Northern Canada Conservation

Position: Northern Program Director
Organization: Nature United
Location: Flexible in Canada with preference in Northern Canada

Who We Are:

Nature United 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. We work to advance sustainable resource management by supporting Indigenous leadership and authority and to harness the power of nature to address the climate crisis by advancing natural climate solutions. Nature United is an affiliate of the global organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

As a conservation organization, we support the authority of Indigenous Peoples to steward and manage their lands and waters by working in partnership with Indigenous Nations to strengthen governance, build on-the-ground stewardship capacity, support leaders, and catalyze local economies. 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.

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Northern Program Director, Nature United oversees all aspects of Nature United’s conservation work across Northern Canada; this work focuses initially on the Northwest Territories and will also include assessing the potential strategic value of an expanded focus in Northern Canada. The Director will provide leadership on the successful implementation of all aspects of a validating strategy focused on conservation in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, including durable financing, policy outcomes to strengthen environmental management in the North, creation of IPCAs and sustainable management of the region’s resources. The Director focuses on ensuring all of Nature United’s principles drive this strategy, with a particular focus on advancing the 2030 goals Nature United will contribute to, working in right relations, taking a systems change approach, and working in diverse partnership.

The Director serves as a key organizational leader by coordinating an internal team of cross functional subject matter experts to achieve outcomes in the North, serving as the primary point of contact with external partners, and as a member of the conservation leadership team which makes recommendations to decision makers in Nature United. The Northern Program Director reports to the Director of Conservation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Implementing adaptive management of an initial theory of change for the strategy focused on Northern Canada and assessing the potential of emerging strategies that touch down in the region
• Accountable for the successful implementation of annual workplans, the design and adjustment of strategic approaches, and ensuring sufficient resources are available to achieve organizational outcomes
• Acting as a primary point of contact for regional Indigenous leaders, Crown government leaders, and industry leaders
• Supporting the philanthropy team’s fundraising efforts including potentially leading donor trips to the region, providing technical information for proposals, and engaging directly with philanthropic funders
• Developing others, including mentoring and guiding staff as they advance in their career
• Leading effective partnership externally and internally within the organization, including negotiating large deals that advance achievement of strategic goals and collaborating with the global affiliate The Nature Conservancy.
• Partnering in Right Relations with Indigenous Nations, Peoples, and organizations
• May engage directly with corporate leaders and develop robust partnerships that advance shared goals
• Position is expected to travel 30-40%, depending on location

We’re Looking for You:

Are you looking for work you can believe in? Nature United is a workplace where we care about each other and know that what we do matters, and that our work makes a difference. We currently have a vacancy for Northern Program Director, Nature United. We’re looking for someone to provide strategic inspiration, direction and oversight of work that takes place in Northern Canada. Under your leadership, Nature United will strive to achieve its strategic plan in the North by working in right relations and in accordance with its other principles and values and by being a learning organization.

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 80+ countries and territories around the globe!

What You’ll Bring:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• BA/BS degree and 7 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
• Experience directing a major program or project of strategic importance, including management/supervision of multi-disciplinary teams and meeting deadlines.
• Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions, with a particular focus on Northern Canada.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups, Indigenous Nations and organizations, and/or Crown government agencies.
• Experience influencing, developing and implementing conservation policy and plans across large regions.
• Experience with financial management of a large program.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance
• Experience with the legal, social, and political context of Reconciliation in Canada, and in the North specifically

We recognize that women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities and other equity-deserving groups are less likely to apply if they do not match most of the qualifications. Nature United finds strength in diversity of backgrounds, lived experiences, knowledge, and identities. We strongly encourage those interested who bring new perspective to apply.

What We Bring:

Nature United 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 in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work environment that is supportive of the health, well-being, 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 Canada is: $124,000 - $134,000 CAD annually

How To Apply:

To apply for job ID 56606, submit your cover letter and resume online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/.

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Our recruiting process is a rolling process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be removed. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Nature United 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