Program Director

~ The Salazar Center for North American Conservation honors the legacy of former U.S. Secretary of Interior, U.S. Senator, and Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar. ~

Announced in 2016, the Center began operation in 2018. Through convening, communications, national engagement, and interdisciplinary cooperation, the Center seeks to address some of the 21st century’s most challenging conservation issues, including habitat connectivity across political borders, urban conservation and engaging new and diverse voices in conservation policy development. Its efforts also include leadership training and developing of incentives for measurable conservation impact.

The Salazar Center is housed within the School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES) at Colorado State University, which supports a comprehensive program of sustainability research, education, and outreach. SoGES is home to more than 100 affiliated faculty members who make up a dynamic ecosystem of scholars pursuing solutions to the environmental, social, and economic challenges that must be overcome to achieve sustainability. Learn more at sustainability.colostate.edu/centers/salazar-center.

The inaugural Program Director will develop and oversee the programmatic initiatives of The Salazar Center, working closely with the Center’s Director and staff to engage the world’s leading experts in conservation, and the sciences relevant to conservation, in an ongoing process of trans-disciplinary dialogue, assessment and problem solving. S/he will help to design and implement programs that join public and private-sector stakeholders and researchers in the co-generation of knowledge and the design of new approaches and strategies for effective conservation in the face of significant and ongoing environmental and societal challenges.

Position Overview

The Program Director will have the overall responsibility for the development and operation of the Salazar Center’s programs, working in concert with the Center’s Director. In this capacity, s/he will be responsible for overseeing the operations and communications activities of the Center and participating in team building, financial and human resources management, decision-making, and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

The Center is seeking an experienced person with strong program development and management experience, who will:

• Help the Director to build a dynamic and successful Salazar Center that plays an important role in developing both proven and new effective conservation practices and activities throughout North America
• Organize and maintain ongoing dialogue with elected officials, conservation organizations, research institutions, funders, landowners, developers, national, state, and local government agencies, and other important public and private sector stakeholders
• Make decisions, with the Center Director, about which program activities and priorities to advance, based on potential impact and cost considerations.
• Help to define and implement a set of programs to address emerging challenges and solutions in wildlife, land, and water conservation in North America
• Forge new links between university research activities (across multiple disciplines), and local, regional, national, and international conservation practice.
• Support a successful fundraising campaign to build a substantial endowment and garner additional operating funds for the Salazar Center
• Make daily decisions about how to most effectively and efficiently implement program priorities

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree in environmental studies, communications, public policy, law, or another discipline relevant to conservation
• Understanding of the issues and challenges associated with the development and implementation of successful conservation efforts in North America
• Understanding of global environmental change and sustainability issues, integrated systems thinking on socio-environmental interactions and sustainable solutions, and how these concepts relate to North American conservation challenges
• 5+ years of experience in in a conservation organization, government agency, non-government organization, or research institution
• Experience in building partnerships and working with stakeholders
• Excellent communications skills, written and verbal
• Fluency in English

Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Advanced degree (i.e., Masters, PhD, or JD) and significant experience in public policy, law, or communications relevant to conservation
• Proven track record in the development, implementation and administration of successful conservation programs and practices in North America
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate agreement among diverse stakeholders and develop effective organizational partnerships
• Supervisory experience (while the Director will not supervise any staff immediately, the Center will likely add staff over time that will be overseen by this position)
• Fluency or competency in Spanish

Compensation

• This position is full-time except with an anticipated salary of $90,000-110,000 and is contingent on funding beyond the initial 12-month appointment
• The Program Director will report to Beth Conover, Director of the Salazar Center

Additional Information

• The Center maintains offices in both Denver and Fort Collins, and the Program Director will have the flexibility to work from either or both locations
• Some evening and weekend hours may be required
• Travel will also be required on occasion
• The Salazar Center will eventually be based in and operated from the National Western redevelopment area in Denver
• Employment is contingent on a pre-employment criminal background check

To Apply

• Please click "Apply on Company Website" below and search for position ID 201900154AP
• Applications will be accepted until April 1, 2019
• Please do not contact the Center directly