The Land Trust Alliance is a national conservation organization whose mission is to save the places people love by strengthening land conservation throughout America. As the national leader of America’s land trusts, the Land Trust Alliance (the Alliance) works to dramatically increase the pace and improve the quality of private land conservation in America. Founded in 1982, the Alliance has mobilized the energy of more than one thousand land trusts and has created an unprecedented grassroots movement, one that has successfully saved more than thirty-four million acres of land and has the potential to save millions more.
The Alliance works with Congress to pass tax incentives and secure funding that help landowners to choose conservation over development. The Alliance serves as a university for land conservation that trains the people who do the work to conserve cherished farms, forests, parks and trails, and strengthens community-based land trusts by providing research, standards and accreditation services. The Alliance’s conservation defense program helps land trusts ensure that conserved land stays protected forever. The Alliance works with the media to promote land conservation and engage more Americans in saving our most treasured places.
The Alliance is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has field program offices in the Southeast, Midwest, Northeast and Western regions. The Northeast Program supports more than 500 member land trust members across eleven states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont). The Chesapeake program manager would also work in Virginia and West Virginia, which are part of the Alliance’s Southeast Region, and comprised of 22 and four member land trusts, respectively.
Position Summary
In partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, the Alliance is launching a new program in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed entitled, the “Chesapeake Bay Land & Water Initiative.” The initiative’s goal is to greatly advance local land conservation strategy and capacity to accelerate strategic, permanent land conservation and management critical to protecting water quality in the Chesapeake Watershed. This includes elevating roles and partnerships between land trusts and water-focused groups. Land trusts and their partners across the Chesapeake Watershed have the opportunity to play a leadership role in protecting and improving water quality in their communities. Many land trusts, watershed groups and others are already active in protecting and enhancing water quality through their conservation work, but can do much more if opportunities exist to grow their partnerships, skills and capacity.
The Chesapeake program manager position offers an exciting opportunity for an entrepreneurial, highly energetic conservation leader to develop, manage and implement this new initiative, and play a leadership role in the conservation community across the six-state region. The successful candidate must have a working knowledge or previous experience working with land trusts, preferably within the Chesapeake Watershed, and the ability to build and sustain close, working relationships with diverse stakeholders in the context of complex Chesapeake Watershed conservation, water quality and land use issues. She/he will be responsible for overseeing the design, delivery and evaluation of a suite of tools and resources to land trusts, watershed groups and other partner organizations, such as training and mentoring programs, direct targeted grant investment programs, one-on-one technical coaching and assistance, and public policy advocacy activities and strategies. She/He will strategically work with consultants to bring a high level of expertise in such areas as strategic conservation planning, policy/advocacy, land stewardship, and communications.
In addition, the Chesapeake program manager plays an important role in building and maintaining effective partnerships with state and regional associations of land trusts and/or landscape level collaborations to advance our mutual goals. These organizations include the Maryland Environmental Trust, Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and Virginia’s United Land Trusts. She/he will also work closely with fellow Alliance staff on issue-specific project teams. The full-time position requires 37.5 hours per week with approximate travel of 40%, including some weekends. The location is negotiable, but Northern Virginia or Maryland is preferred.
Responsibilities
Program Development and Management
In collaboration with land trusts, the Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, and conservation partners, develop and implement a comprehensive initiative to accelerate land and water quality protection in targeted subwatersheds of the Chesapeake Bay. This position will require exceptional coordination and management abilities, and attention to detail. In addition, the Chesapeake program manager will help design and manage a large grant program that will provide financial investments in organizations that are positioned to advance strategic land conservation and management for water quality protection and improvement.
Coalitions/ State Associations
Collaborate with state land trust associations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia, as well as key watershed groups, in developing the overall initiative and identifying specific project opportunities within the watershed, including potential partners, land trusts, and local units of government.
Training
Lead or assist the Northeast and Southeast Directors and other Alliance staff to implement training and networking programs. This includes evaluating the topics, speakers and locations for training events, developing new workshops that reflect known training needs in conjunction with Alliance staff and experienced practitioners, and assisting with the design of new and efficient ways to deliver training to land trusts.
Fundraising
Assist the Northeast director and Alliance development staff in indentifying and cultivating relationships with key foundations, corporations, individuals and public agencies; conducting research and writing development proposals and reports.
Policy and Communications
Work with Alliance Policy and Communication teams to design and implement strategies to advance policy priorities related to Chesapeake land conservation success and assist in coordinating internal and external communications to engage a broader community in Chesapeake land conservation. This will include developing and submitting articles for Alliance publications and website, as well as other external outlets.
Budget Management
In close coordination with the Northeast Director, develop and manage program budgets and grant budgets.
Ambassadorship
Represent the Alliance at select conferences, events, coalition meetings, land trust gatherings and other venues as warranted.
Administrative
Lead or assist with grant program administration, meeting logistics, mailings, accounting, reporting and other administrative responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications and Attributes
A minimum of five years’ experience working with nonprofit organizations, preferably with land trusts and within the Chesapeake Watershed land trust community
Familiarity and experience with private land conservation techniques, water quality issues, and policy advocacy strategies for land conservation as they affect the Chesapeake Watershed
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain work teams, multi-stakeholder collaborations and coalitions and relationships with diverse partners
Ability to facilitate diverse, multi-stakeholder processes
Experience in managing grant funds, foundations programs and other philanthropic initiatives designed for impact in the conservation, environmental protection, community development or public policy space
Strong project management experience, including a minimum of two years demonstrated project budget management
Demonstrated ability to manage consultants and other contractors
Exceptional oral and written communication skills and ability to manage communications for a program initiative
Proven ability to plan, implement and adapt programs based on evaluation to strengthen and enhance them
Ability to work effectively without close supervision and as part of a team in a fast-paced work environment
Minimum one year demonstrated ability to fundraise at all levels including foundations, corporations and individuals
Willingness to travel up to 40%, including weekends
Bachelor’s Degree required. Graduate degree preferred
Compensation
Competitive salary and benefits provided.
Contact
Send resume and cover letter via email to hr@lta.org (link sends e-mail) If email is not an option, applications will be accepted by mail to:
Land Trust Alliance
Attn: Human Resources Manager
1660 L Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20036.
The Land Trust Alliance’s mission is to save the places people love by strengthening land conservation across America. The Land Trust Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or marital status. Persons of color, women and minorities strongly encouraged to apply.