Overview

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:

Join us as we tackle the intertwined global biodiversity and climate crises by delivering durable, representative, effectively managed, and inclusive protections through the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) approach. PFPs enable governments and local communities, in partnership with funders and NGOs, to secure long-term management and financing for networks of conservation areas in the form of a deal with a single closing agreement. Accelerating the deployment and impact of this strategy is an organizational priority to deliver lasting outcomes across our 2030 Conservation Goals for Biodiversity, Climate, and People. Such as in the Mongolia PFP and a Great Bear Sea PFP.

The Portfolio Associate, PFP works with the Global PFP team to support the entirety of the PFP portfolio, with an emphasis on project management for geographies in the scoping and viability stages. The Associate will serve as a liaison between the PFP team and other global strategies, local country teams, and external partners. The Program Associate also supports the delivery of PFP by serving as the point of contact for the portfolio and supporting the communications about the PFP body of work.

This position sits within the Global Protect Oceans, Lands, and Waters business unit and reports to the PFP Portfolio Director. The location for this position is flexible within countries where The Nature Conservancy is a registered NGO and has an already established office. This position is not eligible for relocation or immigration assistance. The position requires willingness and ability to travel up to 25% both domestically and internationally.

We’re Looking for You:

By joining our Global PFP team, as part of the Global Protect Oceans, Lands and Water team, you will become part of a group that is a force to be reckoned with, a force for nature, a force for people, and a force for our planet. Our team consists of a dedicated globally dispersed group who are leading the conservation effort on multiple fronts and who expertly bring strategy and action together. We work closely with internal teams and our external partners to deliver representative, durable, effective, resilient, and inclusive protection of the planet. We’re looking for an individual with a passion for the mission of The Nature Conservancy and who will enhance our ability to reach our 2030 goals.

The Portfolio Associate will provide cross-cutting support to the Global PFP team and its initiatives. With direction from the Portfolio Director, this person will work directly with country teams to complete stage gating assessments by driving processes and deliverables, initiating and leading project teams, and providing technical and content support as needed. The Associate will be a key partner in building phase two of the PFP portfolio and will help develop processes and tools to manage the overall PFP portfolio. This person will support the scoping and viability processes by organizing working teams and managing deliverables; conducting research; facilitating workshops, learning exchanges, and decision-making conversations; and summarizing results in reports and/or presentations. Additionally, the Associate will secure and coordinate required expertise from global and regional science, public and private fundraising, financial modelers, political strategists, Conservation Trust Fund experts, and external contractors. The Associate will also serve as a central point of reference for information on the PFP portfolio status and will maintain and share updates and dashboards on the portfolio, in collaboration with the PFP Operations and Communications teams.

They will have exceptional organizational and collaboration skills and experience with coordinating and working with complex projects and teams. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing mission of conservation by directing and shaping the work of our Global PFP team.

What You’ll Bring:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Conservation, Business, Finance, Policy, Resource Management or related field and 3 years of related experience or equivalent combination.
  • Experience supporting complex projects and strategic initiatives in an unstructured and matrixed environment.
  • Analytical and project management experience.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience are appreciated.
  • International work experience.
  • Experience supporting or co-leading and co-managing complex projects and strategic initiatives in an unstructured environment with a senior level manager within the Conservancy or a comparable organization.
  • Experience developing end products with software such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, cloud and web-based tools including SharePoint, WebEx/conferencing software, Skype, Google Hangouts, and DropBox or similar tools.
  • Self-starter with ability to generate work plans with limited support in line with the overall conservation strategies.
  • Experience contributing to business plans or major strategy assessments.
  • Fluency in a language other than English (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese) appreciated.
  • Willingness to learn and develop expertise in new conservation strategies, economic drivers, management tools, and global affairs.
  • Strong team player who can build relationships and work collaboratively across the organization and with partners.

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!