PETERBOROUGH & KAWARTHA LAKES

Position: Regional Conservation and Climate Partnership Convenor (RCCPC)
Organization: Kawartha Land Trust
Location: This is a hybrid/remote work position that requires travel and in-person meetings throughout the Kawarthas. A hot desk will be available for occasional use at KLT’s office at 1545 Monaghan Road, Peterborough, Ontario

Reports to: Executive Director
Compensation: $ 70,000 – $85,000 based on experience (Includes benefits after three months)
Job Type: Full-time, three-year contract position
Start Date: January 8, 2024

Who We Are

Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) is a dynamic land conservation charity with an impressive track record of growth. Our mission is to care for the lands entrusted to us and help others protect the land they love in the Kawarthas. We create nature reserves for future generations by acquiring ecologically important lands and/or interest in lands. We also enhance our stewardship of the land by engaging landowners in land care initiatives through our Partners in Conservation program.

Founded in 2001, KLT protects 33 properties that include more than 5,350 acres of ecologically diverse lands, some of which include hiking trails that introduce thousands of people to nature in the Kawarthas every year. We have achieved our successes through the work of our dedicated and growing team of donors, volunteers and supporters. Together, we can ensure more natural spaces in the Kawarthas are preserved forever.

KLT works within the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig Territory and we are dedicated to continuing to create meaningful connections and relationships with First Nations communities in our region.

For more information on the Kawartha Land Trust and to consider further if you may be a fit for this opportunity, see KLT’s website, online/media or social media presence.

About the Regional Conservation and Climate Partnership

The twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change require more on-the-ground conservation action if we are to build a nature-positive society by 2050.

While the issues are global in scale, regional and local solutions are required to reach international targets. In the Kawarthas, regional and local organizations, government agencies, and private consultants are making tremendous gains; however, collective, coordinated efforts are required to achieve the necessary conservation outcomes and cultural changes that are needed to create and sustain a nature-positive Kawarthas now and in the future.

Regional conservation and climate partnerships (RCCP) are a way to improve the shared outcomes and objectives of conservation organizations, people, and groups within a region. Kawartha Land Trust has received funding to develop an RCCP in the Kawarthas to lead an initiative to build a network of sustainable farm and forestry organizations, land-based educators, land-based recreation organizations, land trusts, other conservation groups, and Williams Treaties First Nations rights holders. Together, these partners will work to achieve shared conservation and nature-based climate targets and promote positive relationships with land.

By combining our efforts, we are more likely to attract the large multi-year funding and technical support needed to achieve the accelerated and enhanced conservation outcomes we are striving for in our collective region and create the momentum needed to implement additional programs over time.

The Role

KLT’s Regional Conservation and Climate Partnership Convenor (RCCPC) takes primary responsibility for operationalizing the idea of “resilience through collaboration” in the Kawarthas. With KLT as their home base, and using proven impact models, the RCCPC will create something new in our region. They will formalize and enhance partnerships between individuals and organizations engaged in land access and management to create and implement a common vision for our shared landscape in the Kawarthas. This vision, and its corresponding action plan, will be used to attract support for RCCP member organizations – growing our collective impact.

Primary Responsibilities

Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with the Director of Community Conservation and other staff, the RCCPC’s work will coalesce around the following core areas:

1. Connecting Regional Conservation and Climate Action Partners
   1. Identify and build relationships with significant stakeholders, rights holders, government bodies and others with an interest in community conservation, integrated landscape management, and climate action in the Kawarthas.
   2. Facilitate the connection of those identified to co-create a community conservation vision with targets and an action plan for the Kawarthas.
   3. Inspire participants to embrace a broad, collective vision of land conservation that includes human interaction and reciprocal relationships.
   4. Assist partnership members with setting both collective and organization-level targets and monitor progress towards those targets.
2. Building a Regional Conservation Movement
   1. Identify and welcome voices missing from conservation conversations and bring them into the regional partnership.
   2. Inspire the broader community to understand and work towards the community conservation vision and targets.
   3. Identify and champion additional benefits that can result from the work of the regional partnership.
   4. Identify and fill knowledge and information gaps and share conservation information with the broader community.
3. Fund Development
   1. Identify current and potential funding needs to inform general fundraising and grant writing efforts undertaken by and on behalf of RCCP partners.
   2. Communicate the work of the RCCP to granting agencies and private donors to inspire investment, including providing written profiles of projects and initiatives and contributing to grant writing.
   3. Engage with community funding agencies and major donors as needed to support RCCP members, including grant writing.

Specific tasks and duties may include:

• Engaging a broad range of conservation and climate action stakeholders and rights holders to participate in the RCCP.
• Organizing and facilitating meetings of RCCP members, working groups, community input sessions and other events including a kick-off meeting in early 2024.
• Establishing and managing working groups to contribute to the formation, goals and planning for the RCCP.
• Meeting regularly with RCCP members, individually and collectively, to monitor progress towards common goals and report back to the membership.
• Identifying data gaps in mapping and establishing consensus on a shareable information system.
• Communicating the work of the RCCP to the broader community through presentations to community groups, writing guest columns and blogs, tabling at community events, contributing to social media posts, and e-newsletters etc.
• Becoming a functional expert on Partnership Impact Evaluation and RCCPs across Canada and the US.
• Exploring further development of the RCCP model in the Kawarthas and beyond including recommending the best “home” for the Kawartha RCCP in future.

Desired Skills & Qualifications

• Valid G license and access to a personal vehicle (mileage will be compensated) required for in-person meetings throughout the Kawarthas.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize and deliver a new project or initiative based on research, best practices and innovation.
• A minimum of five years experience working on community projects within a complex stakeholder environment.
• Experience building and maintaining complex stakeholder relationships and establishing partnership to share information, reach consensus, and co-develop positive goals and outcomes.
• Experience engaging with and cultivating collaborative relationships with Indigenous communities to advance land and biodiversity initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship building and communication skills with proven ability to distill complex ideas into plain language.
• Strategic thinker who can identify various approaches to achieve both short- and long-term objectives.
• Familiarity with community engagement and activation principles.
• Ability to network and convene multi-stakeholder groups and build a constructive dialogue to address conservation issues in a collaborative way.
• Possess problem-solving abilities and experience developing creative solutions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Zoom, and PowerPoint or similar technologies.

Other Valuable Skills and Experience

• Relevant post-secondary education (e.g., environmental studies/sciences, public policy, community engagement, environmental planning, geography) or a related combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of two years of experience working on conservation, climate change adaptation/mitigation, resource management projects within a complex stakeholder environment.
• Demonstrated track record of implementing effective campaigns for social or environmental change.
• Experience with project development and grant writing is a strong asset.
• Experience engaging with traditional and social media.
• Familiarity with conservation science and/or climate policy.
• Experience within the Salesforce database environment or other CRMs.

Reference materials to assist in your application and interview available at https://kawarthalandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/KLT-RCCP-Manager-Job-Description_FormattedV2.pdf

Additional Benefits:

Upon successful completion of the probationary period set by Kawartha Land Trust, the following benefits are available:

• Comprehensive Health and Dental benefits with 90% employer-paid premiums.
• Personalized RRSP contribution.
• Ability to flex-time throughout the week and work in a hybrid remote-work office.
• Competitive entitlements for paid sick days and vacation allowance per annum.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program for all employees.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Working in a supportive office with passionate people who care about the environment and their co-workers.

How to Apply

• Questions about the position may be addressed to John Kintare, Executive Director at jkintare@kawarthalandtrust.org with the subject line “RCCPC Questions”. All questions must be received before November 28, 2023, to ensure adequate response time.
• Your application should include a resume and a cover letter as one document, which specifically addresses how your skills and qualifications relate to the job tasks and responsibilities. Please include a summary of why you think the work of Kawartha Land Trust is important in your cover letter.
• Send your application as a PDF or Word document with the following file name format: Last Name_First Name_KLT_RCCPC.
• Email your cover letter and resume in one document to John Kintare, Executive Director at jkintare@kawarthalandtrust.org with the subject line “RCCPC Application.” The deadline to submit your application is 12:00 p.m. (noon), December 4, 2023.

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KLT values diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all qualified applicants. Accommodations for applicants with disabilities are available upon request for all aspects of the recruitment process. KLT is a mask-friendly workplace.

Thank you for your interest in Kawartha Land Trust. Although we appreciate all applicants taking the time to express their interest in joining the Kawartha Land Trust team, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.