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The Nature Conservancy
New York Deputy State Director for Conservation Strategies & External Affairs

Organizational Overview: A Pioneer in Conservation Leadership

Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is one of the world's leading on-the-ground conservation organizations, and its scale and influence is growing. TNC has protected more than 117 million acres, and its new Campaign for a Sustainable Planet sets forth an agenda that will protect millions more acres in the most critical and imperiled habitats. Outside the United States, TNC works in 34 countries. The scale of TNC’s work continues to grow, catalyzed by a global agenda, as does its capacity to implement conservation solutions through policy avenues and other non-traditional mechanisms.

The Nature Conservancy conducts its policy advocacy according to guidelines established by the Board of Directors. In the summer of 2008 as the scientific evidence mounted on the likely impacts of climate change on the global environment and as energy prices rose to unprecedented levels, it became clear that climate change, energy and other natural resource issues were again growing in political importance. In response, both candidates for President and many candidates for Congressional seats made commitments to place more emphasis on environmental and natural resources issues if elected to office. In anticipation of a period of greater environmental change in Washington, DC and in response to increasing threats to the Conservancy’s mission, the U.S. Government Relations Program completed a broad-based four year U.S. Government Relations Plan. This plan was designed to:

• Look at threats to habitat

• Evaluate opportunities to meet those threats

• Select priorities for policy action

• Make recommendations about how the Conservancy can best accomplish that action

A central premise of plan implementation is bringing together government relations programs across the organization to pursue our objectives in a focused and unified way. The key strategic policy priorities driving TNC will be the following:

• Climate Change

• Energy

• International Conservation Funding

• U.S. Protected Area Funding and Support

• Freshwater Conservation

• Marine Protection

The Nature Conservancy has a unique Chapter structure in New York, which reflects its long history here and the fact that several of our first preserves were created in the State. The Chapters are based in the Adirondacks, on Long Island, in Eastern New York, which roughly covers the area between Westchester and Saratoga counties, and in Central and Western New York, a region extending from the shores of Lake Ontario to the Niagara Frontier. Central offices are located in Albany and New York City.

Deputy State Director for Conservation Strategies & External Affairs

The New York Deputy State Director for Conservation Strategies & External Affairs leads the state’s conservation and external affairs across one of the Conservancy’s largest operating units in the world, with over 150 staff organized into a state office and four local chapters. The Deputy State Director serves alongside the Deputy State Director for Operations & Finance, as well as the Directors of Marketing and Philanthropy. The principle responsibilities of the Deputy State Director are:

• Develop and promote the fulfillment of a state-wide conservation vision, highest priority goals and related strategies that best fulfill the Conservancy’s mission while sustaining the Conservancy as a global conservation leader in the 21st Century;

• Lead New York’s policy team and relevant staff from across the state, directly engaging as necessary and appropriate, in promoting the Conservancy’s policy and public funding priorities at the local, state, federal and, when appropriate, global levels;

• Promote an institutional culture and approach in New York to achieve Conservancy goals through effective public and private partnerships, including conservation non-profits, corporations, public agencies.

The Deputy Director will also serve as staff lead for the conservation committee of the board of The Nature Conservancy in New York and will help raise the public (and, at times, private) resources necessary to fulfill New York’s conservation vision for New York, the region and abroad. S/he must cultivate cooperative working partnerships with the State Director, the New York Senior Staff Team, other staff, partners, and trustees as well as numerous local, state and federal officials, both elected and non-elected.

The Deputy State Director will be responsible for supervising some of the four chapter directors and the Natural Heritage Program Director, as well as the Directors of Conservation Science and Government Relations. While the Deputy State Director will often need to be in Albany, New York City and the four chapter offices, the Deputy Director can be based in any Conservancy office in the state of New York.

Professional Qualifications and Personal Attributes

The Deputy State Director should ideally embody the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

• Bachelor’s degree required, but graduate degree preferred, and a minimum of 7-10 years relevant experience, including working at a senior level and being a proven leader.

• A passion for nature, the environment and/or the outdoors is essential. Conservation and/or environmental experience preferred.

• Outstanding leadership and visionary qualities. Someone who has successfully motivated staff to achieve and sustain excellence and is able to work effectively with and through others in a decentralized and geographically disperse organization.

• Extensive management experience including ability to motivate, lead, set objectives, and manage performance of a large multi-disciplinary team. Delegates responsibility and authority to staff and clearly defines expectations. Keeps staff informed and expresses appreciation.

• Ability to foster an environment of creativity and professional growth.

• Expert knowledge of current and evolving trends in conservation, government relations, public funding opportunities and non-profit management to help the Conservancy lead, adapt and evolve in the 21st Century.

• An appreciation of and ability to work with partner organizations is a must, including experience collaborating with state and federal agencies in designing and implementing policies and programs.

• Demonstrated commitment to supporting the Conservancy’s global mission.

• Articulate, with proven ability to write effectively and speak persuasively.

• Superlative interpersonal skills, including an ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas, intellectual curiosity, approachability, and openness to input from all levels of staff.

• High energy level, personable, trustworthy, diplomatic, and in possession of impeccable integrity.

• Exceptional managerial, analytical, strategic, and tactical ability.

• Proven team player and leader able to motivate and inspire staff as well as colleagues to work well as a team.

How To Apply

Please email your resume and cover letter detailing your interest in the position to Daniel Sherman at resumes@explorecompany.com. Please refer to NY Deputy State Director in the subject line.

Daniel Sherman
President
Explore Company
Email: resumes@explorecompany.com. 

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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