Director of Conservation, Ontario

Director of Conservation

Full Time Salaried

ON Home Office, Ontario, CA

Salary Range:$121,174.00 To $136,342.00 Annually

Taking care of our environment has never been more important than it is today. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is looking for a passionate leader to join a team committed to tackling the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

NCC is the nation’s leading not-for-profit, private land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its supporters have protected 15 million hectares (more than 35 million acres) of ecologically significant land across Canada. NCC takes a collaborative, evidence-based approach to achieve conservation success for the sake of nature and Canadians.

Position summary

The role of Director of Conservation (DOC) – Ontario reports directly to the Regional Vice President – Ontario and is part of NCC’s leadership team in the operating unit.

The DOC will lead and support a driven team to achieve excellence in land conservation, stewardship, and in building relationships that further meaningful, inclusive conservation initiatives in Ontario. The DOC will oversee planning, collaboration, and coordination of land securement stewardship and related activities. This includes but is not limited to leading strategic planning and implementation, budgeting and financial management of conservation projects and site plans and supporting the securement of ecologically significant lands and the effective stewardship of these lands. The DOC works collaboratively with conservation staff and DOCs across the country to ensure close coordination, consistency and continual improvement in conservation processes and initiatives.

The incumbent will be a thought leader and influencer for conservation and will help NCC in developing strategies and goals for conservation success in this landscape. The incumbent can lead and inspire strong multidisciplinary functioning teams in Ontario and with colleagues across the country. This person will collaborate and strengthen relationships with external partners and stakeholders including land trust partners, landowners, governments, individual and corporate donors, municipalities, and indigenous communities.

The DOC will have a strong focus on continued development of NCC’s ability to work collaboratively and effectively in the delivery of innovative conservation programming. They are responsible for guiding and supporting a driven and dedicated conservation team distributed across the province. Further, this person will share and exemplify NCC’s core values (Big Thinking, Collaborative, Empowering and Determination) to accelerate conservation of our most precious natural landscapes.

Position requirements

• Possesses a Bachelor’s degree in ecology, conservation biology, natural resource management, or related discipline with 6-8 years of directly related experience;
• Preference will be given to candidates with land and water resource management or stewardship experience;
• At least seven years of direct people management and leadership experience, able to provide strong supportive leadership, development, and mentoring to a large team;
• Proven ability to build multi-disciplinary and high functioning teams across departments;
• Demonstrated managerial, planning and coordination skills;
• Flexibility, reliability, self-motivation, a positive solutions-oriented attitude with the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment with co-workers from a variety of levels and departments within the region and nationally;
• Ability to develop big picture strategy, but also to provide technical guidance when needed;
• Proven operational and project management acumen, able to effectively use a variety of resources to attain multiple planned deliverables, with strong problem-solving, planning and organizational skills;
• Experience in complicated land negotiations with a variety of landowners, partners, processes, and outcomes in a rural setting, inclusive of the science, securement and stewardship aspects;
• Experience with all aspects of a not-for-profit conservation organization’s ethics, opportunities, and challenges and previous success with fundraising is an asset;
• A proven ability to interact comfortably with NCC’s partners, including landowners, donors, government representatives, NGO partners and corporations;
• A proven ability to work comfortably in many different venues, from the day-to-day office environment to corporate boardrooms and in the field;
• Demonstrated ability and comfort in media interviews, events, and public engagement activities;
• Excellent problem-solving skills and an ability to make creative, sound decisions;
• Well-developed written, verbal, listening and overall communication skills and the ability to synthesize different points of view into a common goal;
• A proactive and optimistic attitude, with a proven ability to anticipate and manage risk;
• Must be prepared to travel and work flexible hours.

How to apply

NCC is an equal opportunity employer. If you are interested in joining our team, please submit your cover letter and resumé through our Career Centre: (https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/who-we-are/work-with-us/).

Application Deadline: January 5, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET.

NCC welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

We value and incorporate diverse traditions, heritage, knowledge, and experiences in our mission and in our workplaces. We celebrate the full participation of people from all walks of life as we work toward common goals. We strive for a conservation movement in which equity, diversity and inclusion are the norm. This is our continuous commitment: to promote healthy people, healthy communities, and a healthy planet for everyone.