Northwest Program Manager

The Land Trust Alliance strengthens land conservation throughout America by connecting land trusts, leading political advocacy and providing training and resources. Our staff works out of our headquarters in Washington D.C., as well as offices throughout the country.

Summary of Position

The Northwest Program Manager position offers an exciting opportunity to play a leadership role in the land conservation community. The successful candidate must have working knowledge or previous experience working with land trusts and the ability to build and sustain close, working relationships with diverse stakeholders in the context of complex regional conservation and land use issues.

The Program Manager reports to the Western Division Director of Field Programs and is primarily responsible for developing, managing, delivering and evaluating Alliance programs and services to strengthen and support Alliance member land trusts in Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. They will be responsible for the delivery and evaluation of a suite of tools and resources to land trusts, such as training and mentoring programs, one-on-one technical coaching and assistance, targeted capacity building, organizational assessments and financial assistance through grantmaking. The Program Manager will strategically work with consultants and/or partners to provide trainings and a high level of expertise in such areas as strategic planning, fundraising, climate change, community-centered conservation and strategic conservation planning.

The position will initially focus on managing the Alliance’s components of a new 5-year Oregon’s Land and People project in Oregon and Southwest Washington. This project is led by the Land Trust Alliance and Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts with support from Oregon Community Foundation. It aims to help land trusts in Oregon build strongly supported community-based conservation projects that will generate broad public support for land conservation and drive new public and private investments, while growing the capacity of Oregon’s land trusts and Indigenous people to responsibly and effectively make use of those funds. The Program Manager will collaborate with COLT and OCF to ensure project success, with a particular focus on regrant, training, direct support and other strategies to build the capacity of Oregon land trusts.

The position will also work extensively with partners in the Washington land trust community to support organizational capacity investments and drive additional support to compelling land trust projects across the state. While this effort is at an earlier stage compared to work in Oregon, the potential for collaboration and mutual support across the two states is strong. Engagement with the Hawaiian land trust community will be more limited but with potential to grow.

The Northwest Program Manager also plays an important role in building and maintaining effective partnerships with state associations of land trusts and/or landscape-level collaborations in the region to advance our mutual goals. Finally, the Northwest Program Manager will be an integral member of the Alliance’s Western Division, collaborating and coordinating with program managers in the Southwest, California and the Rocky Mountains. The full-time position requires 37.5 hours per week with approximate travel of 25%, including some evenings and weekends.

Principal Responsibilities

• Program Development and Management: Help set a strategic vision for the Alliance’s work with the land trust community in Oregon, Washington and Hawaii and manage all elements of day-to-day implementation. Develop, implement, and evaluate organizational development programs, including grantmaking programs and training and technical assistance programs at various levels of organizational growth to help land trusts build stronger organizations. This includes providing direct services for land trust staff and boards of directors, and making recommendations about organizational development, strategic collaboration and mergers, risk management, climate change, community-centered conservation and technical issues based on the Land Trust Standards and Practices.
• State Land Trust Associations & Landscape Scale Partnerships: Sustain and grow partnerships with state land trust associations through regular convenings, and partner with other regional conservation partnerships in the region to collaboratively advance programs focused on land trust support and to identify and investigate key conservation issues.
• Trainings: Lead or assist other Alliance staff to implement training and networking programs. This includes developing new trainings as needed that reflect known training needs in conjunction with Alliance staff and experienced practitioners, assisting with the design of new and efficient ways to deliver trainings to land trusts, and evaluating topics, speakers and locations for training events. This also includes participating in and leading trainings at state land trust conferences.
• Budget Management: Works collaboratively with the Western Division Director, Finance and Development departments, and other program staff to ensure sound budget management, reporting, and grant stewardship. Actively manage the budget for funding dedicated to the Northwest region.
• Fundraising: Partner with the Western Division Director and Alliance development staff in identifying and cultivating relationships with key foundations, corporations, individuals, and public agencies, conducting research, and writing development proposals and reports. Help foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the Alliance.
• Communications: Work with the Alliance Communications team to design and implement communications strategies to advance land conservation success and assist in coordinating internal and external communications to engage a broader community in land conservation. This will include developing and submitting articles for Alliance publications, Field Notes (e-newsletter), and the website, as well as other external outlets.
• Ambassadorship: Represent the Alliance as a spokesperson at select conferences, events, coalition meetings, land trust gatherings and other venues as warranted. Communicate the Alliance’s strategic priorities in adherence with messaging approved by the executive management team that presents a coherent, united organization.
• Administrative: Lead or assist with grant program administration, evaluation of grant proposals, meeting logistics, mailings, accounting, reporting and other administrative responsibilities as assigned. This includes a substantial regrant program in Oregon.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Attributes

• Bachelor's degree preferred, however a reasonable combination of education and experience acceptable.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience working with nonprofit organizations, preferably in the land conservation community.
• Minimum two (2) year demonstrated ability to fundraise at all levels preferred, including foundations, corporations, and individuals.
• Strong project management experience, including a minimum of three (3) years demonstrated budget and grant management.
• Familiarity and experience with private land conservation practices and programs, climate change, and community-based approaches for land conservation.
• Strong interpersonal skills that demonstrate teamwork, diplomacy, respect and an awareness of how diverse identities and communication styles intersect.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain work teams and multi-stakeholder collaborations, in both internal and external contexts.
• Proven track record cultivating and maintaining relationships with diverse partners.
• Ability to facilitate diverse, multi-stakeholder processes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage consultants and other contractors.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills and ability to manage program communications.
• Proven ability to plan, implement, adapt, and improve programs based on evaluation.
• Ability to work effectively both independently without close supervision and as part of a team in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to travel up to 25% including evenings/weekends.

Compensation

• The nationwide salary range for this position $75,000 - $85,000. Actual salary will be commensurate with the skills, years of experience, physical location, and unique background and qualifications of the candidate.
• The Land Trust Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, vision and other health coverage; life and disability insurance; paid time off including vacation, sick and multiple holidays and 403(b) retirement benefits.

More About the Land Trust Alliance

The Land Trust Alliance is the voice of the land trust community. As the national leader in policy, standards and education, we work passionately to support land trusts across America so they can save more land and better serve their communities.

Our natural places and working lands are a lifeline to clean air, water, food and good health. These lands also bring us together, inspire us and provide opportunities to recreate and recharge. The land trust community is a crucial component in this equation. With important places under continual threat, land trusts need access to the best tools, information and policy advocates. Armed with a diverse network and valuable resources, the Alliance is the land trust community’s source for the knowledge and capabilities they need to reach their goals. From tax and funding policies on Capitol Hill to innovative ideas, partnerships and initiatives, we ensure our land trust members can always be heard and achieve more.

The Alliance is seeking to elevate land conservation as a priority nationwide. We envision a reenergized, more relevant conservation movement in which land trusts join with partners that have not traditionally identified as conservation organizations, including from the for-profit sector, around our shared interest of protecting special places.

To Apply

• Please click "Apply on Company Website" below.
• If the electronic application is not an option, applications will be accepted by mail to Human Resources, Land Trust Alliance, 1250 H St, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005.

The Land Trust Alliance’s mission is to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Land Trust Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status or veteran status.