Living Lands Program Manager

The Living Lands project is designed to increase the capacity of local land trusts to protect, enhance and restore native wildlife habitat and biodiversity. The Living Lands project assists local land trusts in making strategic decisions about "where to work" to conserve high priority native habitats and species and "how to work" to use effective land stewardship to restore and manage native habitats for their long-term benefits.

The Living Lands Project Manager serves as Defenders main representative for Defenders ongoing biodiversity conservation project entitled "Living Lands". 

The project manager will coordinate an integrated team within Conservation Programs at Defenders of Wildlife, oversee the project activities, serve as primary liaison with the land trust community, gauge progress in meeting project goals, deliver presentations, manage demonstration projects and engage in fundraising activities. 

The Project Manager will work under the supervision of the Director of Conservation Planning and will work closely with Defenders staff experts in Land Conservation, Conservation Economics, Conservation Planning and Field Programs. The Project Manager has the following general responsibilities: 

Duties: 

1. Oversee project administration and project meetings, including reports on project progress, implementation and budgets to Defenders staff and project donors.  
2. Lead the Living Lands Team to communicate and market the project to a diverse audience including land trusts, other conservation organizations, agency decision and policy makers, funding organizations, and the general public with respect to the goals and accomplishments of the project.  
3. Work to maintain a constructive partnership with the Land Trust Alliance and integrate biodiversity conservation into land trust training activity.  
4. Work with Defenders Farm Bill Team, Defenders Conservation Economics program and US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Interior or other relevant Federal agencies, to apply funding from federal agricultural conservation programs to restore and conserve biodiversity on project land trust properties.  
5. Identify and initiate field level pilot projects in key states and regions to demonstrate a model for land trust biodiversity conservation.  
6. Represent Living Lands on behalf of Defenders and promote the ideas associated with biodiversity conservation on private lands in a variety of forums involving land trusts at the national, regional and state level.  
7. Lead the development of written publications, workshops and multi-media presentations (including the Living Lands website) on various aspects of the Living Lands Project. Present research findings and training materials to workshops, conferences, and briefing sessions.  
8. Engage in grant writing and solicitation of support for the Living Lands project including but not limited to grants, contracts, in-kind assistance, and political support.

Qualifications: 

• Advanced degree(s) in conservation biology, ecology, environmental policy, and/or other relevant field preferred, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary coursework and integrative subject matter.  
• At least three years experience in working with natural resource issues and land trusts in the public or private sector.  
• Familiarity with the land trust community, funding options and economic incentives for land conservation.  
• Understanding of the principles of conservation biology, habitat conservation and restoration.  
• Working knowledge of computers and internet applications.  
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.  
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment with diverse interests on complex natural resource issues.  
• Willingness and ability to travel in connection with work.  
• Self-starter with ability to seek direction when needed. A flexible nature and good sense of humor.

To Apply: 

Interested applicants, please reference Living Lands Project Manager and send resume, cover letter, and salary history (must be included to be considered) by email. Visit our website for more information. 

It is the policy of Defenders of Wildlife to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law, in all personnel actions.