Subdirector Regional

Job Description

Job Description

We are Para la Naturaleza, a nonprofit environmental organization based in Puerto Rico, seeking a Regional Deputy Director to lead the strategic and operational management of an assigned watershed, ensuring that protected natural areas, resources, facilities, and regional personnel are effectively managed and aligned with the organization’s conservation priorities. This position Will be based in Hacienda Margarita, located in Lares, PR. 

The Regional Deputy Director promotes an integrated, safe, and sustainable operation while supporting the achievement of organizational goals. Provides leadership to regional teams, coordinates conservation and operational initiatives, manages resources and budgets, and develops effective relationships with communities, government agencies, partners, and other stakeholders.

The Regional Deputy Director will:

• Lead, plan, and oversee the operations of the assigned watershed, establishing work priorities and ensuring the implementation of approved plans, programs, and projects.

• Manage and monitor the watershed’s operating budget, including projections, spending priorities, requisitions, services, materials, equipment, and other operational resources.

• Safeguard the protection, integrity, and proper use of protected natural areas, including boundaries, access points, structures, trails, equipment, vehicles, and other organizational assets.

• Lead and supervise regional personnel, establish expectations, assign responsibilities, follow up on performance, and promote employee development, collaboration, and accountability.

• Coordinate with Human Resources on recruitment, selection, training, performance management, conflict management, and other personnel matters.

• Coordinate regional programming related to conservation, public use, environmental interpretation, education, volunteerism, communities, development, ecotourism, reforestation, and other organizational initiatives.

• Ensure compliance with applicable conservation, occupational safety, permitting, inspection, and organizational standards and requirements.

• Oversee safety measures for visitors, employees, and facilities and coordinate responses to incidents, emergencies, operational risks, and other situations that may affect operations.

• Supervise contractors, vendors, security companies, and other external service providers, ensuring compliance with scope, quality, timelines, budgets, and organizational requirements.

• Maintain effective relationships with communities, partner organizations, government agencies, universities, schools, municipalities, and other stakeholders.

• Analyze operational, environmental, and administrative information to identify risks, needs, and opportunities and recommend actions to the Director of Protected Natural Areas.

• Conduct periodic site visits and inspections and provide status reports, recommendations, and other information required to support regional decision-making.

• Represent the organization, when designated, in meetings, working groups, official visits, and engagements with agencies, communities, partners, and other stakeholders.

• Support emergency response and recovery efforts and collaborate with other organizational units on projects requiring regional operational or conservation expertise.

• Perform other functions and special projects consistent with the nature and level of responsibility of the position, as assigned.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college, preferably in Natural Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Natural Resource Management, Agronomy, Administration, Planning, Recreation, Environmental Education, or a related field.

• Master’s degree in a related field preferred.

Experience

• Five (5) to seven (7) years of progressive experience in protected natural area management, conservation, regional operations, facility management, environmental programs, or comparable functions.

• Experience supervising personnel or leading teams, including work planning, performance evaluation, employee development, and management of labor or operational matters.

• Experience managing budgets, resources, projects, contractors, vendors, and multiple operational priorities.

• Experience with property management, management plans, monitoring, natural resource conservation, public use, environmental interpretation, or fieldwork preferred.

• Experience developing and maintaining relationships with communities, government agencies, partner organizations, universities, schools, municipalities, and other stakeholders.

• Knowledge of land conservation and protected natural area management standards and practices. Knowledge of Land Trust Alliance standards preferred.

• Knowledge and experience in occupational safety, risk management, incident response, and operational compliance preferred.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in Spanish and English.

• Strong organizational, analytical, negotiation, problem-solving, teamwork, and confidential information management skills.

• What This Role Offers

This is an opportunity to contribute to the effective management and conservation of protected natural areas while providing regional leadership across conservation, operations, people management, community engagement, and organizational initiatives.

If you are an experienced conservation or operations professional with strong leadership skills and a commitment to protecting Puerto Rico’s natural resources, we invite you to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer