Director of Conservation, Nature United

About the position Nature United is a national organization dedicated to reimagining conservation across Canada, with the belief that thriving nature is essential for strong communities, a prosperous economy, and a sustainable future. They emphasize reconciliation and aim to be a global beacon of hope. The organization advances sustainable resource management by supporting Indigenous leadership and authority, and harnesses nature's power to address the climate crisis through natural climate solutions. As an affiliate of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Nature United partners with Indigenous Nations to strengthen governance, build stewardship capacity, support leaders, and catalyze local economies. The Director of Conservation oversees the entire Conservation Program, reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a key member of the Leadership Team. This pivotal role involves leading and developing a team to achieve ambitious conservation goals and fostering cross-functional relationships for inclusive conservation initiatives. The Director manages the Canadian conservation project portfolio across large and complex geographies, leading a team that employs innovative approaches and partnerships for systems-level impact. They will define conservation priorities in Canada aligned with global goals and contribute to communicating about the work and fundraising for programs.

Responsibilities

• Leads the design and implementation of conservation initiatives to deliver on organizational goals.
• Provides overall strategic direction for the conservation team, and supports conservation programs in planning and strategy design for systems level impact.
• Partners with other team leaders on integrating conservation strategy with broader organizational strategies and external trends and drivers to deliver greater impact.
• Plays a lead role on the executive Leadership Team.
• Leads and manages a large, diverse, and dispersed multi-disciplinary team across Canada.
• Builds and motivates teams to deliver ambitious outcomes by setting clear direction, fostering an inclusive, learning and adaptive management culture, and building strong integration across programs.
• Builds strategic, scientific, and technical capacity, disseminates best practices, and provides coaching and mentoring to develop and grow people.
• Direct communicator with proven ability to lean in to challenging conversations and apply accountability practices.
• Builds strong relationships across teams and champions cross-team collaboration and resource sharing.
• Builds partnerships within The Nature Conservancy, leveraging shared resources and best practices to deliver greater impact in Canada, and to build models that can be scalable globally.
• Acts as a thought leader in conservation, developing innovative strategies and frameworks.
• Partners with other teams, including Strategic Partnerships, to integrate policy, markets and innovative financing into systems level strategy design.
• Oversees budgeting and financial management of the Conservation program.
• Assesses and manages risks, ensuring compliance with organizational policies.
• Oversees complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs and coordinating the work of other professionals.
• Develops and manages holistic programs, incorporating cross-disciplinary knowledge.
• Engages and influences key stakeholders to support conservation efforts, including supporting fundraising efforts.
• Positions Nature United as an organization that is reimagining conservation in Canada and globally.
• Translates complex strategies and concepts into clear and compelling narratives for internal and external audiences, including board, donors and partners.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience in conservation practice or related field, including public, private and non-profit sectors or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong understanding of Indigenous right relations in Canada.
• Highly skilled and experienced people manager, including setting objectives and managing performance, particularly with senior leaders who are accustomed to operating independently.
• Experience in working effectively in a matrixed organization, fostering cross-team collaboration and building strong working relationships with other teams.
• Experience designing, implementing, and directing complex or multiple strategies, synthesizing disparate strategies and integrating into a coherent whole.
• Proven ability to inspire and motivate through written and verbal communication, internally and externally.
• Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions.
• Experience working with methods and standards of biodiversity, climate and/or sustainability.
• Flexibility, reliability, and a positive, solutions-oriented attitude.

Nice-to-haves

• Multilingual and multicultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Experience working with Indigenous communities, governments, forestry, agricultural sectors and/or resource sectors, and non-profit organizations.
• Understanding of Canadian political and economic context.
• Experience with fundraising, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
• Commitment to continuous learning and staying informed about conservation trends and initiatives.

Benefits

• health care benefits
• parental leave
• accrued paid time off
• life insurance
• disability coverage
• employee assistance program
• other life and work well-being benefits