanthropy, Grants and senior leadership to develop, manage, and monitor financial sustainability and responsible stewardship of resources. Ensure conservation portfolio investments align with strategic priorities and deliver timely outcomes within approved budgets.
• Support and advance fundraising efforts by partnering with Philanthropy to align funder interests and conservation priorities. Engage directly with major donors, foundations, and institutional partners to communicate strategy, demonstrate impact, and cultivate long-term investments; develop funding proposals for individual donors, foundations, and public grants.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners, including NGOs, public agencies, Indigenous and local communities, academic institutions, private-sector partners, and other stakeholders. Promote collaborative approaches that leverage diverse expertise, address shared conservation challenges, and advance equitable conservation outcomes.
• Serve on the Southern Division conservation cabinet, providing subject matter and programmatic expertise while ensuring the North Carolina Business Unit is a major contributor in both shaping and delivering the Division Conservation Portfolio. Participate as needed on annual conservation portfolio reviews.
• Provide leadership for and ensure all NCBU contributions to organizational goals are represented in TNC's centralized conservation data system and ensure BU teams meet division expectations regarding Hub reporting deadlines.
• Engage with government relations teams to advance conservation objectives. Support policy development and implementation efforts that enable durable conservation outcomes while respecting TNC's nonpartisan role.
• Serve as a senior representative and spokesperson for TNC, articulating conservation strategies, priorities, and results to internal and external audiences. Represent the organization in public forums, partner meetings, and high-level engagements as appropriate.

We're Looking for You: Want to help save the planet? Through the efforts of The Nature Conservancy, 740,000+ acres in North Carolina have been preserved for people and nature. From the mountains to the sea, the North Carolina Chapter is dedicated to conserving the natural resources that make North Carolina unique. This is an exceptional career opportunity for a highly motivated, capable individual interested in joining the world's leading conservation organization!

What You'll Bring:

• BA/BS degree and 10 years' experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience directing a major program or project of strategic importance, including management/supervision of multi-disciplinary teams and meeting deadlines. Including the ability to define goals and deliverables, track progress, and develop and manage teams.
• Proven management expertise, including the ability to create, motivate, and lead teams, set objectives, manage performance, and demonstrate a commitment to fostering an environment of creativity and professional growth.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
• Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation. Experience with writing, securing, and managing public grants
• Experience influencing, developing and implementing conservation policy and plans at the state or country level.

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in natural, environmental or biological sciences, or a closely related field. Demonstrated knowledge of ecological restoration and management and protection of land through acquisition of conservation interests.
• Knowledge of North Carolina's ecosystems, natural landscapes, freshwater and coastal resources, with demonstrated skill in developing and applying scientific concepts to guide tangible conservation outcomes.
• Understanding of principles and issues related to climate change, ecosystem resilience and freshwater and near-shore marine systems.
• 10-12 years' experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
• Multi- lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Politically savvy.

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. 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.

Salary Information: The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $125,000 - $145,000. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate's actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

The Nature Conservancy's mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We're rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it's career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there's many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor. One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant's unique experience. Please apply - we'd love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, "you'll join for the mission, and stay for the people."

TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401