Job Title: Conservation Policy Director Position is Open Until Filled |
Position Summary
Founded in 1991, Sky Island Alliance is a regional conservation organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of native biological diversity in the Sky Island region of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The current staff of eleven work across five program areas in four states in two countries with a budget of under $1 million.
Sky Island Alliance’s program goals include:
• Protect and restore native species, healthy and diverse ecosystems, and natural evolutionary processes in the Sky Island region.
• Shape land planning processes to ensure conservation based land management.
• Work for Wilderness, National Conservation Areas, and other protective legislative designations by federal, state, and local governments.
• Protect and restore key wildlife movement corridors across the landscape and reduce barriers to wildlife migration.
• Develop new science in understudied areas of the Sky Island region and apply findings to advocacy campaigns and initiatives.
• Increase public understanding and appreciation of the Sky Island region and develop a land ethic and sense of place among the region’s residents to support our broader vision for conservation.
Sky Island Alliance seeks a Conservation Policy Director to manage and implement the organization’s conservation policy initiatives (currently including, but not limited to, climate change adaptation, ecosystem defense, and public lands planning). Working collaboratively with Sky Island Alliance staff, the incumbent will be responsible for both the development and tactical coordination of policy initiatives and be responsible for shaping overall conservation strategy across the organization’s programs. The incumbent will also be responsible for envisioning, proposing and implementing emergent policy initiatives, protection efforts and campaigns.
The incumbent will function as a member of the organization’s executive team, along with the Executive Director and Associate Director, to oversee and coordinate program work, fundraising and strategic decisions across the organization. The incumbent will directly manage the Conservation Policy Program and contribute to overall organizational leadership.
This position is responsible for the following principle functions:
1) Manage and implement the Conservation Policy Program and its initiatives
Conservation Policy
The incumbent will be responsible for developing an organization-wide multi-year conservation policy strategy. This will include development of recommendations for coordinated responses to long and short term policy issues; research, writing and publication of policy positions; and direct implementation of identified conservation strategies and oversight of campaigns. For relevant conservation issues, act as a spokesperson of Sky Island Alliance with media
Climate Change
Working with the Conservation Associate and other staff, the incumbent will oversee and implement the organization’s climate change adaptation initiative, with a focus on building resilience in the landscape through improved and adaptable natural resource management (in coordination with federal, state and county agencies, tribes, landowners, NGO’s, and researchers).
Ecosystem Defense
Working with SIA staff, the incumbent will create an effective and coordinated Ecosystem Defense Program that will assess emergent threats to conservation and related policy issues, determine if and how SIA will respond, and facilitate the organizational response. Fire and forest restoration issues, mining, energy infrastructure development, road construction, threats to listed species, state land reform, and livestock grazing are examples of issues that will be addressed. Implementation of ecosystem defense strategies will include the assistance of other program staff.
Land Management Planning
The incumbent will facilitate the incorporation of Sky Island Alliance conservation priorities into land management planning processes being conducted by various agencies throughout the Sky Island region. By ensuring the incorporation of extensive organizational knowledge of the region with supplementary on-the-ground fieldwork, Sky Island Alliance will take a principle role in shaping the direction of respective agency management plans.
2) Directly supervise and mentor Conservation Policy and Protective Designations staff.
3) Coordinate conservation strategies across the organization’s programs (currently Landscape Restoration, Northern Mexico Conservation, Wilderness & Special Designations, and Wildlife Linkages).
4) Seek out and secure funding for Conservation Policy and Protective Designations campaigns and initiatives, in coordination with the Executive and Associate Directors.
5) Provide administrative and other support to the Executive Director and program staff.
Qualifications
Required
• Bachelor’s degree (preferably a BS in natural resource management, environmental policy, or natural science)
• At least 5 years of applicable professional experience and at least 2 within or working closely with the non-profit or government sectors
• Strong conservation/environmental policy experience (application of knowledge through grassroots campaigns, legislative or legal actions, and/or development and implementation of policy strategy) with a proven record of success and achievement
• Commitment to conservation and wilderness protection for public lands
• Familiarity with the Sky Island region and regionally-specific conservation issues
• Professionalism and proven ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and/or points-of-view
• Excellent research, written communication and verbal communication skills
• Problem solving, critical thinking and can-do attitude
• Thriving in collaborative team environments
• Basic office software operation (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint)
Preferred
Ideal candidates will have experience with and be able to demonstrate some of the following:
• Master’s degree (degree in natural resource management, environmental policy, natural science, public administration, environmental law, or regional planning are preferred).
• JD and admission to the Arizona State Bar (strongly preferred)
• Experience drafting conservation-related legislation, filing lawsuits/briefs for conservation advocacy/environmental protection, and/or lobbying on behalf of proposed legislation or policies
• Track record of successful fundraising
• Familiarity with media and legislative relations
• Prior staff supervision, mentoring and/or volunteer management experience
• Ability to speak Spanish
General
The position will be based in Tucson, Arizona with some travel throughout the Sky Island region. Duties will combine both office and public engagement work, and attendance at weekend and evening events will be required occasionally. Salary: DOE. Medical, dental, vacation, holiday and sick leave benefits provided.
Application
Send resume, salary requirements, and a cover letter stating professional interest (pdf’s preferred) via email to: emerson@skyislandalliance.org.
Mark the subject line of the email as: Conservation Policy Director SEARCH.
Applications will be reviewed as received. Thank you for your interest in Sky Island Alliance!