Marine and Coastal Program Manager

Description

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Program Director I directs some or all aspects of protection, science, stewardship and community relations for a geographic area within a Business Unit (BU) or program. Serves as the principle contact to government agencies, other conservation organizations, foundations and the academic community.  The Program Director I establishes the Conservancy as a major conservation partner within the area of responsibility, defines conservation priorities and long-term conservation strategies, builds strategic, scientific, and technical capacity in the field and develops key partnerships with public and private organizations to identify and resolve technical issues and to widely communicate solutions and best practices. They develop innovative scientific methods, analyses, tools and frameworks to address the natural system needs, engage local community support for local conservation efforts, and negotiate complex and innovative solutions with government agencies and landowners to conserve and protect natural communities. May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.

Your Position with TNC:

The Marine and Coastal Program Manager directs all aspects of The Nature Conservancy’s Marine and Coastal Program across Solomon Islands. They lead all conservation work pertaining to marine and coastal ecosystems – including national projects spanning Solomon Islands, and more localised community-based conservation programs and Protected Area Networks in Guadalcanal, Choiseul, and Isabel provinces. Additionally, they collaborate within the Solomon Islands Leadership Team to develop and implement conservation strategy across the country more broadly. This permanent full-time position is based in Honiara, Solomon Islands and reports to the Solomon Islands Deputy Director.

Essential Functions:

The Solomon Islands Marine and Coastal Program Manager works within the Solomon Islands Conservation Management Team to deliver impactful conservation across marine and coastal ecosystems under The Nature Conservancy Solomon Islands Strategic Plan. They lead a team, using the best available information to prioritise ecosystems for protection, including through facilitation of Ridges to Reefs conservation planning. They collaborate with local, regional, and global teams within The Nature Conservancy to design and implement conservation projects across these priority ecosystems in close partnership with government agencies, major institutions, community-based organisations, and landowners. The Solomon Islands Marine and Coastal Program Manager oversees the Solomon Islands Safety Program and trains staff and partners both in classroom and practical settings.

Responsibilities and Scope:

• Works within the Solomon Islands Conservation Management Team to design and implement diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs of work to meet The Nature Conservancy Solomon Islands Strategic Plan.
• Manage the Solomon Islands Marine and Coastal Program, including work planning and budgeting.                                                                                  
• Manage staff, including performance management, training, and career development. Establish clear directions and objectives.
• Assist as needed to raise public and private funds to meet program needs.
• Lead and manage a diverse team to support and improve conservation efforts in Solomon Islands, including:
  • Collect, manage, analyse, and present data to evaluate and demonstrate conservation impact, and communicate to key stakeholders through oral and written methods.
  • Facilitate training of staff and partners in environmental monitoring, management, and scientific techniques.
  • Build strategic long-term partnerships through regular communication with Solomon Islands Government (particularly Ministry of Fisheries and Ministry of Environment), Provincial Governments, landowners, and other parties to accomplish program goals.
  • Manage and negotiate any disputes on customary lands at or around project sites.
  • Manage the Solomon Islands Safety Program, including supply, maintenance and tracking of safety equipment; training of staff in safety protocols, incident response, tracking, and reporting; management of safety approval and documentation across the Solomon Islands Program; and membership of regional and/or global safety committees.
  • Work with TNC’s relevant Provincial Program Managers to ensure that all Marine and Coastal work is aligned with our provincial strategies.
  • Work with TNC’s Partnership Program to ensure that all Marine and Coastal work is aligned with the Solomon Islands Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy.
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.
• Travel 30% of their time.
• Frequently make independent decisions based on analysis, experience, and context.

Minimum Qualification:

• BA/BS degree and 5 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including staffing, workloads and finances under deadlines.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies 
• Experience negotiating.

Desired Qualifications

• Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• 5-7 years’ experience in conservation practice or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience influencing, developing, and implementing conservation policy and plans.
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and regions.
• Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives or related field.
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
• Demonstrated experience in fundraising. 
• Politically savvy.
• SCUBA Certification
• First Aid Certification
• Emergency First Responder Certification

Who We Are:

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.”

What We Bring:

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world! 

TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy’s background screening process.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org  with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.