OFFICE LOCATION
Los Angeles, California, USA.
This position is open to home or TNC offices throughout California.
WHO WE ARE
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Grounded in science, we develop innovative solutions to the world’s toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity; respect for people, communities, and cultures; and a collaborative, nonpartisan approach. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world.
The California Chapter is TNC’s largest state program and one of the largest, most dynamic conservation organizations in the country. With approximately 275 employees, from financial analysts and fundraisers to ecologists and economists, we are currently invested in 14 strategies to address the biggest challenges facing California and the world, including numerous community-based projects designed to increase the pace, scale, and effectiveness of conservation. Over the past six decades, we have protected 1.4 million acres, 5,000 miles of streams, and 3.8 million acres of ocean habitat in California and off the coast.
The California Chapter believes that we are most effective when we are embedded in our state’s communities, politics, media, and environmental issues. For this reason, and to reduce our carbon footprint when meeting in person, all staff live in California, including those in a home office.
Finally, we are passionate about holding the middle ground in American politics and civic life and doing our part to make conservation a shared national value. The hallmark of The Nature Conservancy is its “big tent” approach, engaging people across the political and ideological spectrum to find solutions that last. We welcome everyone. Everyone in our organization should therefore be adept at working with people who may not share their personal values or opinions. We ask all employees to embrace the critical strategic position of our brand and organization as non-partisan. It is the foundation of our success.
WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER
The Project Associate supports an initiative catalyzing and coordinating transformational restoration of rocky reef and kelp forest habitats and associated species in California. The Project Associate will help manage core functions and processes for the Ocean Recovery Strategy’s Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration Initiative (PCOR) Initiative, a collaborative network that is being led by the Oceans Program of The Nature Conservancy in California.
This position presents a unique opportunity to support the PCOR Initiative team’s collaboration with several governmental and non-governmental entities to recover the endangered white abalone and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red listed sunflower sea star, restore California’s decimated bull kelp forests, and pilot a novel, marine-conservation workforce development program with a community college which may inform scaling across California community colleges. This work is a key objective of the Oceans Program at TNC and is critical to our ability to build resilience in kelp forest ecosystems at a meaningful scale. In this role, you will administer and manage grant sub-award agreements and support grant reporting requirements; facilitate internal team communications; provide project management support; lead the implementation of an external communications and marketing plan; support the coordination of in-person convenings with key external partners; and provide general support across the project as needed. You will work on a multi-disciplinary team of ocean conservation practitioners advancing some of the most creative and ambitious work around ocean protection and recovery in the world today.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU
If you’re looking for a career where you can work with an ambitious and motivated team to develop solutions to the world’s most pressing ocean conservation challenges, look no further. Come join the California Oceans Team at The Nature Conservancy as the PCOR Project Associate.
The California Oceans Program at The Nature Conservancy leads innovative and collaborative initiatives to enhance resiliency in marine and coastal ecosystems. Within the Oceans Program, the Ocean Recovery Strategy is a large body of work aimed at protecting and restoring kelp forest ecosystems, native oyster beds, and seagrass meadows in California and around the world. Our rocky reef and kelp forest ecosystem restoration work catalyses meaningful impact on the water by working with a wide range of stakeholders, resource users, non-profits, agencies, coastal communities, and researchers to develop cutting-edge restoration science, tools, and solutions to drive recovery on a large scale. The PCOR Initiative is poised to address key challenges to kelp forest and rocky reef ecosystem recovery through creating a coalition of partners spanning the state, advancing in-water work and land-based infrastructure improvements to accelerate restoration, and developing and launching a workforce development pilot program. The PCOR Project Associate will provide critical support for a comprehensive, collaborative statewide effort aimed at restoring and recovering degraded marine ecosystems across California.
To this end, you will:
- Support PCOR Initiative team leadership by leading the coordination of all aspects of the PCOR initiative functions in a way that helps the team to maintain effectiveness, meet administrative and project deadlines, and ensure maximum conservation benefit.
- Assist with sub-award creation, execution, and management for the PCOR Initiative across all workstreams (sunflower sea star, abalone, kelp, workforce development, and Initiative products) efficiently and completely, and per SOP and TNC-California guidelines. This includes interacting with both internal and external parties to develop agreements, as needed, managing contractors to ensure project success; and supporting developing and monitoring a contract tracker for the Oceans Recovery Strategy Team.
- Track, coordinate, and review PCOR Initiative deliverables related to budgeting and grant management, including report coordination and writing.
- Facilitate communications within the Initiative team and develop, facilitate, and lead implementation of a shared communications and marketing plan with internal and external partners to enable opportunities for engagement and to amplify the Initiative’s work across a diversity of audiences. Serve as the interface between Initiative team and TNC Marketing team.
- Support scheduling and agenda development for internal and external meetings and supports planning logistics for in-person convenings with external partners.
- Communicate with stakeholders, partners, and public agency staff to advance the goals of the Initiative, as directed.
- Perform tasks with minimal supervision and make independent decisions based on analysis, experience, and judgment.
Apply today and find a career where you can find meaning and purpose!
WHAT YOU'LL BRING
- BA/BS degree and 5 years of experience in natural resource management or related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
- Experience with project management, grant and contract management, partnership development, and familiarity working with state and federal agencies.
- Experience in communications and outreach including developing and/or managing the development of materials e.g., websites, factsheets, infographics, reports.
- Experience negotiating complex agreements.
- Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally.
- Experience using applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Web Browsers.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Proven ability as creative and entrepreneurial self-starter with a well-rounded background in project or grant management and communications.
- Team player and cross-functional contributor with an ability to add value across several key functions.
- Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse team, navigate interpersonal dynamics, and maintain strong relationships.
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
- Knowledge of current trends and practices in conservation.
- Knowledge of ocean conservation issues in California.
- Understanding of The Nature Conservancy’s mission and its niche in the conservation field.
- Ability to explain conservation practices to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Completing tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).
WHAT WE BRING
Each person who works at TNC contributes to our goal of protecting nature for future generations. Another one of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe feel that their unique contributions are valued. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “You’ll join for the mission, and you’ll stay for the people.” To learn more, head to YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.
We’re proud to support the health and wellbeing of the people we employ. We offer a competitive, comprehensive benefits package that includes healthcare coverage, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, and other benefits that support work-life balance.
If you’re interested in working with us, please apply—we’d love to hear from you.
SALARY INFORMATION
The starting pay for this position is within the range of $66,560 - $87,500 for annual base salary. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA and state of employment is California. The salary range for this position will the following based on location:
Los Angeles County or San Francisco Bay area: $74,600 - $87,500
Sacramento, San Diego, and similar areas: $68,400 - $80,000
Arcata, Chico, and similar areas: $66,560 - $73,000
Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.
APPLY NOW
To apply for job ID 55941, please submit your materials (resume, cover letter, and questionnaire responses) online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ by 8:59 PM PST on Sunday, December 8, 2024.
____________________________________________________________
Please include your responses to the following six questions in your application:
- Why do you want to work for The Nature Conservancy? [Max 250 words]
- What about this Project Associate role most appeals to you? [Max 250 words]
- How does your work experience make you a great fit for this Project Associate role? How does this position fit within your career plans/goals? [Max 250 words]
- Please provide an examples of how you've collaborated or partnered with people with different areas or expertise or perspectives to make a project successful. [Max 250 words]
- Review this Scaling Kelp Restoration 2-pager. Please summarize it compellingly for a broad donor audience in no more than 5 sentences.
- This position is based in California. Please confirm if where you live in California. If you would need to relocate, please describe where and what relocation plans and timeline.
____________________________________________________________
Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.
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.
The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military or veteran status or other status protected by law.
The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.
