EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Position: Manager, Canada Great Lakes Agriculture Program
Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Location: Flexible location within Ontario with a strong preference for a location in or near the Great Lakes Watershed
Job ID: 54252

Who We Are:

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube or on Glassdoor.

Nature United, the Canadian affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, is a national organization that is reimagining conservation across Canada. We believe that nature—thriving and full of life—is the foundation of strong communities, a prosperous economy, and a future worth passing on to our grandchildren. We believe that reconciliation is at the heart of our progress as a nation. And we believe that Canada can be a global beacon for hope. Diversity, equity, inclusion and justice are central to achieving our conservation mission and we are committed to co-creating a culture that is equitable and a workplace that is diverse, inclusive and safe for all staff, partners, donors, and volunteers.

What We Can Achieve Together:

TNC and Nature United are advancing agriculture strategies to influence how Canada and its producers provide food while generating regional and global outcomes that benefit both people and nature. A regenerative food system goes beyond sustainability to enable food production that benefits our planet as well as the farmers, ranchers and others who work to provide our food. By developing producer informed strategies with key partners, we work to make farms and ranches more productive while restoring habitats, protecting clean drinking water, increasing biodiversity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions all while securing the food supply for a rapidly growing population.

The Manager will be responsible for establishing TNC and Nature United’s presence in agriculture in the Great Lakes region of Ontario and will identify key partners in the agriculture sector to advance regenerative agriculture for climate, water, community and biodiversity benefits. The Manager will be operating under the guidance of the North America Farmer Advisor Strategy Manager and will be connected to both the North America Agriculture program and the Nature United Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) team. Success in the position will be achieved by building foundational relationships with ag retailers, CPGs, commodity groups, farmer-led groups, universities, and NGOs in service of our shared programmatic goals. They will align with existing strategies, existing corporate and government engagement, and science and research teams. They will bring their knowledge, curiosity, and relationships to develop an agricultural strategy for the Great Lakes region of southern OntarioIn collaboration with and under the guidance of the North America Farmer Advisor Strategy Manager and other team members, the Manager will be responsible for:

• Acting independently within broad program goals to prioritize tasks in the absence of specific instructions and exercise independent judgment to identify and solve problems;
• Manage projects with multiple variables and internal and external stakeholders - set realistic deadlines, manage a timeline and budget, and ensure accountability;
• Adapting TNC’s and NU’s agriculture strategies and theories of change (TOC) to local cultures and geographies;
• Identifying and developing key performance indicators and mechanisms for monitoring & measuring progress towards outcomes;
• Serving as the liaison for external partners and TNC staff to gain cooperation to accomplish program goals;
• Writing proposals and grants for public and private funding programs;
• Meeting planning and facilitation;
• Managing contracts, tracking budgets and deliverables, producing reports;
• Adhering to TNC standard operating procedures, approval and reporting requirements.

The Manager will be expected to travel up to 20% of their time and may work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.

We’re Looking for You:

The North America (NA) Agriculture Program and Nature United employ science-based, solutions-focused approaches to drive actionable, systems-change strategies that aim to increase the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across working lands in the United States and Canada. The teams work together with public and private sector decision-makers to co-create solutions, drawing on TNC’s practical experience and expertise working with local partners on the ground. If you have a passion for conserving and protecting the natural world, addressing climate change, and enhancing the sustainability of our food system, then this is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing mission of conservation by supporting the work of our team. Join us as we impact conservation across Canada and 70+ countries and territories around the globe!

What You’ll Bring:

• BA/BS degree in agriculture or water conservation, agronomy, sustainability, environmental economics/sociology or a related field and 5 years’ experience in natural resource management, project management or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements.
• Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally.
• Experience in training and curriculum design.
• Experience with principles of regenerative agriculture including soil health, nutrient management and edge of field practices; and
• Experience engaging or collaborating with non-profit organizations, farmers, agribusiness, and/or government agencies.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Experience working with / in ag retail or agribusiness.
• Grant / proposal writing experience.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profits, universities, agricultural organizations, community groups, agribusinesses, food companies, food distributors, and/or government agencies.
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in regenerative agriculture; including cover cropping, conservation tillage, precision ag, etc.
• Knowledge of GHG protocols and scope 3 emissions accounting, methods and standards.
• Demonstrated social and emotional intelligence by successfully engaging and motivating others to support a new path forward, building energy and involvement to sustain results over time.
• Ability to explain conservation practices to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Completing tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).
• Excellent communication skills via written, spoken and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
• Supervisory experience.

What We Bring:

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The Nature Conservancy offers a comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

Salary Information:

The estimated starting salary for this position is dependent on experience, qualifications and location.

• Salary range in Ontario is: $103,000 - $110,000 CAD annually

This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.

The Nature Conservancy 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.

To apply for job ID 54252, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/. Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.

Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org .