Indigenous Right Relations Director

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.

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe 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 TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Indigenous Right Relations (IRR) Director oversees all aspects of the Indigenous Right Relations program including the Buffalo Restoration program, the Land Return & Stewardship Initiative covering numerous projects and a large, complex geography. They establish overall priorities for the IRR program and serve as the principle contact to external partners, internal business units and other Tribal and Indigenous organizations. They disseminate best practices, provides training and analyses to best implement organizational measures of success, and develops key partnerships. The IRR Director provides strategic leadership and builds capacity for TNC’s North America region to be in right relations with Indigenous communities by informing conservation practices, increasing resources and enabling conditions, and developing new processes and tools for colleagues and partners to achieve our objectives:

• Embed Indigenous-centered processes and practices across North America conservation priorities
• Co-create with business units and initiatives as they apply and discover new ways of working with Native Nations, Indigenous communities and others
• Guide and align leadership to set a regional tone and consistency on how to authentically work in right relations and create the enabling conditions to adopt strategies, approaches and operational practices
• Track the organization’s progress towards partnerships and relationships with Native Nations and Indigenous partners

This role builds strategic, functional and technical capacities in the field, develop key partnerships with internal business units, external partners, and Tribal and Indigenous communities/organizations in order to identify and resolve complex matters and to widely communicate solutions and best practices, and develop innovative methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address the programmatic needs.

This position may work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. May require frequent travel domestically and/or internationally and evening and weekend hours.

We’re Looking for You:

The Indigenous Right Relations Director develops and communicates a clear vision for IRR in the North America region, aligned with TNC’s global teams and other NAR teams. The director leads NAR in adopting and implementing this vision in partnership with BUs across the region. They describe and communicate a standard of practice for IRR across the region. They cultivate networks of practice to share ways of working, best practices and models. The director leads all elements of the Indigenous Right Relations programs, including the Land Return and Stewardship Initiative. and is the lead for the Buffalo Restoration team and program, working with internal staff and external partners to honor our commitments and grow the program. They establish the Conservancy as a major conservation partner, play a leading role in public and private fundraising for the program, and leads and manages a team which implements conservation efforts.

What You’ll Bring:

• BA/BS degree and 12 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
• Experience designing, implementing, and directing complex or multiple projects of strategic importance, including managing finances, supervising multidisciplinary professionals and coordinating the work of partners while meeting deadlines.
• Experience working with Native Nations and Indigenous communities within the North American region.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
• Experience networking with high level conservation contacts.
• Experience working with methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives.
• Experience conceiving and implementing strategic and creative initiatives.
• Experience negotiating.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Cross-cultural experience, multi- lingual and multi-cultural appreciated, including lived and/or professional experience working with Native Nations and Indigenous communities.
• Experience developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
• Knowledge of politics and society with respect to environmental affairs.
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
• Politically savvy.

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 competitive, comprehensive benefits package including: health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan including employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work wellbeing 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!