What We Can Achieve Together:
The Alaska Director of Conservationis a senior conservation leader who applies strategic, systems-level thinking to advance the Alaska Chapter’s relevance and impact on the state’s most pressing conservation challenges. They lead the chapter’s conservation work and team—including strategy development, project implementation, staff leadership, and scientific direction—to achieve Alaska’s and The Nature Conservancy’s broader strategic goals.
Alaska represents one of the most extraordinary conservation opportunities on Earth. Unlike virtually anywhere else in the world, the vast majority of Alaska's landscapes remain ecologically intact. Less than 1% of the state has been significantly altered by human development. This means the Director of Conservation has the rare opportunity of working to conserve whole, functioning ecosystems before they are lost—not simply managing what remains. The scale of this work is unparalleled: few places on the planet offer conservationists the chance to operate at the scale that Alaska makes possible.
This role is deeply connected to The Nature Conservancy’s Western U.S. & Canada Division, collaborating with colleagues across the division to ensure Alaska’s conservation priorities complement and advance divisional strategies and TNC’s 2030 Goals. Through these partnerships, the Director brings Alaska’s unique challenges, innovations, and opportunities into division-wide planning, knowledge sharing, and large landscape initiatives.
While the Director works closely with chapter functions—fundraising, marketing and communications, government relations, operations, and finance—their primary responsibility is to lead conservation strategy and execution. The Director ensures that conservation work is effectively coordinated across functions so that chapter-wide strategies and initiatives are aligned and mutually reinforcing.
The Alaska Chapter collaborates closely with Indigenous communities, Tribes, and tribal organizations. With nearly 40% of all federally recognized tribes in the United States located in Alaska, the state is home to one of the most diverse and vibrant concentrations of Indigenous peoples and cultures anywhere in the country. The Director will uphold TNC’s commitment to thoughtful, respectful partnership and relationship building across the state.
We’re Looking for You:
The Director of Conservation oversees all aspects of a significant conservation program area across a large and complex geography. They provide strategic leadership for conservation planning, establish conservation priorities, and ensure Alaska’s conservation strategies are aligned with both chapter and divisional goals.
As the principal conservation contact, the Director engages government agencies; Tribes and tribal organizations; conservation partners; community groups; foundations; and academic institutions. They contribute to donor cultivation and stewardship in partnership with the philanthropy team and represent TNC as a spokesperson and scientific leader.
Essential Functions:
The Alaska Director of Conservation works closely with the Alaska State Director and the Director level leaders of Government Affairs, Finance and Operations, Marketing and Communications, and Philanthropy (collectively, the Leadership Team) to address chapter-wide opportunities and challenges. As supervisor to a professional conservation team, the Director will be a people-centered leader who cultivates a strong, collaborative team culture and ensures clarity on how the conservation team works in partnership with all functional teams to achieve both chapter and division-level goals.
The Director partners with the State Director to manage and oversee special projects and initiatives, implement decisions, and identify issues that require escalation. They cultivate cooperative working relationships across the chapter—including staff, trustees, volunteers, community members, corporations, educational institutions, government partners, Tribes, tribal organizations, and conservation collaborators.
Working closely with TNC colleagues across the Western U.S. & Canada Division and beyond, the Director contributes to ambitious, multijurisdictional outcomes in service of TNC’s global 2030 Goals. They incorporate TNC’s core values into all aspects of the chapter’s work.
The Director of Conservation:
Leads the development and implementation of conservation strategies and initiatives across Alaska, applying scientific, strategic, and systems-level thinking.
Directs and manages a multidisciplinary conservation team, fostering an inclusive, collaborative, high-performing culture.
Establishes conservation priorities, disseminates best practices, and provides scientific leadership, analytical insight, and innovative methodologies.
Serves as a principal conservation liaison, cultivating strategic relationships with Tribes, government agencies, NGOs, academia, donors, and private partners.
Responsibilities and Scope:
Duties may include some or all of the following:
Serves as a spokesperson, effectively presenting and articulating conservation work and outcomes to donors, trustees, partners, and other key audiences.
Frequent travel (approximately 10%) in state and domestically and/or internationally, with occasional evening and weekend hours.
Location: Anywhere within Alaska, with Juneau or Anchorage preferred.
What You’ll Bring:
Experience engaging and partnering with Alaska Native communities, Tribes, and tribal organizations. (Please do not apply if you don't have direct or lived experience with Alaska Native communities. This is required.)
Familiarity with social, cultural, economic and political conditions and issues in Alaska, including tribal nations and indigenous communities, practices, and values that guide and are integrated with natural resource management
People supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
Experience managing program budgets, including working in environments where budgets are actively managed, may be resource-constrained, and every dollar is put to work strategically.
This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page under the FAQ section. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.
Salary Information:
The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $129,000 - $137,000 for annual base salary. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.
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 a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.
We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports of 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.
Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!
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.
