Conservation Director

~ Athens Land Trust conserves, empowers and sustains communities through responsible and visionary land use. ~

ALT was founded in 1994 by Skipper StipeMaas and Nancy Stangle. At the time, the two women were involved in the development of the Kenney Ridge community, a single-family neighborhood located on 139 acres on Tallassee Road in Athens-Clarke County.

In the course of that project, StipeMaas and Stangle discovered an apparent conflict between their two goals: to protect open spaces, and to keep the housing lots affordable. Believing that both problems required an integrated solution, ALT's founders created one of the few organizations in the country that is both a conservation and community land trust. 

Position Overview

The Conservation Program Director is the public face of Athens Land Trust's conservation efforts. S/he oversees all aspects of outreach, land protection, stewardship, and external relations, implementing plans and policies approved by the Board of Directors. The Director establishes overall programmatic priorities and develops and implements strategies and plans for accomplishing them.  

Responsibilities

• Grow the visibility of the conservation program by speaking at events and meetings, presenting at conferences, participating in working groups at the local, regional and state levels, and building partnerships.
• Proactively engage in business development including outreach to landowners to bring in new projects, and speaking at conferences and other public events to educate landowners on the benefits of conserving land with ALT and our capabilities.
• Be a leader in conservation education, particularly regarding the NRCS ACEP-ALE program, helping potential partners to see the benefits of participation and to navigate the application and transaction processes.
• Build a network of partners and allies, forming environmental coalitions to support creative environmental solutions.
• Locate and develop sources of funding for conservation projects, particularly matching funds for NRCS ACEP-ALE.
• Complement and support the Executive Director in public meetings, landowner outreach and in putting together conservation deals.
• Network to identify and recruit future members of the Conservation Committee and Board of Directors.
• Work with Executive Director and Conservation Committee to implement the strategic direction and conservation priorities to position the organization as a major conservation partner in the state.
• Includes development and implementation of government relations, public policy, and funding strategies in support of the 
• conservation program. 
• Oversee the development and implementation of a Work Plan for the program, which establishes conservation priorities throughout the region. 
• Manage projects and deliverables related to grant funding, including reporting and budgeting, while keeping abreast of multiple ongoing conservation projects.
• Work with ALT staff to successfully manage conservation activities including easements, acquisitions, transfer of acquired lands to appropriate partners, and all other activities associated with protection strategies.
• Negotiate complex and innovative acquisitions and other conservation solutions with landowners and government agencies. 
• Establish policies and procedures in compliance with Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Standards.
• Build a volunteer program that supports stewardship activities and furthers best practices of land management.
• Manage relationships with staff, interns, volunteers, landowners, clients and consultants to execute the projects and initiatives of the Conservation Program.

Additional Requirements Applicable To All ALT Employees:

• Maintain regular in-office hours to answer email and phone inquiries, contribute to emerging projects, and coordinate with fellow staff, etc. 
• Contribute to quarterly newsletters, monthly and annual reports, brochures and other educational materials as related to program(s) of primary responsibility as well as overall organization.
• Assist with fundraising (including, but not limited to, grant applications, special events, and meeting with potential donors).
• Attend weekly staff meetings and prepare detailed timesheets.
• Be part of a team-provide support for all staff members in their respective duties.

Qualifications

• The Conservation Director is an individual with high ethical standards, excellent strategic planning skills, and the ability to connect with people from all walks of life.
• S/he actively seeks opportunities to build relationships with new partners and give public talks, and has a track record of engaging diverse groups-public, private, and nonprofit-in delivering on-the-ground conservation results.
• S/he has the ability to focus in on details (finalizing the language of a Deed of Conservation Easement) AND simultaneously see the 30,000 foot view (how a particular project fulfills the organization's mission and partner's goals), and can clearly communicate the importance of both.
• S/he has successfully negotiated complex conservation transactions, including securing public and private funding.
• A background in Natural Resources Management, Environmental Science, Ecology or Environmental Law is preferred.
• S/he has a demonstrated ability to successfully prioritize and execute multiple projects with varying timelines and degrees of difficulty.
• S/he is comfortable with a fast-paced environment and adjusting on the fly to accommodate emerging projects and needs.
• Superb communication (verbal, written and visual) and time management skills are essential to success in this role.
• S/he has a strong history of working as a member of a team, effectively collaborating with outside partners as well as colleagues.  

To Apply

Please click below: "Apply Now Online!" to email youra letter of interest and resume to Kyle Williams, Subject header "Conservation Director."