[sust-mar] Land Stewardship Manager, f/t, Nova Scotia Nature Trust, Dartmouth

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NOVA SCOTIA GREEN JOBS
https://GoodWork.ca/NovaScotia 
https://GoodWork.ca/962875

Position: Land Stewardship Manager
Organization: Nova Scotia Nature Trust
Location: Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia

The Nature Trust is a small, ambitious and highly effective land conservation charity, protecting Nova Scotia’s most outstanding natural areas, through private land conservation. With our conservation lands network growing significantly, and more and more people wanting to explore these wild places, our capacity to effectively “steward” our lands must grow significantly.

We are seeking a visionary and strategic leader to help us create an innovative, robust and expanded land stewardship program and organizational capacity to ensure the lands entrusted to our care are truly protected, forever. 

If you are passionate about nature and land conservation, perhaps this is your calling—Nova Scotia’s keeper of the wild!

Our Land Stewardship Manager
• Is entrusted with the care and management of our 125 (and counting!) conservation sites across Nova Scotia—over 15,000 acres of wild and beautiful nature
• Ensures that the rare, unique and important natural features of these lands thrive, from endangered wildlife to old growth forests
• Inspires and engages Nova Scotians in helping to steward these very special places

We seek an enthusiastic trailblazer to significantly expand our capacity and effectiveness in meeting the promise of “forever wild.” Our ideal candidate is an ambitious, results-driven leader, a strategic thinker with inspiring vision, drive and a proven track record of accomplishment (gets big things done!)

You are intelligent and highly motivated, enabling you to excel at learning and adapting the “best practices” of land stewardship from across the land trust world to meet our unique challenges in Nova Scotia and to establish the Nature Trust as Nova Scotia’s leader in land stewardship.

As an exceptional communicator, you instill trust and confidence, creating strong relationships with diverse stakeholders. You have a friendly, professional demeanor, diplomacy and an aptitude for dealing with difficult situations and resolving conflict.

Our ideal candidate is multi-talented and adaptable—equally comfortable contributing to the development of strategic conservation plans or envisioning a new app for conservation volunteers, managing a complex program or talking conservation with kids.

Ideally, you have a professional background and experience in land conservation, stewardship, natural resources or protected areas planning and management.

But most important, you love the natural world, love spending time in the wild, and are deeply passionate about caring for the wild and engaging Nova Scotians in land stewardship.

Position Description

The Land Stewardship Manager reports to our Director of Conservation and is part of an enthusiastic and professional conservation team with members focused on land securement, conservation science/ecology and planning, conservation education/outreach, volunteer coordination and conservation project coordination. Other staff and volunteers support your work through communications, marketing, fundraising, and administration.

Key Responsibilities

Program Development: Build our existing stewardship program to create a robust and innovative land stewardship program to address our current and future land stewardship needs in light of our expanding protected areas network and increasing visitors/use of our lands. Enhance organizational capacity/expertise in stewardship

Leadership: Provide leadership and vision for the stewardship of all Nature Trust conservation lands, and guidance, policy and direction related to stewardship and engagement across all program areas; liaise with the broader conservation and scientific communities; keep abreast of emerging stewardship and land use issues, opportunities and best practices;

Stewardship: Manage our land Stewardship Program
• Strategic and annual land stewardship plans
• Contribute to the completion of site assessments (research and on-the-ground surveys to assess conservation value/priority)
• Baseline documentation reports (document conservation values/features, historic/current uses, threats, management issues/risks; create a ‘baseline’ against which to measure conservation progress, changes, impacts over time)
• Property monitoring (regular site visits by staff/volunteers to assess and document human and natural changes, impacts, threats, success of conservation actions)
• Land stewardship/management plans (to guide how each site should be managed to ensure conservation values remain protected and to manage human use/risks)
• Ongoing landowner, neighbour and community relations and education
• Enforcement (responding to and resolving violations of conservation agreements, disturbance/ destruction of habitat)
• Stewardship/restoration activities (beach clean-ups, trail maintenance, boundary maintenance, removal of invasive species, habitat restoration)
• Visitor and recreation planning/management (assess/plan for visitor use where compatible with conservation values, oversee trails systems, signage, events)
• Risk assessment/risk management and safety for properties and field-based activities
• Third party ecological research and education being carried out on our lands
• Communications, materials and public relations associated with stewardship

Partnerships: Envision, create and maintain highly productive stewardship partnerships (e.g. with scientists, researchers, local communities, schools/universities, conservation/recreation groups, Indigenous partners, government etc. that support and enhance our stewardship capacity and efforts, and provide complementary support in areas such as ecological research, monitoring and restoration)

Volunteer Management: Together with our Volunteer Coordinator, build and sustain a robust and engaging volunteer program. This includes enhancing the Property Guardians and Birds Eye View programs to significantly increase our stewardship capacity across the province through citizen engagement and volunteerism, as well as other volunteers supporting activities ranging from fundraising, committees and office support to engagement and education.

Outreach and Education: Oversee community education and outreach programs and activities (including Connecting with Nature), inspiring and engaging Nova Scotians in our conservation/stewardship efforts and building a strong conservation ethic in the communities where we work

Human Resources: Manage stewardship staff and consultants, providing mentorship, support and leadership

Fundraising:Support fundraising efforts generally, and specifically for stewardship/engagement

Support other aspects of the Nature Trust’s work including program administration/budgeting, communications, public relations and fundraising

What Does Good Stewardship Look Like?
• The Nature Trust is the respected, trusted leader in land stewardship in Nova Scotia and a model of best practices—delivering on the promise of “forever wild”
• Our network of ecologically rich conservation lands is well cared for and professionally managed—nature thrives and public use is well planned and managed
• The Nature Trust embodies and inspires a culture of nature stewardship
• Nova Scotians know, value and appreciate the Nature Trust, our mission, and our conservation lands
• Citizens engage with our lands (nature appreciation, ecological research, education, wilderness recreation)
• Stewardship issues are resolved professionally, diplomatically and efficiently
• A passionate team of volunteers and community partners all across the province take an active role in stewarding our conservation lands and serving as nature ambassadors and educators
• Strong partnerships and collaboration leverage valuable ecological research and education opportunities on our lands, and collaborative approaches to land and habitat stewardship (on our lands and beyond)

Application Information

Attributes for Success
• Passion for nature/belief in the mission of the Nature Trust
• Strong stewardship ethic/dedication to land conservation
• Visionary, change-maker, energized by opportunity
• Enthusiastic, ambitious, can do personality
• Takes initiative and delivers results
• Highly professional, diplomatic and tactful
• Supportive team player
• Strong work ethic/dedication; self-reliant, problem-solver
• Intelligent, curious, continually striving to learn/improve
• Outgoing, confident and friendly, empowering
• Strong interpersonal skills, active listener, able to build trusting relationships
• Ability to work at strategic level, provide program and staff management, and also to be highly productive at an operational level carrying out stewardship-related work directly

Key Competencies, Skills and Experience Required 
• Strong track record in effectively leading and managing complex programs and projects (delivering impressive results and meeting deadlines)
• Experience in some or all of the following and/or relevant transferrable knowledge and skills:
• Land management/stewardship planning, strategies and tactics
• Visitor planning/management, recreation planning/management
• Environmental and/or natural resource management
• Effective team management skills or supervisory experience.
• Excellent organizational, planning, systems management and administration skills with strong attention to detail, accuracy and thorough record-keeping.
• Ability to create and manage complex information systems and databases
• Managing multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong IT skills and comfort with technology (databases, spreadsheets, GIS, GPS, cameras, drones);
• Exceptional communication skills—written and verbal
• Strong report and proposal writing/presentation skills
• Able to compile, integrate and clearly present information for a variety of audiences (from scientists to the general public; technical field reports to inspiring educational materials)
• Proven track record in envisioning, creating and maintaining fruitful, mutually beneficial partnerships and relationships with diverse stakeholders (e.g. landowners, local communities, conservation partners, research partners etc.)
• Experience resolving conflicts and managing difficult situations with diverse stakeholders

Key Qualifications
• University degree/college diploma in a relevant field (e.g. conservation, environmental science, resource management, protected areas planning/management, resource conservation, recreation planning,)
• At least 5 years relevant professional experience (e.g. land trusts, land conservation, protected areas, land/natural resource/environmental management, environmental science/ecology, recreation/visitor management).
• Equivalencies may be considered

Additional Desired Assets
• Post-graduate or professional training in relevant field
• Knowledge and/or professional experience in the following:
• Private land conservation and stewardship, conservation easements, stewardship and enforcement
• Land trusts, land trust standards and practises, issues, trends and opportunities
• Baseline studies, ecological site assessments and field inventory
• Best practices in landscape scale conservation, biodiversity conservation, protected areas planning, management and stewardship; protected areas and biodiversity conservation programs and initiatives (national/ provincial), relevant legislation, programs, issues, trends, opportunities
• Conservation science and technology (e.g. remote sensing, modelling)
• Planning and leading environmental education activities and events; nature interpretation; public engagement
• Volunteer program management/working with volunteers
• Dealing with potential threats, liabilities and risks with conservation lands and appropriate prevention, monitoring, mitigation and restoration strategies
• Strong ecological and natural history knowledge; identifying/prioritizing natural landscapes, habitats, communities, species, and other natural features particularly those of conservation concern; knowledge of Nova Scotia’s biodiversity conservation priorities
• Strong field skills (comfortable navigating remote wilderness independently, travelling on foot, by canoe/kayak, motorboat, using GPS, map and compass); able to interpret aerial photography, topographic, satellite and other field/ecological maps and imagery
• Experience working with GIS data/programs; able to interpret GIS data/work using ESRI ArcGIS 10.x software; able to use and organize field GPS and other spatial data; strong cartographic/spatial analysis abilities using GIS/able to produce maps/present georeferenced data in various formats
• Experience working in the not-for-profit/charitable sector
• Wilderness first aid training and any other field-related certification/training (boat operator, chainsaw operator, trail building, recreational leadership etc.)

Position Requirements

The position is full time and will entail travel throughout the province. It may also involve evening and weekend work, including multi-day travel, especially during the ‘field season’ (spring, summer, early fall). It may also require occasional working alone in remote and rugged wilderness, travelling by hiking /bushwhacking, power boat, canoe/kayak. You must have a valid driver’s license.

Compensation and Benefits

Full-time, permanent position, based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Salary range $50-65k. Additional incentives include benefits, professional development opportunities and flex-time. Most important, you’ll be working for a cause that truly matters and where your work makes a tangible, lasting impact. Every day, you will be rewarded by the connections you build with some of the most incredible wild places in Nova Scotia, and with the very special people (landowners, volunteers, staff, supporters and partners) who are committed to helping you in your role as keeper of the wild.

Application Process 

Please include the following in your application:
• Current resume.
• A cover letter clearly articulating your relevant knowledge and experience, why you are interested in the position, what you bring to this key leadership position with our organization and why you think the work of the Nature Trust is important.
• An essay containing no more than 400 words describing the top three elements of a successful stewardship program.
• Names of three references (please indicate if you would prefer we not contact references until after an interview).

If you have any questions, please contact employment at nsnt.ca or phone (902) 425-5263.

Start Date

As soon as possible. The search committee will begin to consider potential candidates immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Please send your resume and cover letter to: 

Mail: Nova Scotia Nature Trust
P.O. Box 284, Station Main
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 3Y3

Electronically: employment at nsnt.ca (please send resume, cover letter, essay and references as one document)

Due to the anticipated volume of applications, we will only be contacting shortlisted candidates. We do greatly appreciate your interest in the work of the Nature Trust!

Please consider exploring our volunteer opportunities which you may find of interest.

About the Nova Scotia Nature Trust

The Nature Trust is a non-profit land conservation charity dedicated to protecting Nova Scotia’s most important natural areas, through private land conservation. We work with private landowners to permanently, legally protect natural areas through conservation agreements, donations, purchase and bequests of land. We then “steward” these lands to ensure their protection in perpetuity, and provide education and engagement opportunities, giving Nova Scotians the knowledge and tools they need to take an active role in protecting the places they love. With more than 25 years of experience, we have a proven track record in protecting Nova Scotia’s natural legacy, with over 15,000 acres of outstanding conservation lands protected across more than 125 conservation sites throughout the province. Be a part of the legacy!

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